SSE Arena Belfast seating plan: The O2 Belfast blocks and best seats

The SSE Arena Belfast seating plan is now The O2 Belfast seating plan, because the same arena changed its name on 1 July 2026. It has a central floor and blocks in three rings: lower, middle and upper. It holds 11,200 at most. For most first-timers, a lower-ring side block such as NL3 or SL3 is the safest buy.

Ticket pages for each artist are in the table of dates lower down. Looking for another city? Open the UK venues page.

Is the SSE Arena Belfast now The O2 Belfast?

Yes, the SSE Arena Belfast is now The O2 Belfast: it is the same building, and the new name took effect on 1 July 2026 under a 10-year deal with O2. It stands at 2 Queens Quay, BT3 9QQ, in Belfast’s Titanic Quarter. So a plan, ticket or listing that says SSE Arena means this venue.

The venue’s official website now uses The O2 Belfast, while ticket listings and older pages may still say SSE Arena. Until 2015 it was the Odyssey Arena, and it is home to the Belfast Giants ice hockey team.

It has no link with The O2 in London, which has its own O2 Arena seating plan. Check the city before you pay.

How does the SSE Arena Belfast seating plan work?

The SSE Arena Belfast seating plan works through block codes such as WL4, and your ticket adds a row and a seat. The O2 Belfast’s Seating Maps page shows five layouts: Full Hall Part Standing, Full Hall Fully Seated, Theatre, Half Hall and Full Bowl Ice Hockey. The blocks below come from the Full Hall Part Standing map, which has a standing floor and the stage at the east end.

How do you read a block code?

1. The first letter is the side. N is north, S is south, W is west and E is east.
2. The second letter is the ring. L is the lower ring, nearest the floor. M is the middle ring, and U is the upper ring.
3. The number is the block. On the north and south sides, block 1 is nearest the stage and block 5 is furthest away.

So SM2 means south side, middle ring, block 2, and it sits quite close to the stage.

The map also shows narrow WESTT sections behind the wheelchair areas at the west end. Labels D1 to D24 run around the outside of the blocks. These look like door numbers, so compare them with your ticket on the night.

Is the floor at The O2 Belfast standing or seated?

The floor at The O2 Belfast is standing in the Full Hall Part Standing layout and seated in the Full Hall Fully Seated layout. For Belfast Giants games it becomes an ice rink. Your event page tells you which one applies.

• Age limit: at standing concerts, the standing area is for over-14s, and anyone younger with a standing ticket may be refused entry.
• Which door: at some shows, the venue sends floor-ticket holders to the O2 Pavilion ground-floor entrance, opposite Hollywood Bowl. Everyone else uses the main front doors.
• Smaller shows: these use the Half Hall or Theatre layouts, so the map above will not match. Use the plan for your own date.

Where are the best seats at the SSE Arena Belfast?

The best seats at The O2 Belfast, the former SSE Arena, for most people are in the lower ring on the north or south side. Blocks such as NL3 and SL3 are close to the stage, raised above the floor and not too sharply angled.

• Best for being close: the standing floor, if you are over 14 and happy to stand.
• Best seats near the stage: NL1, NL2, SL1 and SL2, on the side of the arena nearest the performers.
• Best straight-on view: WL4, WL5, WM4 and WM5, which look directly at the stage from the far end.
• Best for seeing the whole production: the middle ring, such as NM3, SM3 or WM4.
• Best for sound: a block that looks at the stage from the front, such as the West blocks.
• Best for a tight budget: compare blocks on the Ticketmaster plan, because each show sets its own prices.

Be careful with EL2, EL7, EM2, EM7, EU2 and EU7. The map puts these blocks right beside the stage, so you may lose part of the show. The upper ring suits people who are happy with height and steps.

How can you see the view from your seat at The O2 Belfast?

To see the view from your seat at The O2 Belfast, start with the venue’s Seating Maps page, then open the plan for your show on Ticketmaster. The Seating Maps page has five plans but no photos from the seats.

1. Pick the right layout for your show on the Seating Maps page.
2. Find the stage, then read the block codes around it.
3. Open your show on Ticketmaster, where the plan shows what is on sale.
4. Look at fans’ photos last. Search under SSE Arena Belfast and Odyssey Arena too, because older photos use those names.

How much are tickets and premium seats at The O2 Belfast?

The O2 Belfast tickets vary in price from show to show, and the venue publishes no list by block. Event pages say a service charge and a facility fee, two extra charges, apply, so check the total before you pay. Premium tickets add extras such as food or a private entrance, and each event page lists its own packages.

The table shows what one show listed: Cody Johnson on Wednesday 4 November 2026. All three packages were marked sold out for that date.

In suites and lounges, under-18s must be with an adult. These packages work for a group treat. Skip them if being close is your only aim, because the standing floor is nearer.

What accessible seating does The O2 Belfast have?

The O2 Belfast has wheelchair spaces at several points around the arena, and the exact mix is set for each event. On the concert map, these are at the west end and beside the east blocks. You can choose a wheelchair space online through Ticketmaster.

• Other access tickets: click the accessible symbol on the Ticketmaster event page.
• Essential Companion tickets: these are for the person who supports you. Apply through Ticketmaster, then send your evidence within 72 hours of buying. You can also upload it first, which covers events for the next 2 years.
• Access seats: these are held for at least 14 days from the day tickets go on sale.
• Getting in: on event nights, an accessible entrance opens to the right of the main doors.
• Toilets and lift: there are 10 wheelchair-accessible toilets, a Changing Places facility and an accessible lift.
• Hearing: a hearing loop works in the main hall at all events.
• Wheelchairs: a limited number can be used on request.
• Parking: 60 disabled parking bays are first come, first served.

Bringing children to The O2 Belfast?

• Tickets: everyone needs a full ticket, children included.
• Adults: under-14s should be with an adult aged 18 or over.
• Higher limits: the venue’s pages for John Bishop and Paul Smith say 16+.
• Where to sit: book a seat for anyone under 14, because the standing area is for over-14s.

How do you get to The O2 Belfast?

The easiest way to get to The O2 Belfast is on foot from Belfast city centre, a few minutes away across the Queen Elizabeth Bridge. Translink’s Glider rapid buses and regular buses stop at The O2 Belfast and Titanic Quarter. Trains stop at Titanic Quarter halt, or at Lanyon Place, one mile away.

• From Titanic Quarter halt: cross the bypass and turn left, and the arena is close by on the left.
• Coming from Dublin? The train to Belfast takes two hours, the venue says.
• Flying in? Belfast has two airports, George Best Belfast City and Belfast International, with flights from London, Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow.
• Going home late? Translink has a pilot of late-night services on Friday and Saturday nights in 2026.
• Driving? The arena is off the M3. Use BT3 9QQ in your sat nav.

The car parks have 1,500 spaces across the front, rear and Riverside sites. They are first come, first served, and the venue says leaving can take about one hour after busy events. These are the standard charges on the parking page:

What time should you arrive at The O2 Belfast, and what can you bring?

Arrive at The O2 Belfast around the door time on your ticket, which also shows the show time. Cody Johnson’s page, for example, lists doors at 6.30pm, subject to change. The box office opens on event days about 30 minutes before doors, but it does not sell tickets. It only helps with queries and ticket downloads.

• Your ticket: download it to your phone before you leave home, because the venue says screenshots will not work.
• Bags: backpacks, holdalls and rucksacks of any size are banned. Small bags must be A4 or smaller, or a standard handbag.
• Bigger bags: the venue points you to Stasher, which offers storage across the city.
• Food and drink: none from outside, unless you have medical or dietary needs and contact the venue first. Bars and food units are inside.

What mistakes should you avoid at The O2 Belfast?

The main mistakes at The O2 Belfast are bringing a backpack, buying a standing ticket for a child under 14 and relying on a screenshot of your ticket. A few other points catch people out:

• Mixing up the names: searching for SSE Arena tickets is fine, but your ticket may say The O2 Belfast.
• Planning to buy at the door: the box office sells nothing, so book online.
• Parking without a plan: allow time to get out of the car park, or walk over the bridge instead.

Who is playing at The O2 Belfast soon?

The next shows at The O2 Belfast include Cody Johnson on Wednesday 4 November 2026, then Westlife on Thursday 5 and Friday 6 November. Some listings still call the venue SSE Arena.

What to do now (as of 31 October 2026)

As of 31 October 2026, none of the shows above was sold out at its last official check. Most of those checks are from 20 and 21 October, so confirm the status before you buy.

1. Check your layout on the Seating Maps page, because not every show uses the full hall.
2. Read the age limit on your event page if you are bringing anyone under 18.
3. Download your ticket to your phone before you travel.

If a date sells out later, the artist’s page in the table shows any resale listings.