Watch for free or volunteer at SideOut Leyton's London Grand Slam

Following on from the successful staging of the Weymouth Beach Classic in July, the city venue has stepped in to stage the prestigious five-star event after Bournemouth was unable to host, as was originally planned. 

The festival will feature four action-packed tournaments, with the London Grand Slam taking centre stage on Friday (Qualification - 1pm onwards), Saturday (Main draw pool play - 9am onwards) and Sunday (Main draw knockouts and medal matches - 9am onwards, finals around 3pm to 4pm) . 

The main event will see some of the UK's top beach players battle it out for the coveted title of 2026 UK Champions. 

But beyond the competition, there will be plenty going on, whether you just want to come along for a couple of hours, or stay all day. 

Expect free volleyball taster sessions, music, food and drinks, a relaxed outdoor space for family and friends, a great view of some top class action and a post-tournament party. 

There is no charge for spectator entry and you can register to come along now by clicking here. 

"We’re incredibly excited to be bringing the UK Beach Tour Finals to London this Bank Holiday weekend,” said SideOut's co-founder Mark Kontopoulos. 

“When the event needed a new home at relatively short notice, we were very happy to step in and make sure that one of the biggest weekends on the domestic beach volleyball calendar could still go ahead – and we’re especially proud that the 2026 UK Champions will now be crowned here at SideOut Leyton.

“London has always been a fantastic home for beach volleyball and players love competing in the capital. What makes Leyton particularly special is the established beach volleyball hub, passionate community and fantastic local support that have grown around the courts. We’ve been saying it for years: London loves beach volleyball!” 

The festival will also see a UKBT-sanctioned three-star Summer Series staged on Sunday and a two-star Mixed Series on Monday (register here)... not to mention Singles Beach Volleyball Speed Dating! 

Event organisers are also still seeking volunteers in a number of roles to help the weekend run smoothly, with more than 400 tickets snapped up already. 

If you are interested, please DM SideOut on its Instagram page here. 

Kontopoulos added: “The Finals will sit at the heart of our first London Beach Volleyball Festival – four days celebrating the sport at every level, with tournaments for more players to get involved alongside taster sessions, music, food and drink and activities for the wider public. 

“With so many people already signed up to attend, we’re looking forward to seeing the venue buzzing throughout the long weekend.

“We’re hugely grateful to the London Borough of Waltham Forest, UKBT and everyone who has helped us pull this together in just a few weeks. 

"We can’t wait to welcome everyone to Leyton, crown our new UK Champions and put on a fantastic festival of beach volleyball. We hope this will be the first of many."