Ranked by attendance figures in the first six months of 2009, the Arena came ahead of world famous venues such as Madison Square Garden, New York, and Staples Centre, Los Angeles.
The table is regularly compiled by POLLSTAR, the leading entertain
ment magazine.
Paul Tappenden, marketing director for the venue said, "We had a record breaking year in 2008, but 2009 is shaping up to be even better!
"With over 35,000 people having just seen the incredible 'Walking With Dinosaurs', 30+ forthcoming shows of Mamma Mia! coming in December and a very full concert programme with three/four big shows still to be announced, we feel confident of moving up even further, possibly even within the top six at the end of the year."
SMG Europe, the world's largest private venue management company, have three of their venues featured in the top 11 'venues in the world', including the Manchester Evening News Arena, the largest in Europe at number two and Belfast's Odyssey Arena at number six.
They also manage The Journal Tyne Theatre and Playhouse Whitley Bay within the North East.
Other British Arenas included in the poll are Wembley, which came 9th, S.E.C.C. Glasgow, which came 35th, NIA Birmingham, which came 39th, Sheffield, which came 49th, LG Arena Birmingham, which came 69th, and Liverpool Echo Arena, which came 83rd.
