Inside Växjö’s Arenastaden: Sports, Concerts and a Whole District Built for Events

A sports district, not just a single arena

Växjö municipality describes Arenastaden as a center for sport, education, leadership and events, with many facilities close together. The district brings several different sports into the same area, so a visit can be about more than one team or one match. Depending on the calendar, the venues host everything from league games and training to other sporting and public events.

That concentration is the big draw for visitors: you can plan around the event you are attending and explore the wider sports setting without treating each venue as a separate destination. Still, the venues are distinct, and the match ticket and event listing should always be checked for the exact arena and entrance.

• Vida Arena is the ice hockey venue associated with Växjö Lakers.
• Spiris Arena is the football home of Östers IF and Växjö DFF.
• Tipshallen provides indoor sports facilities and winter training space.
• Fortnox Arena is a purpose-built floorball venue and home arena for Växjö Vipers.

Vida Arena: home ice for Växjö Lakers

For hockey fans, Vida Arena is the headline venue. The municipality says the arena is owned and operated by Växjö Lakers Fastighets AB, which is owned by Växjö Lakers HC. The wider Vida Arena facility includes three ice halls used for activities such as ice hockey, figure skating and recreational hockey.

A Lakers home game offers a direct way to experience Swedish club hockey in the city where the team plays. Check the club’s current fixture list and the event information before travelling: match dates, start times and practical arrangements can change during the season. Vida Arena also hosts events beyond hockey, so it is worth checking the calendar even if you are not visiting for a league fixture.

The name can create confusion because another local sports venue is also strongly associated with a Växjö club. Vida Arena is the hockey venue; Östers IF’s football home is Spiris Arena, elsewhere within Arenastaden.

Spiris Arena: Östers IF’s football home

Östers IF plays its home football at Spiris Arena, not Vida Arena. Växjö municipality also identifies Spiris Arena as the home ground of Växjö DFF. The football stadium stands on the site of the former Värendsvallen ground, which had been there since 1932, and the current arena opened in 2012.

The arena has a notable naming history. Östers IF says it was previously called Visma Arena and changed to Spiris Arena in June 2025, following the rebrand of its partner Visma Spcs to Spiris. Spiris describes itself as a business finance platform and identifies itself as the former Visma Spcs. In other words, the name “Visma” in older travel information and “Spiris” on current venue listings refer to a name change, not to a different football club or to Vida Arena.

If you are attending a football match, use the current Spiris Arena name when checking fixtures and travel details. The football and hockey calendars are separate, even though the two venues belong to the same wider sports district.

Tipshallen: indoor football, athletics and winter activity

Tipshallen gives the district a useful indoor dimension. The municipality says that during the winter half of the year the hall serves as a training arena and home ground for Östers’ football teams, while also giving local athletics athletes space to train. It has hosted major fairs, concerts and television events as well as sport.

The facility is divided into several halls with different uses. One includes a full-size artificial-turf football pitch and a running track; other spaces support gymnastics and running. This combination makes Tipshallen an important part of the local sports infrastructure, not simply a backup venue for rainy days.

Public running opportunities are offered at certain times during the winter period, according to the municipality. Check the official facility information for current access, booking, opening times and accessibility before making plans.

Fortnox Arena and Växjö’s floorball scene

Fortnox Arena adds floorball to Arenastaden’s mix. Växjö municipality describes it as the home arena of Växjö Vipers and notes that it was the first arena in the world built from the ground up for floorball. The main hall has seating for 1,600 spectators, alongside a training hall and team facilities.

There is an important company-and-venue distinction here. Fortnox is a Swedish business software platform used for services such as accounting and invoicing; the arena is a sports venue. The municipality identifies Nivika Fastigheter as the arena’s owner and operator, so the shared name should not be read as proof that the software company owns or runs the building.

For visitors, the practical takeaway is simple: confirm whether your event is at Fortnox Arena, Vida Arena or Spiris Arena. All are part of the broader Arenastaden offering, but they host different sports and teams.

More than the big match venues

Arenastaden includes more facilities than the three best-known team venues. The municipal overview also lists Idrottshuset, Telekonsult Arena, Tipshallen, Truppgymnastikhallen, Vida Arena, Värendsvallen, Växjö Boule Arena and training areas for football, among other spaces. The district supports indoor and outdoor activity across different levels, from community sport to elite competition.

Värendsvallen offers athletics facilities alongside football pitches, while other halls serve sports with more specialized requirements. This range helps explain why the area is active outside top-league match days: it is also a place for regular training, local clubs and events.

Schedules and access vary between venues. If you are visiting a specific competition, use the organizer’s latest information for the exact building and arrival instructions rather than relying on a general map pin for Arenastaden.

Concerts and events in Växjö’s arena district

Arenastaden is a destination for more than league fixtures. Växjö municipality notes that Vida Arena has hosted events such as Melodifestivalen, musicals, figure-skating championships and international matches. Tipshallen has also been used for fairs, concerts and television events. Event formats and schedules change, so check the venue and organizer calendar for the event you want to attend.

For concert visitors, the most useful first step is to verify the venue printed on the ticket. An event in Vida Arena has different entrances and arrangements from a show or fair in Tipshallen, even though both belong to the same wider district. Check doors-open time, age guidance, bag rules, accessibility and any last-minute updates before travelling.

Växjö’s municipal events calendar can help visitors find activities beyond Arenastaden, including city-wide cultural events. Combining an arena event with time in the city center makes a longer visit more varied, while leaving enough time to travel between venues.

Groceries, shopping, the station and city landmarks

Arenastaden is a strong starting point for an event-focused stay, while other practical stops are spread across Växjö. City Gross has a Växjö store, and Grand Samarkand is a shopping center with its own visitor information, parking and store directory. These are useful options for groceries or a shopping trip; check the current route from your accommodation and opening hours rather than assuming either is directly beside the arena.

Arriving by rail? Use SJ’s Växjö station information and current timetable to plan your journey. The station is a separate point in the city, so compare public transport, taxi, walking and any property shuttle details for your travel dates. Timetables and local connections can change.

For a cultural stop, Växjö Cathedral is an important landmark in the city center. The Church of Sweden describes it as dating to the early medieval period and lists visitor opening hours on its official page. Check those details before visiting, especially around services or special events.

Together, these options make Växjö more than a match-day destination: visitors can plan an arena event, shop for essentials, explore a historic city landmark and travel onward by train. Treat each as a separate stop in your itinerary and confirm directions from the accommodation.

Planning a sports or concert stay in Växjö

Start with the event: identify the venue printed on your ticket, confirm the date and start time, and check the team or organizer’s official updates before setting out. If you want to attend more than one event, compare the schedules rather than assuming the venues share a single calendar. For up-to-date access, transit and facility information, consult the municipality and venue operators.

If you are making a weekend of it, give yourself time to enjoy Växjö beyond the stands. A visit might include a Lakers hockey night, a concert at Vida Arena, a football fixture at Spiris Arena or another event at one of the district’s specialist facilities. The best itinerary depends on the season and published schedules, so build flexibility into your plans.

The Växjö Premium Suite listing describes the accommodation as steps from Vida Arena and lists a kitchenette, indoor pool, sauna, on-site parking and shuttle service among its features. Review the property page for current availability, terms and details, then compare the location with the venue of your event before booking.

Arenastaden visitor FAQs