Manchester

Where to watch the football in Manchester this summer 2022

As the football kicks off again for a new season, we look at where to go in Manchester to watch the match

The Manc The Manc - 4th August 2022

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 Premier League fixtures. This piece will be regularly updated as new information becomes available.

Joshua Brooks

Oxford Road

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Image: Joshua Brooks
Image: Joshua Brooks

Kicking off the launch of the Premier League in style, Joshua Brooks is going all out with giant beer pitchers, a massive 3m wide screen and pizzas courtesy of its new kitchen resident Tanto Amore.

With club nights raging on in its basement from early evening, you can even make a whole night of it – going down for the footie, then staying on for a boogie.

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Box

Manchester’s new-ish giant sports bar Box is, of course, screening the football this summer.

The huge venue has screens all over the place, so you’ll never be far from the action if you pick the Deansgate bar to watch all the action.

Barca Bar

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Castlefield

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

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.

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Hotel Football & Cafe Football

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. 

The Brotherhood of Pursuits and Pastimes

City Centre

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With a couple of tables always 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?

Walkabout

The Printworks

Aussie sports bar Walkabout is not short of big screens to watch the match on this summer. Whether you support Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal or any of the other big boys, Walkabout will be showing all the fixtures live so you don’t miss any of the action.

Yates

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The Printworks

Showing the fixtures all summer, Yates is another solid go-to for sports fans looking for big screen action and affordable drinks. From the Premier League to the World Cup 2022, if there’s a match you want to see you can trust that Yates will be screening it.

O’Neills

Image: Supplied

The Printworks

With BT Sport and Sky Sports access, you can watch all televised Premier League matches and the top European action from UEFA Champions League, Europa League and more at O’Neills. Tables here are available to book in advance, and there’s even a Carling Score Predictor game on its app allowing you to win prizes if you guess correctly.

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Bierkeller

Image: Supplied

The Printworks

Bavarian party bar Bierkeller isn’t just all steins and oompah, it’s also a great place to catch the match. The shooters sports bar boasts a whopping 20 TV screens, plus a massive projector screen and a large LED superscreen – so no matter where you’re sat, you won’t miss a thing.

The Crown and Anchor

Northern Quarter

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This popular family-run pub on Hilton Street will be showing all the football fixtures this summer. 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.

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.

Manchester

Busted vs McFly’s Manchester arena shows – tickets, times, setlist and all you need to know

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

UK boybands Busted and McFly are going head-to-head for three whole nights of pop-rock bangers as they play out together at BOTH of the premier music arenas in Manchester.

It’s a real-life battle of the bands, as mainstream pop-punk boy bands Busted and McFly go up against each other to win over the crowds, not just AO Arena in Manchester, but at Co-op Live, too.

Known for smash singles like ‘Year 3000’ and ‘What I Go To School For’, pop-rock boyband Busted have amassed a cult following of fans since debuting in 2002.

Equally impressive noughties boyband McFly also have a fair few hits under their belt, dropping music since 2004 with the dreamy ‘Star Girl’ and serenade-twanged ‘All About You’.

The lineup of one of these UK bands may look a little different, as singer and guitarist James Bourne of Busted has had to pull out of this 2025 tour due to health issues, as revealed in a recent Instagram post.

Now, Matt and Charlie of Busted, as well as Danny, Dougie, Tom and Harry of McFly are laying all their cards on the table for a face-to-face music battle like no other.

Air guitars at the ready…

Busted vs McFly in Manchester – gig guide

Busted vs McFly are taking over AO Arena in Manchester for two nights of head to head music / Credit: Supplied
Busted vs McFly are taking over AO Arena in Manchester for two nights of head to head music / Credit: Supplied
Busted vs McFly is taking over the AO Arena in Manchester for two nights of head-to-head music (Credit: Supplied)

Busted vs McFly UK tour dates

  • Fri 10 October – Newcastle, UK – Utilita Arena
  • Sat 11 October – Newcastle, UK – Utilita Arena
  • Sun 11 October – Newcastle, UK – Utilita Arena
  • Tue 14 October – Nottingham, UK – Motorpoint Arena
  • Wed 15 October – Nottingham, UK – Motorpoint Arena
  • Fri 17 October – Manchester, UK – AO Arena
  • Sat 18 October – Manchester, UK – AO Arena
  • Mon 20 October – Dublin, IE – 3Arena
  • Tue 21 October – Belfast, UK – SSE Arena
  • Wed 22 October – Belfast, UK – SSE Arena
  • Sun 26 October – Dublin, IE – 3Arena
  • Tue 28 October – Birmingham, UK – Utilita Arena
  • Thu 30 October – London, UK – The O2
  • Fri 31 October – London, UK – The O2
  • Sat 1 November – London, UK – The O2
  • Mon 3 November – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro
  • Wed 5 November – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
  • Thu 6 November – Sheffield, UK – Utilita Arena
  • Sat 8 November – Nottingham, UK – Motorpoint Arena

Are there tickets left for Busted vs McFly in Manchester?

If you want a dose of this boyband rivalry, there are two shows for you to choose from, and luckily for you, there are a handful of tickets left for both dates at the AO and the Co-op.

Anyone looking to ‘Shine a Light’ on day one of the Busted vs McFly tour can catch them live in action on Friday 17 October HERE.

Fancy reliving the early 2000s alongside two of the biggest British bands from that very decade? You’re ‘Not Alone’ and you can do so on Saturday, 18 October HERE.

Busted last visited AO Arena in 2023 to commemorate their 20th anniversary / Credit: Supplied
Busted last visited AO Arena in 2023 to commemorate their 20th anniversary / Credit: Supplied
Busted last visited the AO Arena in 2023 to commemorate their 20th anniversary (Credit: Supplied)

Busted vs McFly setlist 2025

McFly tracks

  • Where Did All the Guitars Go? (McFly)
  • Star Girl (McFly)
  • That Girl (McFly)
  • One for the Radio (McFly)
  • I’ll Be Ok (Mcly)
  • Obviously (McFly)
  • Room on the 3rd Floor (McFly)
  • All About You (McFly)
  • Twist and Shout (McFly cover)
  • Transylvania / Lies (McFly)
  • Red (McFly)
  • The Heart Never Lies (McFly)

Busted songs

  • Crashed the Wedding (Busted)
  • You Said No (Busted)
  • Meet You There (Busted)
  • Dawson’s Geek / Britney / Nerdy / Why (Busted)
  • Loser Kid (Busted)
  • Who’s David (Busted)
  • Sleeping With the Light On (Busted)
  • Everything I Knew (Busted)
  • Thunderbirds Are Go (Busted)
  • What I Go to School For (Busted)

Back and forth…

  • Hate Your Guts (McBusted)
  • 3am (Busted)
  • Not Alone (McFly)
  • Air Hostess (Busted)
  • 5 Colours in Her Hair (McFly)
  • What Happened to Your Band (McBusted)
  • Shine a Light (McFly)
  • Year 3000 (Busted)
It feels mad to think it’s been a decade since we first got this crossover.

What are the stage times for Busted vs McFly in Manchester?

Both AO Arena and Co-op Live have curfews of 11pm, meaning you can time-travel to the ‘Year 3000’ and not have to worry about getting home during the early hours.

There is no confirmed support act as of yet; however, it looks like this will remain as they have fronted this tour independently across the UK.

Doors for this event are opening from 6pm, and both bands are expected to take the stage from around 7:30pm onwards before combining into a supergroup in time for close.

Getting to AO Arena

@the.manc When are you next heading to the @AO Arena? 😱 #themanc #manchester #aoarena #preshow #entertainment #gigs #music #liveshow ♬ Love You So – The King Khan & BBQ Show

Tram

For those of you heading to AO Arena, luckily, it’s connected to Manchester Victoria Station, and it has an integrated Metrolink stop to make your life even easier.

Head along the pink, light blue or yellow lines directly to the Victoria stop, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.

Train

Considering this live entertainment venue is situated right in the middle of one of Manchester’s most frequented stations, concertgoers should find no problem getting to the arena, wherever they are.

Bus

A variety of buses cover AO Arena and Victoria Station on their route, such as the 2 bus, which stops just a one-minute walk away from the venue.

A full list of buses and their routes can be found HERE.

Getting there by car and parking

The Arena has its own official CitiPark, with 958 car parking spaces, including 40 Blue Badge parking bays, which can be booked in advance.

Alternatively, anyone attending a gig can park at their nearest train station and jump on a train service or the various Metrolink park and ride facilities.

Walk/cycle

Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes through the Beryl app, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app.

How to get to Co-op Live

Busted vs McFly are doing a clean sweep of Manchester arenas. (Credit: Audio North)

Tram

For those of you heading to Co-op Live, you’ll be glad to know it’s right next door to a rather famous big blue stadium and its integrated Metrolink stop.

Head along the light blue or orange lines directly to the Etihad Campus or Ashton-under-Lyne, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.

Trams run frequently on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad stop, with services leaving every six minutes from the city centre until 1:00am on Fridays and Saturdays.

Bus

You can find the full list of bus routes HERE, with the one in closest proximity to the venue being the 53 bus, which runs from Cheetham Hill through to Higher Crumpsall, Old Trafford and Pendleton, leaving just a two-minute walk to Co-op Live. You also get free Bee Network travel with any valid event ticket.

Car and parking info

If you’re driving, there is limited parking available at the venue, but this must be pre-booked ahead of time, and there are designated drop-off areas.

The postcode is M11 3DU, and you can follow the signs towards the wider Etihad Campus as you get closer; directions to the adjacent drop-off points will also be signposted.

Keep in mind that congestion on the roads close to the stadium is expected to gather around two hours prior to any event, so if you are travelling on the road, these are the suggested times they provide come event day, though estimates will obviously vary:

  • Alan Turing Way (both directions): plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
  • Hyde Road (eastbound): expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
  • Mancunian Way (westbound): plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.

There are also three park-and-ride facilities near Co-op Live, but be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event to help safely manage crowds:

  • Ashton Moss (Ashton line) – 183 spaces and 12 disabled spaces
  • Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
  • Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces

Walk/cycle

Lastly, Co-op Live is only a half-hour stroll from Manchester Piccadilly, and you could even walk along the canal all the way to the front door if you fancy taking the scenic route.

Once again, the Beryl app is available for those looking to bike over to the venue; there are hire points just near the south-west corner of the Etihad Stadium on Ashton New Road.

For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.

Read more:

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Press Shots (via Supplied)

Manchester

Rap duo D-Block Europe add second Manchester arena date due to ‘phenomenal demand’

Danny Jones Danny Jones D-Block Europe extra Manchester date

London-based rap duo D-Block Europe have just added a second Manchester arena date due to “phenomenal demand”, with two other UK cities also getting extra shows.

The Lewisham-rooted hip-hip group, who have continued to skyrock in popularity over the past year or so, saw their Manc gig sell out in just a matter of hours.

With that in mind, the show has gone from an already impressive booking in the shape of their Co-op Live debut, to D-Block Europe playing two consecutive nights at the largest indoor entertainment venue in all of Greater Manchester.

Quite the achievement for a band already coming off the back of a huge 12-month period.

Updating fans on social media, the trap specialists said: “Ya’ll went so crazy we had to run it back. New dates just dropped, grab your tickets before they’re gone again.”

Comprised of two equally talented MCs, Adam Nathaniel ‘Young Adz’ Williams, and Ricky Earl Banton – a.k.a. ‘Dirtbike LB’, D-Block Europe have already landed some seriously big hits and collabs.

Working with the likes of Central Cee on ‘Overseas’, 9Goddy, Aitch, AJ Tracey and more, D-Block have racked up more than 10.5 million monthly listeners on Spotify, and much like their name would suggest, have garnered a solid following over in mainland Europe too.

Grime, garage, trap and everything in between – the British hip-hop scene is in a good place.

Best known for a tracks like ‘Kitchen Kings’, ‘Make You Smile’, recent release Ski Talk and more, fans will be looking forward to hearing plenty of tracks in real ‘Life’.

For instance, it might be a joint feature, but their verses on Cassö and soul singer Raye‘s track ‘Prada’ helped make it the one-time summer smash it was.

Banger.

They might be riding a wave right now, but its worth noting the boys have been at this for well over a decade now, and with a growing connection to Manchester, we’re glad to see them landing premier venues like this the Co-op.

Obviously, tickets are already on sale for the second date on 10 December, and even if disappear just as quick, be sure to keep an eye out for resale tickets for the Tuesday and Wednesday night gigs.

You can grab yours HERE.

Read more:

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Press shots/Audio North

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