For a city renowned worldwide for the quality and diversity of its music, arts and culture, it should also be said that Sheffield is no slouch when it comes to hosting some of the finest sports stars the planet has to offer as well.
From football and cricket to darts and the world-famous Sheffield Indoor Trial, there truly is something for everyone in the Steel City.
So if you are new to Sheffield and wondering where to catch the very best sporting action, or are simply looking to try something new, here are a few ideas as to where you can enjoy edge-of-the-seat excitement on your doorstep.
Bramall Lane/Hillsborough
We’ll kick off our list, pun intended, with a look at Sheffield’s two premier football grounds.
Bramall Lane plays host to Sheffield United, who have just returned to the Premier League after a lengthy hiatus outside of the top flight. Chris Wilder’s team play an entertaining brand of football, so this is an excellent way to spend your Saturday afternoon.
Head north and you’ll find Hillsborough, home to the Blades’ fierce city rivals Sheffield Wednesday. The Owls have flirted with promotion from the Championship a couple of times in recent years, but for now they have to resign themselves with a place in the second-tier of English football.
Sadly, Sheffield FC Ladies withdrew from the FA Women’s Championship in 2018 for financial reasons.
FlyDSA Arena
The big old structure known for commercial reasons as the FlyDSA Arena welcomes the stars of screen and stage to perform in front of the passionate Sheffield crowd, but it is also home to a variety of sporting activities.
The Arena is home to the Sheffield Steelers, the ten-time Elite Ice Hockey League champions. If you have never watched a live ice hockey game before, it is truly an experience not to be missed.
Each year the venue plays host to the Premier League Darts as well. The likes of Michael van Gerwen and co. are in town for one night only. If you’re not already a darts fan, it’s a good idea to get clued up on the latest Premier League the latest news in Premier League darts betting news before you go, to really make the most of this event. And it really is an event to enjoy with friends and family: gather the masses, have a few ‘light refreshments’ and appreciate the best ‘tungsten tossers’ in the world getting down to business.
Lastly, we have to mention the Sheffield Indoor Trial, where death-defying stunts and leaps are performed by the likes of Toni Bou each year. It’s not for the faint-hearted, but a fantastic spectacle all the same!
Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park
As the name suggests, this incredible facility was part-funded by the Olympic Games of 2012 and its legacy, and today venue remains a focal point for sport in Sheffield.
You can catch top-class boxing and athletics at the English Institute of Sport, watch the next Torvill & Dean at Ice Sheffield, basketball and netball at the Park Community Arena and enjoy former Challenge Cup winners the Sheffield Eagles go into battle in rugby league.
And if you get bitten by the sporting bug, you can always try your hand with one of the countless amateur sports teams that base themselves at the Olympic Legacy Park.
Owlerton Stadium
Owlerton is a huge complex that offers a range of banqueting and conferencing facilities, but there’s a nice mix of work and leisure given that there’s a casino and greyhound track on the same site!
Napoleons Casino is something of a trailblazer: it boasts the first outdoor gaming terrace in the UK outside of London, where you can try your luck at the roulette wheel and the blackjack table. Out on the track at Owlerton Stadium, you can have a flutter on the greyhounds on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday nights, with day meetings on Monday and Thursday too.
As you can tell, there is so much to enjoy from a sporting perspective in Sheffield, you’ll have a difficult time knowing where to start.
