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The Manc - 16th March 2020

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Greater Manchester stadiums included in the bid to host the Women’s World Cup confirmed

Danny Jones

Manchester football stadiums chosen for venues in Women's World Cup Uk host bid

The locations for the official UK bid to host the FIFA Women’s World Cup have been revealed, along with the Greater Manchester football stadiums chosen for the honour.

Not exactly a ground-breaking spoiler, but the FA did make a somewhat curious choice when they shared the news.

In case you hadn’t heard the news earlier this year, our nation has officially thrown its hat into the ring for the Women’s World Cup (WWC) in 2035, with England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland all set to offer up their arenas as part of the record-breaking proposal.

Naturally, a region as footy-obsessed as ours and with two of the biggest stadiums in the country was always going to be included, but as mentioned, there was a particular detail that lots of people quickly noticed following the announcement.

Have you spotted it yet?…

Yes, in a slightly bizarre but ultimately innocuous turn of events, Etihad Stadium – home of Manchester City FC – has been selected, as was the world-famous ‘Theatre of Dreams‘, the only difference being that it was listed separately from the city itself.

Instead, Man United’s iconic home turf, Old Trafford, has been listed as just that: in Trafford, specifically, as opposed to simply being listed in the same section as its sky blue counterpart.

Now, while it’s true that all 10 boroughs have their own identity, culture (not to mention some subscribing to still being part of Lancashire or even Cheshire), it did strike us and others as a bit odd to put that rather iconic and equally historic venue down as almost separate from the city.

Many would argue that one of the things Manchester is best known for around the globe is the team of Red Devils that play at that ground.

Naturally, ‘Cityzens‘ have had their fair share of fun with the post and, conversely, there’s been plenty of retorts regarding ‘supporters from Stockport’, as you would expect…

pic.twitter.com/PKjh7lL8ZA
— The Manc (@TheMancUK) November 28, 2025

Nevertheless, we’re just glad to see the Etihad and Old Trafford continuing to cater to some of the biggest dates on the sporting calendar.

Some have actually argued that the region should have been given opportunities to host more stadiums and/or games as part of the market pitch, as the likes of both Bolton Wanderers and Wigan Athletic’s stadiums were floated as viable or even better alternatives, capacity-wise.

Either way, with the 22 venues that have been selected for the UK’s bid for the 2035 Women’s World Cup and us Brits currently unopposed in the race to secure the tournament, the FA are going all-in for the 48-team competition, which would be “the biggest single-sport event ever staged in the UK.”

You can read more down below.

Our shared ambition: to host the largest single-sport event ever staged in the UK, and the first FIFA World Cup in this country since 1966.#AllTogether pic.twitter.com/y6GOPEPDdG
— The FA (@FA) November 28, 2025

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Featured Images — The Manc Group

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Wolf Alice at AO Arena, Manchester – tickets, times, setlist and more for UK tour

Thomas Melia

London-formed rock band Wolf Alice are now on the road for their UK tour, and they’re visiting AO Arena in Manchester to put a ‘Smile’ on our faces.

We’re trying our best to be ‘Formidable Cool’, but when Wolf Alice come to town, we think everyone is allowed to lose it a little bit.

Known for bangers like ‘Don’t Delete the Kisses’, ‘Silk’ and ‘Lipstick On The Glass’, just to name a few, this band have built a cult following thanks to their always-impressive discography.

15 years since forming and just over 10 years since their debut album My Love Is Cool hit airwaves, with their lead singles ‘Fluffy’ and ‘Bros’, just three months later, they’ve been on a roll since. Now, Wolf Alice are playing their biggest Manc gigs to date at none other than our iconic 21,000-seater venue, AO Arena.

Gig guide | Wolf Alice at AO Arena Manchester

Wolf Alice's upcoming gig is taking place at AO Arena in Manchester on Friday 28 November / Credit: Press Shots (via Supplied) — Wolf Alice’s upcoming gig is taking place at AO Arena in Manchester on Friday 28 November / Credit: Press Shots (via Supplied)

Wolf Alice UK tour dates

Fri 28 November – Manchester, UK – AO Arena
Sat 29 November – Birmingham, UK – Utilita Arena
Mon 1 December – Cardiff, UK – Utilita Arena
Tue 2 December – London, UK – The O2
Wed 3 December – London, UK – The O2
Fri 5 December – Leeds, UK – First Direct Arena
Sun 7 December – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro
Mon 8 December – Nottingham, UK – Motorpoint Arena

Wolf Alice tickets for AO Arena gig

This band might be bigger than any ‘Giant Peach’ you could possibly think, but you might just be able to get your hand on a ticket or two for the last Wolf Alice gig in Manchester on their final night this Friday, 28 November.

Stop ‘Leaning Against the Wall’ and get onto your favourite ticket site as there are still a handful of tickets for Wolf Alice’s upcoming Manchester show available right HERE.

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A post shared by Wolf Alice (@wolfaliceband)

Wolf Alice setlist

Thorns
Bloom Baby Bloom
White Horses
Formidable Cool
Just Two Girls
Leaning Against the Wall
How Can I Make It Ok?
The Sofa
Bros
Safe From Heartbreak (If You Never Fall in Love)
Safe in the World
Bread Butter Tea Sugar
Yuk Foo
Play the Greatest Hits
Silk
Play It Out
Giant Peach
Smile
Don’t Delete the Kisses

What are the stage times for Wolf Alice in Manchester?

AO Arena has a curfew of 11pm, meaning you can get home in time for some ‘Bread Butter Tea Sugar’ before the early hours.

There’s not one but two incredible acts set to support Wolf Alice, and it’s none other than former-FRIGS lead singer, Bria Salmena, as well as American rock trio, Sunflower Bean.

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

Thank u Europe and thank u @Florence_Road
Touring in Europe is magic. We don’t take it for granted, so grateful for you all turning up. 🥹 Lots of love xxx

📸 Alice Backham pic.twitter.com/6U5uQ3PEws
— Wolf Alice (@wolfalicemusic) November 27, 2025

Getting to AO Arena

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.

@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