Hospitality and culinary partner, Sodexo Live! celebrated a successful night at the Stadium Events & Hospitality Awards 2026, with its teams securing 10 awards across its UK stadia portfolio - 21% of all accolades presented.
The awards recognised teams working across football, rugby and cricket venues throughout the UK, with standout performances from Newcastle United FC, Fulham FC, Headingley Stadium, Barclays Hampden Stadium, Brighton & Hove Albion FC and Millwall FC, celebrating excellence in matchday hospitality, events, sales, marketing and operational delivery.
Among the standout successes, Newcastle United Football Club secured two gold awards, taking top honours for both Stadium Event of the Year and Operations Team of the Year. Fulham Football Club was named winner of the Matchday Hospitality Award (Large Stadium), while Sodexo Live! partner Leeds Rhinos at Headingley Stadium won the Visiting Rugby Directors Award, recognising the quality of the matchday experience delivered throughout the season.
Further recognition came for teams at Barclays Hampden Stadium, Brighton & Hove Albion FC, Millwall FC and Headingley Stadium, demonstrating the depth of talent and consistency across the Sodexo Live! stadia portfolio.
The awards, hosted by Stadium Experience at Everton FC's new Hill Dickinson Stadium, brought together representatives from more than 70 stadium venues across football, rugby, cricket and athletics. A total of 76 clubs were nominated across 15 categories, with awards independently judged by industry experts.
"What I love about these awards is that they recognise the reality of what our teams of Experience Makers do every day. They're won through hundreds of small details being delivered brilliantly, whether that's serving guests on a matchday, hosting a major event or supporting venue operations behind the scenes.
To see our teams collect more than a fifth of the total awards, across six different venues is a fantastic achievement. It's a reflection of the pride they take in their work, the strength of our partnerships and the consistently high standards they deliver through food and service for our guests."
2026 Sodexo Live! venue awards:
- Non-Matchday Mystery Shopper Award (Bronze) - Millwall FC
- Non-Matchday Mystery Shopper Award (Silver) - Headingley Stadium
- Stadium Event of the Year Award (Winner) - Newcastle United
- Matchday Sales & Marketing Team of the Year Award (Silver) - Barclays Hampden
- Operations Team of the Year Award (Winner) - Newcastle United
- Visiting Rugby Directors Award (Winner) - Leeds Rhinos at Headingley Stadium
- Matchday Hospitality Award - Medium Stadium (Bronze) - Barclays Hampden
- Matchday Hospitality Award - Large Stadium (Bronze) - Brighton & Hove Albion FC
- Matchday Hospitality Award - Large Stadium (Winner) - Fulham FC
- Overall Matchday Hospitality Award (Bronze) - Fulham FC
Globally, Sodexo Live! supports some of the most well-known and high-profile sports clubs, events, and stadia. In the UK it partners with Ascot Racecourse, Fulham FC, Brighton & Hove Albion FC, Newcastle United FC, Nottingham Forest FC and the home of Scottish football, Hampden Park, to name a few. Internationally it delivers events such as Roland Garros, the Tour de France, the Miami Open and Miami Grand Prix, the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells in California, plus stadiums in the USA including the Hard Rock Stadium (home to the Miami Dolphins) and T-Mobile Park, home to the Seattle Mariners.
Find out more about Sodexo Live! here: www.sodexolive.co.uk
