Nation and sporting places: exploring the national stadia of a (dis)United Kingdom

Abstract

The focus of this paper is sports stadia in Britain and Ireland and, by implication, the politics of identity in a multi-national United Kingdom, arguably more divided than at any time since the Act of Union in 1707 because of the decision to leave the European Union. The paper discusses sports stadia in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and, by necessary extension, the Republic of Ireland. I argue that, because of the multi-national character of the United Kingdom, it is impossible to identify a single British national stadium. In addition, in the UK’s various constituent nations, sport and its places are contested with the contestation reflecting divisions within these nations, making the Principality Stadium in Wales the only true example of a national stadium in the United Kingdom.