Manchester Football Travel Guide
Plan a football trip to Manchester — choose a club, pick a match, and sort tickets, hotels and matchday around it.
Top clubs
Man United, Man City
Stadiums
Old Trafford, Etihad Stadium
Best time
Aug – May (season)
Getting around
Public transport to every ground
Choose your club
Upcoming matches in Manchester
Man City v Bournemouth
Sun, 23 Aug 2026, 14:00 · Premier League
Man United v Ipswich Town
Sun, 30 Aug 2026, 16:30 · Premier League
Man City v Coventry City
Sat, 5 Sept 2026, 15:00 · Premier League
Man United v Man City
Sun, 13 Sept 2026, 16:30 · Premier League
Man City v Sunderland
Sat, 19 Sept 2026, 15:00 · Premier League
Man United v Tottenham
Sat, 10 Oct 2026, 15:00 · Premier League
Where to stay for Old Trafford and the Etihad Stadium
The two Manchester grounds sit on opposite sides of the centre. A city-centre base is the only neutral choice; Salford Quays favours United and Ancoats favours City.
Piccadilly & city centre
€€The best transport compromise with mainline trains, nightlife and both stadium routes available.
- To the stadium
- Tram towards either club
- Best for
- Two-club or first-time trips
Ancoats & Northern Quarter
€€Strong evening choice and closest central neighbourhood for walking towards the Etihad.
- To the stadium
- Walk or short tram to the Etihad; tram across town for United
- Best for
- Manchester City and nightlife
Salford Quays & MediaCity
€€A modern waterfront base that reduces the Old Trafford journey but sits outside the central nightlife core.
- To the stadium
- Walk/tram to Old Trafford; cross-city tram to Etihad
- Best for
- Manchester United
€ bands are an indicative area comparison; live prices and availability are shown by our booking partners. We may earn a commission if you book through these links, at no extra cost to you. Matchday connection source checked 2026-07-22.
Getting around
The Metrolink tram serves both grounds; Old Trafford and the Etihad each have their own stop.
Team Soccertrippers
We combine official club and venue sources, current travel data and clearly labelled community input. When a detail is not first-hand or cannot be confirmed, we do not present it as our own experience.
How we research and verifyFree personalised planning pack
Plan your Manchester football trip
Receive the checklist plus relevant ticket, hotel and matchday advice for Manchester.