Considering Manchester’s a city obsessed with football, surprisingly, it’s not always the easiest place to find somewhere good to watch the match.
We’ve been inundated with messages asking us where to go this summer, so we’ve knuckled down and done the leg work for you – digging out some of the best spots in Manchester to watch the football outside (and in) this summer.
Keep reading to find out where you should be booking for all the upcoming fixtures. This piece will be regularly updated as new information becomes available.
Barca Bar
Castlefield
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This Castlefield gastropub has it all: canal-side dining, plenty of outdoor seating and loads of big screens for showing the football. With room for 250 outside alone (and that’s not including the balcony), there’ll be plenty of space for fans to watch the action, weather permitting. If the heavens do open, there’s room for another 300 inside.
Binary Bar
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Castlefield
Binary Bar is a reliable spot for sports fans in Castlefield, showing all the sports fixtures this summer – footie included. As well as a good selection of pints and a classic cocktail menu, they’ve also got a kitchen service up burgers, pizzas, wings and wraps.
Hotel Football & Cafe Football
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Trafford
With it proudly being Manchester’s “home of the Euros” and also owned by the Class of 92, naturally, you’d expect Old Trafford’s Hotel Football to be showing all the important matches this summer. They’ll not only be screening games live, with tickets priced at £10, but two drinks are included in the ticket price, and you can also bag a table to eat for an upgrade.
Confirmed screenings so far include England’s games with Croatia (13th June), Scotland (18th June), Czech (22nd June).
The hotel’s in-house venue, Cafe Football, is also going going all out for the Euros with six-pint beer towers and sharing platters sporting a selection of dishes from competing countries. They’ll be screening all the Euro games live, with packages priced from £24 per person.
The Hilton
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Deansgate
If you want to enjoy the beautiful game with a view, then you’ll want to head up to the Podium Lounge and Bar at The Hilton this summer, They’ll be screening the Euros from on high, with pints, cocktails and nibbles available from the bar.
The Brotherhood of Pursuits and Pastimes
City Centre
With a couple of tables left open for walk-ins, this Mount Street sports bar is a decent shout if you’re looking for somewhere to catch the game last minute. Bringing the inside out, all outdoor seating comes with a guaranteed good view of a TV screen. What more do you want?
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The Crown and Anchor
Northern Quarter
This popular family-run pub on Hilton Street will be showing all the football fixtures this summer, Euros included. Grab a seat in its cute little enclosed courtyard beer garden or up on the roof terrace, and load up on homely grub from the kitchen – washed down with some of the city’s most reasonably-priced bevs.
Event City
Trafford
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Sporting events company 4TheFans will be taking over Event City this summer, building a dedicated, Covid secure Euros Fan Park in Trafford to enable fans to gather together to watch the games safely. Events will adhere to government guidelines until 21st June.
Gasworks
First Street
This beer bar and microbrewery on First Street has some lush beers on draught, many pumped straight out of the brew tanks in its cellar, and decent grub too. They’ll be showing all the football this summer, but to secure a table you’ll need to book by email.
The Dockyard
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Media City
Offering a strong selection of craft ales, beers and ciders, The Dockyard at Media City will be screening all the Euros fixtures this summer. Advance bookings are recommended.
The Stock Exchange Hotel
City Centre
Considering it’s owned by Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs, it’d be remiss of the Stock Exchange Hotel not to screen the Euros this summer. Luckily, we have it on good authority they will be doing just that in their private event space, The Vault, which is already fitted out with six large TV screens so “you won’t miss any memorable moments”.
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Packages start from £49 including food and drink by The Bull & Bear, and you can grab your tickets here.
Impossible MCR
City Centre
Impossible MCR made quite a name for itself as a football lovers destination during the 2018 World Cup – and looks set to repeat history again this summer. They’ll be showing the Euros outside on their huge outdoor terrace this summer, with plenty of big screens to make sure everyone gets to see the action.
O’Sheas Beer Garden
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Back Piccadilly
Massive new Manchester beer garden O’Sheas will be showing all the football fixtures this summer, accompanied by one of the best pints of Guinness in the city. The venue is currently staggering booking slots, with the next block set to be released on May 17th.
The ShackBar & Grill
Northern Quarter
With an extensive, American-inspired grill menu and some great drinks deals, The Shack in the Northern Quarter is always a popular choice for watching the football. With a decent sized beer garden in prime position for an outdoor screen, this tucked away spot is a decent
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Off The Square
Northern Quarter
With capacity for 200 people, this Northern Quarter nightclub will be showing most games from June 21st. Newly opened at the end of 2019, it’s housed in the former Texture site on Lever Street.
Point Blank Shooting Range
Deansgate
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Manchester’s only virtual shooting range, Point Blank has quite a swish cocktail menu as well as a good selection of beers and spirit mixes. The venue will be showing all the Euros matches on big screens in its bar from June onwards.
Muse Uppermill
Saddleworth
Just a stones throw from Doestones reservoir, this Saddleworth pub has a huge outdoor area and will be putting up screens this summer to show all the football matches.
News
Dispute over Manichester now ‘resolved’, say Mounfield family
Danny Jones
The family of the late, great Manchester musician, Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield, have said that the drama surrounding the highly-anticipated tribute festival in his name, Manichester, has now thankfully been settled.
Now the focus can once again return to remembering him as best as possible.
Following plenty of talk about the project following his passing late last year, a live music festival honouring Mani was finally confirmed in March, and the reaction following the event’s announcement has been unsurprisingly phenomenal.
Well, at least for the most part, as there was also some confusion over whether or not Manichester was still a charitable effort as advertised, with son Gene Mounfield disputing claims online. Fortunately, it all seems to have been put to bed now.
On behalf of the boys, and as their legal guardian, I want to thank everyone for the kind messages and concern for their wellbeing. There was a misunderstanding regarding the upcoming Manichester tribute concert, but we’re pleased to share that everything has now been resolved. pic.twitter.com/j8jEMrFzsD
Being organised by Madchester.com and locally-founded fashion label, GIOGOI, the debut edition was said to have the total blessing of Mani’s family, including his brother, Greg Mounfield.
It was also said that the funds raised by the show would be going to the legendary Stone Roses and Primal Scream bassists’ twins, George and Gene, but the latter recently argued that “nothing” was going to either him or his brother and that the news was “dropped” the plans just a fortnight prior.
Gene also said that “if it was a charity gig it would be at Co-op [Live] or Heaton Park, and it would be done by SJM [Concerts]”: a Manchester-based promoters and events company.
All of this was also wrapped up in ever more paper talk and sensationalism, as some were reporting that Noel and Liam Gallagher, as well as other members of Oasis, would be surprising fans as the still yet to be revealed ‘major headliner’.
These rumours have since been quashed, as has whatever miscommunication caused the misunderstanding between the parties concerned, and we are now back to simply looking forward to seeing an already stacked lineup here in the city centre this May.
Damon Minchella of Ocean Colour Scene (a fellow bassist who also tours with Richard Ashcroft) is helping organise and will also be performing on the night itself. As for the surviving Mounfields, they went on to add in an accompanying Instagram post: “We would also like to express our gratitude to PH.
“It means a great deal to all of us that so many people loved Mani enough to give their time and energy to honour his memory in this way. We are genuinely touched by the support.
“It has been an incredibly difficult few years for the boys and for our whole family. We hope this event will bring some much‑needed joy and create new, positive memories for everyone who cared about him.
“With love and thanks – The Family”
It goes without saying that we can’t wait for this city and Greater Manchester as a whole to honour a Manc icon and are looking forward to another year celebrating the thing that never fails to bring us all together: music.
Featured Images — livepict.com (via Wikimedia Commons)/Publicity pictures (supplied)
News
Rochdale is bidding to become the UK’s first-ever Town of Culture in 2028
Emily Sergeant
Rochdale has announced its intention to bid to become UK Town of Culture 2028.
Entering into the national competition launched by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), following on from the success of the already-existing City of Culture award, the Greater Manchester town is hoping to be the first-ever town to claim the title.
The Town of Culture competition invites towns across the UK to showcase their cultural story and develop ambitious programmes that celebrate local heritage, creativity, and communities.
The winning town receives a £3 million grant from the Government to deliver a major year-long cultural programme in 2028 designed to boost civic pride, attract visitors, and provide everyone with the opportunity to participate in cultural activities.
Rochdale’s bid is being led by Rochdale Borough Council and Rochdale Development Agency, alongside cultural groups, education providers, and community organisations.
The bid will build on the town’s history as the birthplace of the Co-operative movement, and a centre of political reform, collective action and working-class cultural innovation.
A town of national and international significance, whose people and ideas have shaped the social, democratic and cultural life of the UK and beyond, Rochdale Council says the town’s story is ‘distinctive’ and as highly relevant today as it ever has been, and this is a driving force behind its Town of Culture 2028 bid.
Not just historically, but over recent years too, the town has made a significant contribution to the UK’s popular culture, producing internationally recognised musicians, artists, writers, and performers.
Local leaders say the bid to become the UK’s first ever Town of Culture underlines Rochdale’s ambition after just completing a ‘hugely successful’ year as Greater Manchester Town of Culture for 2025.
Rochdale is bidding to become the UK’s first-ever Town of Culture / Credit: The Manc Group | Rochdale Council
“We have a strong foundation for a bold and future focused UK Town of Culture programme and an incredible story to tell,” commented Cllr Neil Emmott, who is the Leader of Rochdale Borough Council.
“We’ll be developing a fabulous programme of new events and activities as well as amplifying our existing offer and recently transformed town hall square and centre.
“As we have already seen during our year as Greater Manchester Town of Culture, we have an established infrastructure of creative partners ready to go, who have already expressed their support for our bid, providing significant capacity and scale to deliver a UK town of culture programme in 2028 that would leave a permanent cultural legacy.
“We have exciting and varied attractions and iconic venues that have seen significant investment, an array of creative talent and we’re very well connected.
“This bid will allow us to share this in new ways and invite others to experience it.”
Georgina Pellant -
30th April 2021 
