RAC Arena has been crowned top UFC venue in the 2026 USA TODAY Sports Readers’ Choice Awards
Perth’s RAC Arena has been crowned the world’s Best UFC Venue, topping a global field of leading arenas including New York’s Madison Square Garden, Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena and Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena in the 2026 USA TODAY Sports Readers’ Choice Awards.
The award was determined through public voting following nominations from a panel of USA TODAY Sports editors, with RAC Arena finishing first among UFC venues worldwide.
RAC Arena General Manager Michael Scott said the recognition was a reflection of Western Australia’s passionate UFC fan base and Perth’s reputation as a world-class host city for major sporting events.
“To be recognised by fans around the world as the Best UFC Venue is an incredible honour and a testament to the atmosphere Perth fans create every time UFC comes to town,” said Scott.
“To finish ahead of some of the most iconic sporting arenas on the planet speaks volumes about the experience our dedicated team, partners and fans have built together. We’re proud to showcase Perth on the world stage and look forward to welcoming UFC back to RAC Arena in the future.”
Peter Kloczko, UFC’s Senior Vice President Australia and New Zealand said Perth had established itself as one of the sport’s premier destinations globally.
“Returning to Perth and RAC Arena is a real highlight of our UFC events calendar. The venue is perfect for an amazing live UFC event experience – always an incredible atmosphere in the building when we’re there. Congratulations to Michael and his team. We cannot wait to be back in 2027.”
RAC Arena has hosted multiple UFC events in recent years, helping cement Perth’s position as a key international destination for combat sports and major live entertainment. UFC events at the venue have attracted fans from across Australia and overseas, delivering significant economic and tourism benefits to Western Australia.
The USA TODAY Sports Readers’ Choice Awards recognise leading sports venues, events and experiences worldwide, with winners selected through public voting.
USA TODAY Sports Readers’ Choice Awards 2026 – Best UFC Venue
- RAC Arena (Perth, Australia)
- Qudos Bank Arena (Sydney, Australia)
- Etihad Arena (Abu Dhabi, UAE)
- Madison Square Garden (New York, USA)
- Accor Arena (Paris, France)
- Prudential Center (Newark, USA)
- T-Mobile Arena (Las Vegas, USA)
- Arena CDMX (Mexico City, Mexico)
- Bridgestone Arena (Nashville, USA)
- Climate Pledge Arena (Seattle, USA)
-ENDS-
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About RAC Arena:
RAC Arena is proudly managed by Legends Global, on behalf of VenuesWest.
RAC Arena is the home of live entertainment in Western Australia. Located in the heart of the Perth CBD, we play host to the world’s best live music, sport, family, and comedy.
Since opening our doors in 2012, the Arena has attracted the world’s greatest entertainers including The Rolling Stones, The Wiggles, Dua Lipa, and Kevin Hart. Home of the Perth Wildcats, West Coast Fever and Perth’s annual tennis tournament, United Cup, we’re never far from the on-court action.
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 development, 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. To learn more, visit us at www.LegendsGlobal.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.
About Legends Global, Asia Pacific and Middle East:
From its regional headquarters in Brisbane, Australia, Legends Global books, operates and manages a network of venues that includes:
Stadiums – Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane; Kai Tak Sports Park Main Stadium, Hong Kong; and 50% ownership of VenuesLive, the operator of Optus Stadium, Perth; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (under construction)
Entertainment and Indoor Sports Arenas – Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney; RAC Arena, Perth; Brisbane Entertainment Centre; Newcastle Entertainment Centre, TikTok Entertainment Centre; ICC Sydney; Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre Great Hall; Cairns Arena, Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai; and Kai Tak Sports Park Indoor Arena, Hong Kong; Bangkok Arena, Thailand (under construction), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (under construction)
Live Performance Theatres – Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Sydney, Kuala Lumpur, The Cutaway, Sydney and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (under construction)
Convention & Exhibition Centres – Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Newcastle, Sydney, Christchurch, Kuala Lumpur, The Cutaway, Sydney and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (under construction)
Shooting Range – Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (under construction)
About VenuesWest:
VenuesWest owns and manages 14 sport and entertainment venues across the Perth metropolitan area on behalf of the State Government, including RAC Arena and Optus Stadium.
The organisation has a proud history of successfully delivering world class sport and entertainment experiences, and hosting major events at their precincts and venues for Western Australians and visitors to Perth.
VenuesWest directly supports high performance sport by providing training and competition facilities, direct subsidies to sports on venue and event costs, and through the provision of accessible high-performance sport experiences for the community.
