London heads into one of its busiest autumn weekends on 2–4 October 2026, with the NFL at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Japan Matsuri in Trafalgar Square, AnimeCon at Olympia, major concerts at The O2, Oktoberfest events and a strong programme of free events across the capital. Travel needs more planning than usual. Transport for London's published engineering programme includes major Jubilee line closures on Saturday and Sunday, directly affecting journeys between central London and North Greenwich, while other weekend works affect parts of the Windrush, Metropolitan and DLR networks.
The O2 at North Greenwich, photographed on September 2026. The venue forms part of a busy London events weekend from 2–4 October, with major concerts and other attractions across the capital. Photo: London Construction Magazine.
| Event | Date | Area | Entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Niall Horan at The O2 | 2–3 October | North Greenwich | Ticketed |
| AnimeCon London | 3–4 October | Olympia | Ticketed |
| Oktoberfest | 2–3 October | Several locations | Mostly ticketed |
| Colts vs Commanders | 4 October | Tottenham | Ticketed |
| Japan Matsuri | 4 October | Trafalgar Square | Free |
| Karan Aujla at The O2 | 4 October | North Greenwich | Ticketed |
Friday 2 October: Niall Horan, Oktoberfest and Free Music
Niall Horan begins a two-night run at The O2 on Friday, with special guest Flowerovlove. The venue lists doors at 18:30 for both the Friday and Saturday performances, with tickets still directed through official partner AXS. Drivers heading to North Greenwich can use LCM's current guide to The O2 parking, car parks and road charges, which explains the difference between arena event parking and the venue's non-event car parks.
On the South Bank, Between the Bridges runs Oktoberfest from 18:00 to 23:00 on Friday and Saturday, with Atomic Brass, a German-style beer hall and Bavarian-influenced street food. London Oktoberfest is also operating at Finsbury Park, where the official booking site lists sessions across 1–3 October.
There are useful free options nearby. The Southbank Centre programme includes the free Simmer Down reggae session during Friday afternoon and futuretense x DOTWAVNOTWAVE at Queen Elizabeth Hall from 21:30. For construction and infrastructure professionals, Friday is also the final day of GRID – Connected Energy Infrastructure at ExCeL London. The trade event runs from 08:30 to 16:00 and brings together organisations involved in the UK's electricity transmission and energy infrastructure programme.
Saturday 3 October: AnimeCon, The O2 and Oktoberfest
AnimeCon UK makes its London debut at Olympia's Grand Hall on Saturday and continues through Sunday. General entry starts at 10:00, with the programme covering anime, manga, cosplay, gaming, guest appearances and an Artist Alley with more than 250 artists and vendors. LCM has already produced a full AnimeCon London 2026 visitor guide and interview with independent creator James Raven, including opening times and a closer look at the independent creators exhibiting at Olympia.
Saturday evening also brings the second Niall Horan show at The O2 and another Oktoberfest session at Between the Bridges. Finsbury Park's London Oktoberfest continues on Saturday, while Camden also has its own Oktoberfest event at the Electric Ballroom. For a free indoor option, the Barbican's new Yuko Mohri: In Concert installation opens in The Curve from 1 October. The site-responsive exhibition uses light, sound, kinetic sculpture and objects from the Barbican, with entry free.
Sunday 4 October: NFL London and Japan Matsuri
Sunday carries the biggest concentration of major events. The Indianapolis Colts face the Washington Commanders at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the opening Tottenham fixture of the 2026 NFL London Games. There is one timing detail spectators should check carefully. An NFL ticket-sales page lists the Colts–Commanders game for 14:30 BST, while the league's current Week 4 schedule is displaying 13:30 local time. Because the official NFL pages are currently inconsistent, ticket holders should use the time shown on their digital ticket and recheck the NFL event page before travelling.
Central London has a major free event of its own. Japan Matsuri returns to Trafalgar Square from 10:00 to 20:00 on Sunday with free admission. The programme includes taiko, the Mikoshi procession, Japanese music and dance, martial arts demonstrations, cultural activities and food stalls. AnimeCon continues at Olympia until 17:00, while The O2 hosts Karan Aujla with special guest Ikky. The venue confirms that the 4 October show is going ahead, with doors at 18:00; a separately planned 5 October performance has been cancelled.
Free Things to Do in London This Weekend
The weekend does not require a large ticket budget. Japan Matsuri is completely free and requires no advance booking. Southbank Centre has free music and family programming across the weekend, including Simmer Down, futuretense and Acrobalance sessions with Mimbre.
October also opens Black History Month across London, with cultural organisations beginning month-long programmes, exhibitions, talks and performances. Weekend-specific schedules differ by venue, so visitors looking specifically for Black History Month events should check the organiser's current programme rather than relying on older annual listings. The Barbican's Yuko Mohri exhibition is another free option, while the South Bank offers several free outdoor and indoor activities within walking distance of Waterloo, Embankment and Blackfriars.
London Tube Closures Could Change Your Route
The biggest practical warning this weekend is the Jubilee line. TfL's planned engineering schedule for 28 September–4 October shows no Jubilee service between Green Park and Canary Wharf during daytime hours on Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 October. The Friday Night Tube is also suspended between Finchley Road and Stratford, while the Saturday Night Tube closure extends between Green Park and Stratford.
That matters particularly for The O2. North Greenwich itself remains on the eastern section of the Jubilee line, but visitors travelling from central London will not be able to make the normal direct journey through Green Park and London Bridge during the daytime closure. Routes involving the Elizabeth line, DLR, buses, river services or a connection onto the operating eastern Jubilee section may be needed depending on the starting point.
TfL also lists Canada Water restrictions on the Windrush line across the weekend, a Metropolitan line closure between Harrow-on-the-Hill and Amersham, Chesham and Watford, and a Sunday DLR closure between Tower Gateway and Shadwell. Custom House remains the main station for ExCeL, served by the Elizabeth line and DLR.
What Needs Booking Before the Weekend?
The large arena and convention events should be treated as advance-booking trips: NFL London, AnimeCon, Niall Horan, Karan Aujla and the main Oktoberfest sessions all use ticketed entry. Official ticketing or resale channels should be checked immediately before purchase because availability can change quickly during the final days before an event.
Japan Matsuri needs no ticket, and several Southbank Centre and Barbican events remain free. For anyone deciding at the last minute, those free programmes provide the simplest options without relying on secondary-ticket markets. London Construction Magazine will refresh this guide as the weekend approaches, particularly where organisers publish final schedules, ticket positions or transport changes. Anyone travelling on Saturday or Sunday should check TfL again on the day, especially for journeys to North Greenwich, Tottenham and Olympia.
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Expert Verification & Authorship: Mihai Chelmus Founder & Editor, London Construction Magazine | Construction Testing & Investigation Specialist |