X-Football Arena, Hilton Birmingham Metropole

X-Football Arena, Hilton Birmingham Metropole

Type of works: design and installation of temporary cages for world cup finals of unique sport.

X-Football is a game supported by Umbro and played to FA rules, but it is taken to the extreme, hence the name, with only 4 players a side, no goalie and the pitch consisting of a 20 x 12m cage.

The world cup finals of the unique sport were to take place at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole. J & J Carter was commissioned to design and build the temporary cages, and the fabric structure surrounding them, for the high-profile event.

Two special steel cages measuring 20m long and 12m wide were erected on site enclosed by a fabric structure covering an area of 240m² that contained the cages and provided a spectator and access area.

A specialist sprung sports flooring, manufactured in Scandanavia, was used throughout.

A spokesperson for J & J Carter said: “The X-Football Arena was an interesting project to be involved in, and provided us with an opportunity to demonstrate our versatility and ability to create bespoke structures.”