Manchester City is set to host the Barclays Women’s Super League Manchester derby at the Etihad Stadium later this season, and tickets are selling fast.
With the 2022/23 football season now well underway, and following what has been a summer to remember for the women’s game, Manchester City’s team of superstars have got a huge run of fixtures lined-up – but they’re already looking forward to the upcoming Manchester derby this December, and are set to welcome thousands of cheering fans to the Etihad Stadium as they face their local red rivals.
And with family tickets from just £18 for a family of four*, and the match taking place in the run-up to Christmas, it’s an ideal day out.
It will be the third time Manchester City’s women’s first team have played at the Etihad Stadium, and the second time the WSL Manchester derby has been held there too.
Although the Academy Stadium is the women’s team’s home stadium, City hosted Everton at the Etihad Stadium back in May 2014, before welcoming Manchester United in September 2019 and clinching a 1-0 win in front of a then WSL record crowd – and what still remains a club record – of 31,213 fans.
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Derby matches are always known for having that extra competitive edge, especially in a city that’s as football obsessed asManchester.
And this upcoming game looks set to be no different.
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Manchester City is set to host the Barclays Women’s Super League Manchester derby at the Etihad Stadium / Credit: Lewis Storey & Tom Flathers / Manchester City (via Getty Images)
A derby win is the chance to claim some bragging rights, the chance to feel a sense of pride in the shirt you’re wearing, and crucially, the chance to paint the city red or blue.
Manchester City Women’s head coach Gareth Taylor said the upcoming WSL Manchester derby is “something to look forward to this season”, and the fact that it’s being held at the Etihad Stadium is “amazing news” for the team.
“For the derby at the Academy Stadium earlier this year, it was amazing to see a sell-out crowd there and the demand for tickets was unbelievable,” he explained.
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“A Manchester derby always has a little added spice, but to bring it back to the Etihad again – especially with the growth of the league over the last few seasons – will bring it to another level.”
It’ll be the third time Manchester City’s women’s first team have played at the Etihad Stadium / Credit: Tom Flathers / Manchester City (via Getty Images)
Manchester City’s longtime captain Steph Houghton is also relishing the chance to face up to our cross-town rivals at the Etihad this season, and added that playing in the derby in front of over 31,000 people back in 2019 was one of her favourite moments in her City career “without a doubt”.
“The atmosphere that the fans created was just amazing and it was a day to remember for all of us who were involved,” Houghton recalled.
“As much as the Academy Stadium is our home and it was just incredible to see it sold out for the derby last season, having a bigger venue such as the Etihad Stadium will hopefully allow people who missed out last time to experience our Manchester derby in all its glory.”
Derby matches are always known for having that extra competitive edge / Credit: Tom Flathers / Manchester City (via Getty Images)
Manchester City will face Manchester United in the Barclays WSL Manchester derby on Sunday 11 December 2022 – with kick-off at 12:30pm.
Tickets to the highly-anticipated match are now available from £8 for adults and from £1 for under-18s, and you can get them on the Manchester City websitehere.
You can also grab tickets to any of the women’s first team home gameshere.
Featured Image – Tom Flathers / Getty Images (via Manchester City)
*Dependent on ticket availability and stadium seat location.
Featured Image – Tom Flathers / Getty Images (via Manchester City)
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A FREE home show is coming to Manchester next month
A brand-new event is heading to Manchester in May that’s been created to help people get on the first rung of the property ladder.
Whether you’re overwhelmed by taking that first step or wanting to find out more about affordable homeownership options, the Manchester Home Show promises to be a one-stop shop.
You’ll be able to chat to experts, receive FREE financial and legal advice, and learn all about schemes like Shared Ownership.
How do you actually buy a house? How can you boost your savings? How do you cope with the rising costs of owning a home? All these questions will be answered at the Manchester Home Show.
You’ll even be able to browse for a home, with leading providers showcasing new properties available across Manchester and the North West, each one suited to first time buyers, second-steppers and those looking to downsize.
There’ll be hundreds of affordable homes available to browse, from apartments to spacious homes.
If you spot your dream home, you’ll even be able to register your interest on the spot.
Sponsors of the event include major providers of first time buyer developments including Gecko Homes, L&Q, Places for People, Plumlife, and Tembo.
The free event will help you get to grips with the vast array of affordable homeownership options available.
Manchester Home Show is taking place in May
Expect live sessions and workshops, plenty of information on affordable housing products, and the chance to meet conveyancing solicitors and mortgage advisors with free one-on-one appointments.
You may also discover affordable buying schemes you didn’t know existed, like Shared Ownership, Deposit Unlock, First Homes, and schemes exclusive to people aged 55 and above.
There’ll be exclusive merchandise, prizes and incentives for all attendees.
The Manchester Home Show comes from Share to Buy, the country’s number one property portal dedicated to affordable homeownership.
The Manchester Home Show will take place on Saturday 31 May 2025 between 10.30am and 4pm, at the Mercure Manchester Piccadilly Hotel.
It’s free to attend but you’ll need to register for tickets – head HERE to register.
You can also follow @sharetobuy on Instagram HERE for the latest.
We hear the word immersive thrown around a lot these days, but if the notion of walking through some of your favourite fantasy and sci-fi worlds in a state-of-the-art XR tour doesn’t fit the definition, we don’t know what does.
Get ready to pull on a headset and be dropped into a different universe, Mancs.
This is Immersia XR: an industry-leading immersive entertainment and XR (extended reality) experience has just been unveiled right here in Greater Manchester.
Anyone for a ride on a magic carpet?
Credit: The Manc GroupCredit: Immersia XR (supplied)
Immersia XR specialises in what they call ‘Walking XR Theatre – a new term for a new kind of experience’, and boasts big plaudits across the board, with an average Google rating of 4.8 from dozens of reviews already.
Having just made its Manchester debut to the public at Trafford Palazzo (located right next to 0161’s famous Trafford Centre) this summer, the new addition brings cutting-edge technology blended with iconic family-favourite tales in an “unforgettable walk-through format.”
A lucky few have been treated to our first time, including us here at The Manc, and you’ll have to take our word for it when we tell you it’s a truly incredible experience.
It’s the first of its kind in the UK and Europe, and although there are other similar VR and AR offerings around the region, you won’t find anything quite like ‘walking theatre’ and this free-roam experience.
Credit: Supplied
As you can see above, there are a number of experiences to be enjoyed right from the off, including two modes inspired by childhood classics, Alice in Wonderland and Tales of Aladdin.
Ever fancied trying your hand as an astronaut and walking on the surface of the moon as you look back at the Earth below? Course you have! No training involved in this one, either.
Take that, Katy Perry, you can keep your short-lived Blue Origin nonsense to yourself.
Immersia XR’s ambition doesn’t stop there, though, as they are also preparing to introduce the exciting new ‘Terracotta Army’ experience in the near future.
Here’s a glimpse at how it looks inside the goggles:
Already open to the public and running up until Sunday, 6 July 2025, Immersia XR is fun for all ages, with kid-friendly zones and accessible narratives built into the experience.
Best of all, there are actually very few bells and whistles; no screens, no controllers – it’s just you walking through the story of your choice.
Immersia XR’s founder, Ian Xiang, said: “We’re not just launching a new attraction—we’re pioneering the future of storytelling. Walking XR Theatre is where cinema, theatre, and technology converge to create magic. You don’t just watch the story—you walk through it.”
Tickets are on sale now, with adult prices starting from only £17, children (ages 3–15) from just £12, and family tickets (2 adults, 2 kids) from £54. Great value for money.
Concession tickets are also available for students and over-65s, priced from £16, and group bookings of 10 or more receive 10% off. You can even get 20% off all ticket types with the early bird code: PRESS20. You can grab yours HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
2nd November 2022 
