Social history, industry, manufacturing and music put Manchester on the global map. But in recent years the English city’s two Premier League football teams – champions Manchester City and rivals Manchester United – have become a major attraction for international visitors.
Thanks to the success of its clubs, facilities and events such as the 2002 Commonwealth Games, Manchester is also now regarded as one of the world’s top sports cities. We spent a few days in England’s north west to discover the sporting attractions that Manchester has to offer.
Sports teams in Greater Manchester
As well as the world-famous Premier League rivals, the city of Manchester and the Greater Manchester region is home to many clubs and teams across different sports. In the 2022-2023 season Greater Manchester will have seven teams in the top four levels of the men’s English football pyramid. Sports fans can also watch teams compete in cricket, rugby league, basketball and ice hockey.
- Men’s football: Manchester City (Premier League); Manchester United (Premier League); Wigan Athletic (EFL Championship); Bolton Wanderers (EFL League One); Rochdale (EFL League Two); Salford City (EFL League Two); Stockport County (EFL League Two)
- Women’s football: Manchester City (Women’s Super League); Manchester United (Women’s Super League)
- Cricket: Lancashire County Cricket Club (County Championship); Lancashire Lightning (Vitality T20 Blast); Manchester Originals (The Hundred men’s and women’s)
- Rugby League: Wigan Warriors; Salford Red Devils; Leigh Centurions; Oldham Roughyeds; Rochdale Hornets; Swinton Lions
- Rugby Union: Sale Sharks
- Basketball: Manchester Giants
- American football: Manchester Titans
- Speedway: Belle Vue Aces
- Ice hockey: Manchester Storm
Sports attractions, stadium tours and things to do
Manchester United FC: Old Trafford stadium tours and museum
- How to book: Buy a Gift | Red Letter Days | LastMinute.com
Manchester City FC: Etihad Stadium tours
- How to book: Red Letter Days | LastMinute.com
National Football Museum
- What: four floors of exhibits and memorabilia
- Where: Urbis Building Cathedral Gardens, Todd St, Manchester M4 3BG
- Website: nationalfootballmuseum.com
Activities in Greater Manchester
- Active: climbing, horse riding
- Golf: 15 golf courses in and around Greater Manchester
- Indoor golf: Treetop Adventure Golf
- Outdoors: cycling, walking, hiking, mountain biking
- Water sports: canoeing, kayaking, sailing
See more at visitmanchester.com
Major sports stadiums and venues
Manchester can boast a world-class range of stadia and venues. Sportscity, which is located less than two miles from the centre, is the largest concentration of sporting venues in Europe. It’s home to the Etihad Stadium, which was originally built for the 2002 Commonwealth Games.
- Football – Man Utd: Old Trafford
- Football – Man City: Etihad Stadium, Manchester City Academy Stadium
- Sportscity: Etihad Stadium, UK National Cycling Centre, Manchester Velodrome, National Indoor BMX Centre, National Squash Centre, Manchester Regional Tennis Centre, Manchester Regional Athletics Arena
- Cricket: Emirates Old Trafford Cricket Ground
- Rugby: AJ Bell Stadium (Salford Red Devils – rugby league; Sale Sharks – rugby union)
- Swimming and diving: Manchester Aquatics Centre
- Speedway: National Speedway Stadium (Belle Vue Speedway)
New venues: Co-op Live
Opening in 2023, the Co-op Live arena will be the UK’s largest new live music venue. With a 23,500-capacity, plus 32 bars, restaurants and lounges, Co-op Live will also be home for sport and entertainment. Located in Eastlands, next to Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium, it’s expected to host 120 major live events in its first year.
Where to stay: sport-themed hotels
If you’re a fan of the beautiful game, especially one who supports Manchester United, then a stay at Hotel Football should be on your Manchester sports travel bucket list. Located next to Man Utd’s Old Trafford stadium at 99 Sir Matt Busby Way, the hotel was opened in 2015 by United legends and “Class of 92” icons Gary Neville, Phil Neville, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and Ryan Giggs. Described by The Telegraph as a “United fan’s dream venue”, Hotel Football offers some of the best views of the “Theatre of Dreams”. This might just be the most unique football hotel in the world right now.
Cricket fans needing somewhere to stay after a Test or Twenty20 match don’t even need to leave the vicinity of the Emirates Old Trafford ground. Here you will find the Hilton Garden Inn Emirates Old Trafford hotel, which opened in 2017 and boasts 150 bedrooms – 85 of which overlook Lancashire’s home pitch.
Major sports events coming up
Athletics
- 24-26 June: 2022 Müller UK Athletics Championships (Manchester Regional Arena)
Cricket at Emirates Old Trafford
- County Championship Division One
- Vitality Blast
- The Hundred
Football: Uefa Women’s Euros
- 6 July – opening match/Group A: England vs. Austria (Old Trafford)
- 10 July – Group D: Belgium vs. Iceland (Manchester City Academy Stadium)
- 14 July – Group D: Italy vs Iceland (Manchester City Academy Stadium)
- 18 July – Group D: Italy vs Belgium (Manchester City Academy Stadium)
Rugby League
- 24 September: Super League Grand Final (Old Trafford)
Rugby League World Cup
- 18 November: Wheelchair final (Manchester Central)
- 21 November: Women’s final (Old Trafford)
- 21 November: Men’s final (Old Trafford)
