Insomnia Gaming Festival 74 Has Been Canceled

The UK’s premier gaming and esports festival, Insomnia, will not be returning as planned, with Insomnia 74 officially cancelled.

Originally scheduled for April 30th to May 3rd, 2026, at the Staffordshire County Showgrounds, the event was set to feature esports tournaments, a BYOC LAN area, cosplay competitions, an expo, pub quizzes, and more.

Since its inception in 1999, 72 Insomnia events have taken place across the UK, with the latest, i72, held at the Birmingham NEC from March 28th to April 1st, 2024, attracting tens of thousands of attendees.

Following that event, the company behind the festival, Supernova Events and Esports Limited, which operated as Player1 Events, entered voluntary liquidation.

In August 2025, a new consortium aimed to revive Insomnia, including Modern Wolf, Emblem Events & Exhibitions, High Viz Media Group, and Protec European Events, announcing plans for the event’s return this year. However, those plans have now fallen through.

Organizers have confirmed that ticket holders and exhibitors will receive full refunds, which are being processed and should arrive within seven to ten working days.

For those still eager to participate in a LAN event in the UK, Insomnia has suggested attending a future Epic.LAN event, offering discounted tickets for those who can provide proof of their Insomnia ticket purchase.

In a statement on the official Insomnia Discord, Chris ‘shoe’ Mullins expressed, “When we announced i74, our aim was to recreate the full Insomnia experience—the LAN, tournaments, expo, pub quiz, cosplay, and everything that made this festival unique. Unfortunately, despite over a year of effort, the overall decline in investment in live events from major tech and hardware brands meant we couldn’t secure the necessary sponsorship and exhibitor presence to deliver Insomnia at the level you deserve.

“With rising production costs, proceeding would have meant offering a diminished version of the festival, and we weren’t willing to compromise. This decision was incredibly difficult and devastating for all of us.”

Michael Virks, Insomnia’s Head of Operations, added, “This decision was not made lightly. Every team member has dedicated months of work to make i74 a reality, and many of us have personal ties to Insomnia that span over a decade.

“We understand how much this event means to the thousands who have grown up with it, the competitors who started their journeys in our tournaments, and the families who have made Insomnia a staple in their calendars. We sincerely apologize for letting everyone down.

“We want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to every partner, supplier, volunteer, content creator, and community member who supported this comeback. To the Insomnia community, we share in your heartbreak over the cancellation of Insomnia 2026. We hope to see Insomnia return in the future, uniting gamers from around the globe and fostering friendships that last a lifetime.”

Looking ahead, the UK has other LAN events lined up for 2026, including Enclave and Epic.LAN. Additionally, DreamHack Birmingham is set to take place this year, although it will not feature a BYOC LAN component.