Premier League Signal Nightmares: Which Stadiums Leave Fans in a Connectivity Black Hole?

Editor's note: I'm republishing Honest Mobile's press release here as I think it's rather nicely written and highly relevant. I'm an Honest Mobile Smart SIM subscriber and I've used it in places as diverse as Riyadh, Doha, Dubai and Copenhagen (as well as across the UK). So I was particularly interested to read their analysis of mobile connectivity in Premier League stadiums - critical for any football fan nowadays. - Ewan

You’ve been there. You arrive at the stadium, the smell of pies in the air, the noise of the crowd rising… and your phone signal drops like your team’s post-Christmas form.

One minute you’re hyped about the line-ups, the WhatsApp group is blowing up, and then… nothing. No live scores of other games. No memes. No way to tell your other half when you’ll be home.

This season, with UK 5G ranking a miserable 22nd out of 25 European countries for speed and availability, fans face the same grim reality: black spots everywhere. You’re in for a long season.

But don’t panic – challenger mobile network Honest Mobile’s stadium-by-stadium analysis lets you prepare for the signal misery ahead. Whether you’re following your team at home or travelling hundreds of miles to support them away, you’ll see which grounds are ‘kind of bearable’ and which are total connectivity nightmares.

Here’s the definitive stadium-by-stadium mobile connectivity ranking, based on Ofcom scores for the big Four networks:

Top 5 (The Connected Grounds)

1. Arsenal - Emirates Stadium (85.5/100) - At least Gunners fans can check the live table, even if the title slips away again
2. Fulham - Craven Cottage (85/100) - Historic ground, modern connectivity
3. Chelsea - Stamford Bridge (85/100) - Blues fans stay connected in West London
4. Manchester City - Etihad Stadium (84.5/100) - Champions on and off the pitch
5. Sunderland - Stadium of Light (84.2/100) - At least fans can document their misery in real-time

Bottom 5 (The Signal Graveyards)

16. Newcastle - St James' Park (77.7/100) - Champions League dreams, Championship-level connectivity
17. Brighton - American Express Stadium (77.7/100)
18. Burnley - Turf Moor (75.7/100)
19. Bournemouth - Vitality Stadium (77.2/100)
20. West Ham - London Stadium (75/100) - Hammers fans fighting relegation in the connectivity table, with Vodafone's 58 score almost as disappointing as the football

From title contenders to connectivity relegation candidates 

Arsenal might be bracing for another lost title, but at least the Emirates lets fans check the live table before the final whistle blows.

Meanwhile, Everton supporters can enjoy watching Jack Grealish in blue – and follow the social media buzz about the signing – with a better signal than the poor souls at Anfield. Finally, a Merseyside derby where the Toffees win something.

Sunderland fans may face a painful season on the pitch, but at least quick tactical escapes from heartbreak at the Stadium of Light are easy, with phones kind of working.

West Ham fans, meanwhile, are fighting relegation in the connectivity table, with Vodafone’s signal almost as disappointing as performance on the pitch.

Newcastle’s St James’ Park, home of last season’s Champions League battle, ranks 16th for connectivity this year – so while the Magpies prepare for another dramatic fight, fans might struggle to keep tabs on rival games.

For Manchester United fans, the only thing worse than last season’s performance is trying to stream or check scores at Old Trafford on O2, which has the stadium’s worst signal. Burnley, Bournemouth, and West Ham also disappoint – EE lets fans down at Bournemouth, and Three gives Burnley’s Turf Moor a big thumbs down.

Expert Survival Tips from Andy Aitken

Andy Aitken, CEO and co-founder of Honest Mobile, offers practical advice for staying connected during matches:

• Switch off 5G and stick to 4G. It might sound basic, but 4G can cut through the crowd better – less congestion means a better chance your texts and updates get through when the stadium’s packed.
• Don’t try sending videos of goal celebrations to your mates. Texts and messages are much more likely to deliver than huge videos.
• Forget sending attachments or trying to work from the stands. That important doc you should’ve sent from the office won’t go through.
• Give the stadium Wi-Fi a go if your mobile signal’s dodgy. But a heads up – if your phone’s doing alright, Wi-Fi might be slower thanks to everyone else logging on.
• Download your route on Google Maps before leaving home. Whether you’re navigating the stadium or finding your way out after the final whistle, it’ll save you from frustration. Same goes for your ticket!
• If you’re with a group on different networks, check who has the best signal. One of you might break through when everyone else is stuck.
• Consider using an eSIM -  Honest’s Smart SIM is the first-of-its-kind eSIM that connects to EE, O2, Vodafone and Three,  giving you the best odds of staying connected wherever you watch the game.

Methodology

Ofcom uses crowdsourced data from real mobile users to assess network performance in specific areas, aggregated by postal district and scored based on user experience criteria. The overall score across networks in each ground was calculated to produce a stadium-wide average.

A Personal Perspective

As a Smart SIM subscriber myself, I can attest to the value of multi-network connectivity. The ability to automatically switch between networks based on signal strength has solved countless connectivity frustrations - not just at stadiums, but across the UK's patchy mobile landscape.

The fact that we need solutions like this in 2025 is itself an indictment of how far behind the UK has fallen in mobile infrastructure. Fundamentally, we shouldn't need clever eSIM technology to get basic connectivity at major venues - but until operators invest properly, it's the best workaround available. Or..., to take the side of the operators for the moment, until we deal with our NIMBYism ("I want FULL 5G, RIGHT NOW, ALWAYS... ah... but, not in my backyard"), we'll need innovative solutions like Honest's Smart SIM.

The full stadium-by-stadium breakdown with individual network scores is available from Honest Mobile. More on their Smart SIM offering here.