The £6.6m impact on Sheffield of the world's biggest podcast festival Crossed Wires
International ticket sales continued in the festival’s third year
Crossed Wires has announced a landmark year after an independent assessment found the 2026 festival generated £6.65 million in economic impact.
The festival doubled footfall to 50,000 attendees in 2026 and said more than half of visitors, 52%, travelled from outside South Yorkshire, while 40% came from outside the north of England and Midlands.
International ticket sales continued in the festival’s third year, bringing audiences from America, the Netherlands, Canada and Australia, among others, to Sheffield.
Headliners in 2026 included Get A Grip with Vicky Pattison and Angela Scanlon and Elis James and John Robins, with attendees spread across age groups from 25 to 64.
Founded just three years ago, Crossed Wires has grown into a nationally significant event and now sits alongside the World Snooker Championship and Tramlines Festival as one of Sheffield’s major drivers of tourism and visitor spend.
South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard said: “When we backed Crossed Wires in its early days, we knew South Yorkshire had the talent, creativity and ambition to make something truly special. What’s happened since has been incredible.
“Tens of thousands of people have come to our region, filling venues, supporting local businesses and bringing millions of pounds into our economy. That’s good news for Sheffield and for our communities right across South Yorkshire.
“Crossed Wires shows what’s possible when you back creative people with big ideas. We’ve got world-class talent here in South Yorkshire and we’re building a reputation as a place where creators, producers and the wider industry, including the BBC, want to be.”
Sheffield City Council’s city executive Kate Josephs said: “Crossed Wires has become one of Sheffield’s standout cultural success stories. In just a few years it has grown into a festival with national reach, drawing audiences, talent and industry figures to our city.
“We are incredibly proud to support Crossed Wires and the team behind it.”
Co-founder Dino Sofos said: “We’re delighted to see Crossed Wires become one of South Yorkshire’s biggest cultural events in just three years. Reaching 50,000 attendees while generating over £6 million for the local economy this year shows the scale of what we’ve created and its potential to grow even further.
“We’re enormously grateful to the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and Sheffield City Council for backing our vision from the beginning.
“With continued investment, we can build a global success story here in Sheffield.”