Manchester is a football city in a way few others are. Two of the biggest clubs in the world are based here, the National Football Museum is in the city centre, and the sport is part of the city’s identity. Even visitors who do not follow a team often find a stadium tour fascinating. This guide shows how to organise a football trip.
Old Trafford
Home of Manchester United since 1910, Old Trafford is known as the Theatre of Dreams and holds around 74,000 spectators. The stadium tour and museum take you through the tunnel, the dressing rooms and pitchside, and the museum tells the club’s story from Newton Heath through the Busby Babes and the Ferguson era. Allow two hours. Outside the ground, look for the statue of Sir Matt Busby and the Munich memorial clock. The tram to Old Trafford takes about fifteen minutes from the centre.
The Etihad Stadium
Manchester City’s ground was built for the 2002 Commonwealth Games and has been the club’s home since 2003. The 75-minute guided tour includes a glass tunnel walk, a seat in the dugout, pitchside views, a hospitality suite and a press conference room with a virtual Erling Haaland. Meet at Entrance M fifteen minutes early, and leave bags bigger than A4 at your hotel. The Metrolink stop is Etihad Campus.
The National Football Museum
In Cathedral Gardens, the museum is for fans of every club and covers the game’s origins, the rules, the great teams and tournaments, women’s football and fan culture. It has interactive zones for children and adults, and it is a good wet-weather stop. Allow two to three hours.
Football heritage on foot
Walking tours trace the city’s football history, from the origins of the two clubs to the pubs where fans gather and the places linked to famous players. They are a good way to link the stadiums and the museum with the city itself.
Match days
If you can get tickets to a match, the experience is unforgettable, but plan carefully. Club channels sell tickets, and prices and availability vary widely. Resale and hospitality packages exist, so use trusted sellers. On match days the trams to Old Trafford and the Etihad Campus are very busy, so leave plenty of time and follow the crowd. Pubs near the grounds fill early, and the atmosphere in the streets is part of the day. Stadium tours may be unavailable on or around match days, so book the tours for another day.
A football weekend
Day one: tram to Old Trafford for the morning tour, lunch near the ground, then the National Football Museum in the afternoon. Day two: tram to the Etihad for a morning tour, followed by lunch in the Northern Quarter and an afternoon at the John Rylands Library or Castlefield for a break from football. If you add a third day, take the family to SEA LIFE and LEGOLAND Discovery Centre near Old Trafford.
Where to stay
Piccadilly has the best tram links to both stadiums, with value hotels such as Britannia Hotel and Manchester Portland by Sunday. For Old Trafford, Holiday Inn Express Manchester Trafford City is close and easy for drivers. For a classic stay with a central location, The Midland and The Edwardian are good choices.
Practical tips
Wear club colours with care when travelling to a match, as local rivalries are strong though generally friendly. Carry only a small bag, since stadiums limit what you can bring. Contactless payment works on trams and in most shops. Check the fixture lists for both clubs before you book, because home matches affect hotel prices and tour availability across the whole city.
Football beyond the big two
Greater Manchester has a rich football landscape beyond the two famous clubs. Clubs such as Bolton, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford and Stockport have loyal followings and welcoming atmospheres, and the women’s teams of both big clubs play to growing crowds, often in friendly, family-oriented atmospheres that make a good first match for children and newcomers to the sport. If you want to see a match but cannot get a ticket to the biggest games, a lower-league fixture is a friendly, inexpensive alternative, and the supporters are usually delighted to meet visitors who are curious about the local game.