VeXpo is the UK’s convention for VTubers, the streamers who perform live as animated characters. It is held each September at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham. The 2026 edition ran from Friday 18 to Sunday 20 September across Halls 9 and 10.
The convention is run by VTuber Expo LTD, a not for profit company founded in 2023. This guide covers every edition so far, and we update it as each new one is announced.
Inside VeXpo Birmingham and Its VTuber Meet and Greets
The Monarch Stage, the Jubilee Stage and the meet and greet ballot
VeXpo runs over three days. Friday and Saturday evenings are for concerts, and daytimes are split between the Monarch Stage, the Jubilee Stage, two panel rooms, an artist alley and a trading card game area. In 2026 the maid cafe troupe Maids Of England had a Friday afternoon slot on the Monarch Stage.
Friday is billed as Community Day, when only Hall 9 opens. The artist alley and most vendors are in Hall 10.
The guests appear as their avatars. If you are new to the idea, our guide to what a VTuber is covers the technology, the agencies and why the person behind the character stays out of sight.
Meet and greets are allocated by ballot through ConCat, the site VeXpo uses for its tickets. In 2026 the draw opened on 20 August and closed at 8pm on 2 September, a little over two weeks before the doors did.
hololive production at VeXpo 2026
The organisers billed 2026 as hololive production’s first appearance at a British convention. hololive production is the VTuber management company run by COVER Corporation in Tokyo. Nine of its talents, from hololive -Promise-, hololive -Advent-, hololive -Justice- and hololive AREA15, were on the guest list, under hololive Meet, the brand the company uses for its stage events.
Their programme covered a Friday screening of hololive English’s third concert, All For One, a Saturday panel with hololive -Justice-, and a karaoke relay on the Sunday. The full guest list and stage times are in our VeXpo 2026 event listing.
The night before the convention, Cineworld Birmingham NEC screened hololive English 4th Concert Serendipity, filmed at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles in July 2026. It was the first date of a six city European run produced by Virtual Stage Productions. Its founder, Steve Lei, explained to us how a performance given live in Japan reaches a hall in Birmingham, and what the chant guides and call books ask of a British audience.
VeXpo 2026 recorded 3,337 registrations across the weekend, on figures Virtual Stage Productions supplied to us.
The screening tour went on to Milan on 26 September, Barcelona on 3 October, Paris on 10 October, Düsseldorf on 17 October and Berlin on 18 October 2026. Details are on the Serendipity screening tour site.
VeXpo 2024, 2025 and 2026
2024. The first VeXpo was held at the NEC, with 78 guests on the organisers’ figures. Nook Gaming’s report counted six concerts and more than 70 VTubers, from Ironmouse of VShojo to independent performers such as Mint Fantôme.
2025. The second edition ran from 5 to 7 September, again at the NEC. The organisers put it at 120 guests and 2,200 attendees, which they say was a 110 per cent rise on 2024. Anime Atelier’s round up covers the concerts, including Phase Ablaze 3D with three Phase Connect talents, the rock themed Idol Anarchy and the Big British Concert.
2026. The third edition moved to Halls 9 and 10 for 18 to 20 September. hololive production made its British convention debut, and Ironmouse, independent since leaving VShojo in July 2025, returned for a Saturday panel with Connor. The Opening Concert on Friday and The VX Factor, Saturday’s Premium Concert, headed the evenings. Registrations reached 3,337.
VeXpo tickets, the Akasupa badge and getting to the NEC
In 2026 a single day cost £25 on Friday, £55 on Saturday and £45 on Sunday, and a weekend pass was £75, including the Opening Concert. The top badge is called Akasupa, the Japanese nickname for a red Super Chat, the highest tier of paid comment on a YouTube live stream.
At £200 the Akasupa badge came with early entry on Saturday and Sunday, entry into both waves of the meet and greet draw, a place at the Premium Concert and early access to VeXpo 2027 tickets.
Plenty of people plan the whole weekend around one performer and their ballot slot. Japanese fans call that oshikatsu, the habit of actively supporting the one act you have picked as your favourite.
The NEC is next to Birmingham International railway station and Birmingham Airport. Parking can be booked in advance through the NEC’s VeXpo page.
VeXpo and VTUBER EXPO in Tokyo
The names are close, and they are two separate events with different organisers. VTUBER EXPO 2026 was held at Bellesalle Akihabara in Tokyo on 3 and 4 May 2026, run by an executive committee with the company VEXZ as its secretariat. VeXpo is the British convention in Birmingham.
When is VeXpo 2027?
No dates have been announced as of 30 October 2026. All three editions so far have run in September at the NEC.
Dates, tickets and the meet and greet ballot are announced first on the VeXpo website and on the convention’s X account. Our events listings carry VeXpo and the rest of Japanese culture in the UK as dates are confirmed.
VeXpo: Frequently Asked Questions
Where is VeXpo held?
At the NEC in Birmingham. The 2026 edition used Halls 9 and 10.
Is VeXpo only for hololive fans?
No. The organisers billed 2026 as hololive production’s first appearance at a British convention, so the 2024 and 2025 editions ran without it. The 2026 bill also carried independent VTubers such as Ironmouse.
Can children go to VeXpo?
Yes. In 2026 VeXpo was open to all ages, with under 16s accompanied by an adult aged 18 or over, and under 13s admitted free, though they still needed a ticket selecting on ConCat. Some panels and areas carry mature content, and those are marked and may need an ID check.
Do I need a ticket for the hololive cinema screening as well?
In 2026, yes. The Serendipity screening on Thursday 17 September was ticketed separately from VeXpo, from £55.
