Live Events & Tickets in London

Hockey

Hockey is London's signature sport. The London Knights play in the Ontario Hockey League, the top tier of major-junior hockey, and rank among the most successful franchises in Canadian junior history — Memorial Cup champions and a steady pipeline of NHL talent.

They play at Canada Life Place downtown, a roughly 9,000-seat arena widely regarded as one of the best junior buildings in the country. The OHL regular season runs from late September through March, followed by playoffs into the spring.

Friday and weekend home games are the marquee dates, and the building gets loud for divisional rivalry matchups. Tickets to most regular-season games are obtainable in advance, but the biggest opponents and playoff dates move fast.

Western Mustangs hockey at Thompson Arena and junior and minor leagues across the region round out the city's deep hockey scene.

Basketball

Professional basketball in London is led by the London Lightning, who play out of Canada Life Place downtown. The Lightning built a championship pedigree during their years in the National Basketball League of Canada, winning multiple titles, and have continued in the pro ranks as the city's flagship hoops team.

Their season runs through the winter, sharing the downtown arena's calendar with the Knights and offering an affordable, high-energy night out in the core. On the college side, the Western Mustangs men's and women's basketball programs compete in U Sports and draw strong campus crowds through the winter term at Alumni Hall.

Between the pro and varsity sides, London keeps live basketball on the schedule across the cold-weather months, and single-game tickets are generally easy to come by outside of marquee matchups.

Baseball

Baseball in London runs through the London Majors, who play in the Intercounty Baseball League, one of Canada's oldest and most established summer baseball circuits. Their home is Labatt Park, on the bank of the Thames just west of downtown — recognized as one of the oldest continuously operating baseball grounds in the world, dating back well over a century.

The Majors' season runs through the spring and summer, with weekend and weeknight games offering one of the best-value live sports tickets in the city. The intimate, historic ballpark makes for a relaxed family night, with affordable admission and concessions and an easy walk-up atmosphere.

Most regular-season games have plenty of seating available, and the setting alone — small-town ballpark feel inside a mid-size city — is a draw for fans and visitors alike.

Sports games

London, Ontario packs a full sports schedule into a compact footprint. The London Knights play OHL major-junior hockey at Canada Life Place downtown, and the London Lightning play professional basketball out of the same arena through the winter.

Western University's Mustangs are a national U Sports power, with football at TD Stadium, hockey at Thompson Arena, and basketball at Alumni Hall on the north campus. The London Majors play Intercounty Baseball League ball at historic Labatt Park on the Thames through the spring and summer.

Soccer, junior and minor hockey, and amateur leagues fill out the calendar across the region. With most of the marquee action concentrated downtown at Canada Life Place, London is one of the easiest mid-size markets in Canada to take in live sport year-round.

College sports

Western University gives London one of the strongest college-sports scenes in Canada. The Western Mustangs compete in U Sports across football, hockey, basketball, and more, and the football program in particular is a perennial national contender that has produced multiple Vanier Cup titles.

Mustangs football plays at TD Stadium on the main campus, with the biggest crowds of the year coming for fall homecoming and rivalry games. Mustangs hockey runs at Thompson Arena and basketball at Alumni Hall through the winter term.

Across town, Fanshawe College fields its own varsity teams in collegiate competition. Tickets to Western games are affordable and easy to come by for most of the schedule, with the marquee fall football dates drawing the largest crowds.

Game days bring a lively campus atmosphere a short drive from downtown.

Affordable & free sports

London is an easy city to watch live sport without spending much. London Majors baseball at Labatt Park is one of the best-value tickets going, with low admission to a historic ballpark on the Thames through the summer.

Western Mustangs varsity games — football at TD Stadium, hockey at Thompson Arena, basketball at Alumni Hall — carry affordable admission and free or low-cost entry for students. Junior and minor hockey across the region, amateur and recreational leagues, and youth tournaments fill the calendar with low-cost or free viewing.

Many community rinks, ball diamonds, and pitches around the city host open games where you can simply walk up and watch. Even Knights and Lightning games at Canada Life Place remain reasonably priced compared with big-league markets, keeping live sport accessible across the city year-round.

Soccer & more

Beyond the big arena teams, London supports a wide base of soccer and other sports across the region. The city has fielded teams in Canadian semi-pro and amateur soccer over the years, with local clubs and youth academies feeding a strong grassroots scene, and Western University's Mustangs soccer programs compete in U Sports.

Curling, ringette, lacrosse, rowing on Fanshawe Lake, and a range of recreational leagues round out the calendar. Western's varsity program spans many sports beyond the marquee three, and Fanshawe College adds its own teams.

Community arenas, fields, and clubs across the city host events nearly year-round, and admission to most of these is low-cost or free. For visitors, it is an easy way to catch live local sport beyond the headline downtown games.

Game-day atmosphere

London's game-day scene centres on downtown. Canada Life Place sits in the heart of the core, steps from Richmond Row and Dundas Street, where pubs and restaurants fill before and after Knights and Lightning games.

Pre-game on a Friday night, the bars near the arena are the natural gathering spot, and the area stays busy when the building empties out after a win. Western Mustangs game days bring their own atmosphere to the north campus, with student crowds carrying the energy into the bars near Richmond Street.

London Majors baseball at Labatt Park has a laid-back summer-evening feel, with a beer and a hot dog by the Thames. Downtown's compact layout means you can pair dinner, a game, and a post-game drink without ever needing to drive between them.

Downtown / Canada Life Place

Downtown London is the city's sports core, anchored by Canada Life Place — the roughly 9,000-seat arena that is home to both the OHL's London Knights and the professional London Lightning. On game nights the surrounding blocks fill with fans, with Richmond Row and Dundas Street pubs and restaurants the natural pre- and post-game gathering spots.

Dinner reservations near the arena book up on Friday Knights nights, so plan ahead if you want a sit-down meal before puck drop. The arena sits within easy walking distance of core hotels, and London Transit buses serve the downtown area, making it the most accessible sports venue in the city.

Parking lots and structures within a few blocks handle game-day demand.

Western University / North Campus

Western University's campus on the north side of London is the city's college-sports hub. TD Stadium hosts the Mustangs football program, a national U Sports power, with the biggest crowds of the year arriving for fall homecoming and rivalry games.

Thompson Arena runs Mustangs hockey through the winter, and Alumni Hall hosts varsity basketball and other indoor sports. The campus sits a short drive north of downtown along Richmond Street, with student bars and restaurants nearby that fill on game days.

Admission to Western games is affordable and easy to obtain for most of the schedule. London Transit buses connect the campus to downtown, and game-day parking is available around the athletic facilities.

Labatt Park / The Thames

Just west of downtown, where the north and south branches of the Thames meet, sits Labatt Park — home of the London Majors of the Intercounty Baseball League and one of the oldest continuously operating baseball grounds in the world. The historic ballpark gives summer evenings a relaxed, small-town feel right inside the city, with affordable admission, classic concessions, and a walk-up atmosphere.

The riverside setting and nearby Harris Park and Thames Valley pathway make it an easy spot to pair a ballgame with a pre-game stroll. The Majors' season runs spring through summer, with weekend and weeknight games.

Parking is straightforward around the park, and the site sits a short walk or drive from the downtown core.

Richmond Row

Richmond Row, the stretch of Richmond Street running north from downtown, is London's game-night social heart. Packed with pubs, sports bars, and restaurants, it fills before and after Knights and Lightning games at nearby Canada Life Place, and stays busy on Western game nights with the student crowd from up the road.

It is the natural place to grab a pre-game meal or a post-game pint within easy walking distance of the downtown arena. The strip connects the core to the Western University campus to the north, so the energy of a Mustangs game day spills down into the bars here.

London Transit buses run the corridor, and it is an easy walk from downtown hotels, making it the default hangout for a London sports night.

Thompson Arena / Alumni Hall

On the Western University campus, Thompson Arena and Alumni Hall are the indoor homes of Mustangs winter sport. Thompson Arena hosts Mustangs hockey, a long-running U Sports program that draws engaged student crowds through the cold-weather months.

Alumni Hall, the campus fieldhouse, is home to Mustangs basketball and volleyball, with the gym filling for rivalry games and playoff dates. Both sit on the north campus a short drive from downtown along Richmond Street, with the Richmond Row bar strip in between.

Admission is affordable, and tickets are easy to obtain for most of the schedule. These are the spots to catch high-level varsity sport in an intimate setting, with a campus atmosphere distinct from the downtown arena crowd.

Canada Life Place

Canada Life Place is London's flagship sports and entertainment arena, sitting right in the downtown core. Seating roughly 9,000 for hockey, it is home to the OHL's London Knights and the professional London Lightning, and is regularly cited as one of the best junior-hockey buildings in Canada.

The Knights pack the building through the OHL season from fall into spring, and the Lightning add basketball nights through the winter. The arena is surrounded by downtown restaurants and the Richmond Row bar strip, with hotels within walking distance and London Transit service nearby.

Parking lots and structures sit within a few blocks. For most visitors, this single downtown arena is the centre of London's live-sports scene, hosting the city's two marquee teams under one roof.

January

January is deep winter and the heart of the indoor sports season in London. The Knights are in full OHL mid-season run with regular home games at Canada Life Place, and divisional rivalry matchups draw the loudest crowds.

The London Lightning are mid-season on the basketball side of the arena calendar. Western Mustangs hockey and basketball pick back up with the winter term, drawing student crowds to Thompson Arena and Alumni Hall.

With baseball months away, this is prime time for arena sport, and a cold-weather game night downtown is the local move.

February

February is the stretch run of the OHL regular season, with the Knights jockeying for playoff position and home games at Canada Life Place carrying real stakes. The London Lightning continue their winter basketball schedule.

Western Mustangs winter sports head toward their playoff push, with hockey at Thompson Arena and basketball at Alumni Hall building toward U Sports postseason. It is one of the busiest months on the indoor calendar, and a Friday-night Knights game remains the centrepiece of the London sports week.

March

March is playoff time. The OHL regular season wraps and the Knights open their postseason run, with home playoff games at Canada Life Place among the most charged tickets of the year — these sell out fast, so plan ahead.

The London Lightning head into their own playoff stretch on the basketball side. Western Mustangs winter sports finish their U Sports campaigns.

Baseball is still a few weeks off, but the buzz of junior-hockey playoffs makes this one of the most exciting months of the London sports calendar.

April

April is the deepest stretch of the OHL playoffs, and a strong Knights team can be deep into its postseason run, chasing a league title at Canada Life Place — these are the hottest hockey tickets of the year. The Lightning's basketball playoffs can also extend into the month.

As the weather warms, the London Majors begin preparing for the Intercounty Baseball League season at Labatt Park, with the summer baseball calendar coming into view. It is a transitional month, with arena playoff hockey giving way to the first hints of ballpark season.

May

May is when a championship-calibre Knights season can reach its peak — an OHL title run can carry into the league final and, for the winner, on to the Memorial Cup, the national major-junior championship. London has hosted and won the Memorial Cup before, and a deep playoff run is a marquee event for the city.

As hockey winds down, baseball ramps up: the London Majors open their Intercounty Baseball League season at Labatt Park, bringing affordable summer-evening ballgames back to the Thames. The sports calendar pivots from arena to ballpark this month.

June

June is full baseball season in London. The London Majors play a steady run of Intercounty Baseball League home games at historic Labatt Park, with weeknight and weekend dates offering one of the best-value live tickets in the city and a relaxed summer-evening atmosphere on the Thames.

With the OHL and basketball seasons over, baseball is the main live-sports draw, joined by amateur and recreational summer leagues across the region. It is an easy, affordable month to catch live local sport, and the ballpark setting makes for a classic warm-weather outing.

July

July is the heart of the London Majors' Intercounty Baseball League season, with frequent home dates at Labatt Park through the warmest stretch of summer. Weekend ballgames by the Thames are a relaxed, family-friendly staple, and the historic ballpark is at its best on a warm evening.

Amateur and recreational summer leagues across the region — soccer, slo-pitch, and more — keep the local sports calendar busy. With the arena teams in their offseason, baseball carries the month, and it remains one of the easiest and most affordable times of year to catch live sport in the city.

August

August carries the close of the London Majors' Intercounty Baseball League regular season, with the playoff push and postseason games at Labatt Park among the most compelling baseball dates of the summer. The historic ballpark stays busy through the late-summer evenings.

Meanwhile, the OHL preseason begins to take shape as the Knights prepare for training camp, and Western Mustangs football opens its training camp ahead of the fall season. It is a bridge month, with baseball heading toward its finish and the first signs of the fall and winter sports calendar coming back into view.

September

September is the kickoff of the fall and winter sports calendar. The Western Mustangs football season is in full swing at TD Stadium, drawing big student crowds for early-season home games.

Late in the month, the OHL season opens and the London Knights are back at Canada Life Place, marking the return of the city's marquee winter ticket. The London Majors' baseball season wraps up with its playoff finish at Labatt Park.

With campus football, junior hockey, and the tail end of baseball all overlapping, it is one of the fullest months on the London sports calendar.

October

October is peak fall sports in London. The Knights are into the early run of their OHL season at Canada Life Place, with weekend home games drawing strong crowds.

Western Mustangs football reaches the heart of its schedule, often including homecoming — one of the biggest game days of the year at TD Stadium, with a packed campus atmosphere. The London Lightning open their professional basketball season, adding to the arena calendar.

With junior hockey, college football, and pro basketball all running at once, October is one of the busiest stretches on the city's sports calendar.

November

November is full winter-sports season. The Knights play a heavy slate of OHL home games at Canada Life Place, and the London Lightning are in their basketball schedule.

Western Mustangs football reaches its U Sports playoff stretch, where a top program can be chasing a conference title and a berth in the Vanier Cup, the national university football championship, late in the month. Mustangs hockey and basketball pick up with the winter term.

With junior hockey, pro basketball, and playoff college football all in play, the arena and campus calendars are at their fullest.

December

December is holiday-season hockey in London. The Knights play a busy run of OHL home games at Canada Life Place through the month, with the festive-period schedule making for popular family outings between Christmas and New Year's.

The London Lightning continue their winter basketball slate. Western Mustangs sports pause over the university's holiday break, returning in the new term.

A Knights game downtown is a natural December outing, pairing well with the holiday atmosphere in the core, and it remains the centrepiece of the city's sports calendar through the depths of winter.