THE O2 ARENA is on the verge of becoming the world's most popular concert venue with ticket sales set to exceed the one million mark this year alone.

The 20,000 capacity arena in North Greenwich will overtake New York's Madison Square Gardens in America as the venue to have sold the most tickets this year - despite only opening in June.

Some of the world's biggest acts have played the O2, including Prince who played for 21 consecutive nights in August.

The venue can also function as an ice rink, basketball court and exhibition space.

The O2 is currently host to the Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs exhibition.

More big names are lined up to play the O2 this Christmas, including Take That, The Verve and The Spice Girls.