Everything you need to know ahead of the first home Coventry City fixture of the season

Coventry Building Society Arena has shared its gameplan to help supporters prepare for the Sky Blues’ return to home action this weekend.

Coventry City face Middlesborough in their first home game of the 2023/24 season on Saturday, August 12, and the stadium has shared a host of activities and offers which supporters can enjoy in the buildup to the 12.30pm kick-off.

Season ticket holders have all been issued with e-tickets for Saturday’s game. Supporters are being urged to arrive early, and ensure they have downloaded their e-ticket before arriving at the stadium.

The Fan Village will open at 10am outside the East Stand, with food, drink and music to entertain the Sky Blue Army as they prepare to welcome Robins’ side back to the Arena for the first time since their journey to last season’s playoff final.

The Family Zone will be open from 10.30am to 11.45am outside the stadium in the North East corner with a range of arts, crafts, games and other activities suitable for younger supporters.

The Arena will also host a ‘30 minute warmup’ food and drink offer at concourse kiosks in the first half hour after turnstiles open, with a ’60 minute warmup’ offer for hospitality supporters at the concourse bar. For those arriving earlier, Anecdote will be open from 9am.

Supporters can explore a total of 18 new kiosks, including the 6 O’clock Gin Bar, a Family Zone Kiosk with a snapshot of Coventry’s history, and new food on the concourse including house burger, cod goujons, pizza slices, vegan jackfruit dirty fries, vegan burger, rice bowls and burritos.

New beers available include Budweiser, Stella Artois, Camden Hells, Camden Pale Ale, Camden Stout, Mahou, Orchard Pig Cider, with Dhillon’s Brewery kiosks serving craft ale.

Camden Town Brewery will be giving away a limited amount of free half pints of their new Camden Stout, with staff on hand to provide vouchers.

The concourse also features a nod to Coventry’s pub heritage, with 20 designs dotted throughout the ground.

All entries from last season’s design your own shirt competition will be displayed in the family stand concourse, next to the community wall – with the winning design showcased to real-life scale.

Mark O’Shea, Catering and Experience Director at Coventry Building Society Arena, said: “We are looking forward to welcoming supporters back to the Coventry Building Society Arena on Saturday, with a huge amount of buzz around the football club after the excitement of last season.

“Starting with the Middlesborough game, the stadium will host a wide range of activities and food and drink for supporters of all ages to enjoy at all home matches, which we hope will add to the special matchday atmosphere they create at the Arena.”

“For supporters who are joining us for the first time, or for new season ticket holders, stewards will be on hand around the arena to assist with any ticketing questions or other enquiries.”