- August 21, 2026
- Posted by: SportsV
- Categories: Home News, Industry News, News, Press Releases
As the new Premier League season kicks off, Arsenal FC and Legends Global are turning up the flavour with “1886 by Arsenal” – a new matchday food and beverage experience that marks a new era for the Emirates Stadium with fresh menus, local flavours and new ways for supporters to enjoy the occasion.
Named after the year the club was founded, 1886 by Arsenal brings Arsenal’s heritage into a distinctly North London dining experience. Rooted in the club’s home and community, it reflects the same commitment to quality and high standards that defines Arsenal on and off the pitch. From set pieces to set menus, the service is always distinctly Arsenal.
Putting North London at the heart of the food offer, Legends Global is working closely with local suppliers wherever possible and bringing even more of the community around the club into the Emirates Stadium.
The reimagined retail menus have been thoughtfully designed to raise the bar at every level. Fried chicken is brined in-house for 48 hours before being coated in a bespoke blend of herbs and spices. The club’s own-recipe burger, developed with its butcher, combines three cuts of British-farmed beef – chuck, brisket and rib – while the chicken burger comes with Lesley’s own jerk sauce, created by a family-run artisan producer based in Islington.
The local connection continues with hot dogs made using sausages from Islington’s Cobble Lane, made with 92% British pork and prepared in North London, alongside Willy’s Pies, whose story has strong links to the club’s heritage.
The 2026 SVB LIVE Conference & Exhibition – focused on elevating the live experience – is being hosted at Everton FC’s new Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool, UK, Oct 1st and 2nd, with an Opening Night Icebreaker at Liverpool FC’s iconic Anfield Stadium, Sept 30th.
There are changes to the wider matchday experience too, designed to give supporters more choice and make getting served quicker and easier. For the first time since Emirates Stadium opened, chips are available as a side across the Lower Tier General Admission Concourse, while expanded self-pour beer facilities are helping to reduce queues and waiting times. Two concessions featuring frictionless “tap-in” technology offer an even faster way to purchase food and drink, while new meal deals provide greater choice for younger supporters.
Steve Cooper, Legends Global SVP Food and Beverage said:
“Food and drink have always been a part of the ritual of matchday, meeting friends and family, arriving at the stadium and building up to kick-off. So, in our first season at Arsenal, we wanted to look at that experience and ask how we could make it genuinely better. That’s meant investing in equipment to elevate the experience and rethinking every detail, from the menus and ingredients to local partnerships and how quickly supporters can get served. 1886 by Arsenal is the result, an experience rooted in North London, built around Arsenal supporters and with the ambition to set a new benchmark for food and drink in Premier League football.
“This is the start of an exciting new chapter at Emirates Stadium, and we’ll keep innovating and evolving the experience.”
ABOUT LEGENDS GLOBAL
Legends Global is the premier partner to the world’s greatest live events, venues and brands. We deliver a fully integrated solution of premium services, including feasibility and consulting, project management, sales, partnerships, venue management, hospitality, merchandise, and content and booking. Our white-label approach ensures our partners remain front and centre while we harness the power of our global network – including over 450 venues, 20,000 events, and 165 million guests annually – to enhance their business and guest experience.
The company’s European portfolio includes Arsenal FC, Chelsea Football Club, Coventry City FC, Real Madrid CF, FC Porto, Avicii Arena, AO Arena, Connexin Live, first direct bank Arena, Olympia, Outernet, OVO Arena Wembley, P&J Live, Strawberry Arena, Utilita Arena Newcastle, Utilita Arena Sheffield, Vaillant Live, York Barbican and more.
Since 2024, the company has worked in partnership with UMBEL Restaurant Group, led by award-winning chef Simon Rogan (L’Enclume, Roganic, Aulis), bringing Michelin-level dining and innovation into venues across its portfolio.
To learn more, visit: www.LegendsGlobal.com
Source & imagery, courtesy: Legends Global
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