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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Mini Mancs can learn what life is like for animals at the Science and Industry Museum this spring
Emily Sergeant
Science shows, sensory activities, and a blockbuster exhibition are just some of the things you can do at one of the region’s best loved museums this spring.
With Easter right around the corner, and schools across Greater Manchester and beyond set to be out for the spring break in a couple of weeks time, parents and carers will likely be looking for ways to keep the kids educated and entertained at the same time, especially if those classic Manchester April showers start to show themselves.
Even better if the activities are suitable for mini Mancs of all ages, and you don’t have to break the bank too much either.
By far one of the best places to escape the rain with your little ones in the city centre, the Science and Industry Museum has got a spectacular spring holiday programme packed with all sorts of things to be getting up to.
With the events programme running from Saturday 5 right through to the Easter Monday bank holiday on Monday 21 April, animal-loving visitors will discover what life is like for our furry friends by challenging their sense of touch in a special agility course, and watching live science shows led by the museum’s expert team of Explainers.
Manchester’s Science and Industry Museum has unveiled its spring holidays events lineup / Credit: Science Museum Group
Families can also take a break in the bat cave to learn more about these nocturnal creatures’ super senses, as well as make their very-own bat to take home.
Of course, while you’re there at the museum this spring holidays, it’s the perfect time to visit the Operation Ouch! Brains, Bogies and You if you haven’t had the chance to already, or loved it so much the first time that you’re keen to go again.
If learning about the senses isn’t really your bag though, you can explore five decades of play in the ultimate gaming experience, Power Up, and discover just how far computer games have come over the years.
There’s science shows, sensory activities, a blockbuster exhibition, and loads more / Credit: Science Museum Group
“We’re delighted to be celebrating the senses this spring,” commented Chris Hill, who is the Public Programmes Producer at the Science and Industry Museum.
“We’re inviting everyone to see the science in the world around us by learning something new about your furry friends at home or creatures that live around the world. From tasting like a bee, being sneezed out of a giant nose, or testing your reaction times in Power Up, it’s going to be sense-sational.”
BOX sports bar on Deansgate is putting on the perfect night out for fans of horse racing
Danny Jones
With Cheltenham Festival 2024 coming up, both casual punters and die-hard horse racing fans are getting ready for the massive sporting weekend and Deansgate’s beloved sports bar, BOX, has come up with the perfect event to get in the mood for it.
Put simply, if you like the thrill of horse racing or the idea of race day vibes but aren’t so keen on the real thing, this might be perfect for you.
Simply dubbed ‘Race Night’, the new monthly series combines the virtual world and interactive games with one of the biggest sporting disciplines on the planet, as well as plenty of booze and food to go along with it. Oh yeah, and plenty of friendly competition, of course.
Revolving around a virtual horse racing simulator which everyone inside the bar can get involved with, BOX’s mini Manc version of Cheltenham has already got underway and you can be a part of it – plus it goes towards a good cause too.
Having now visited ourselves, we can confirm Race Night brings a proper party atmosphere and a healthy dose of wanting to rub your victory in your friends’ faces.
Don’t worry, they get plenty of those too, even if not the bragging rights all for themselves.
As you can see, it’s all quite simple: you place bets on the virtual horse racing events via your phone and watch the heats live on the many big screens located around BOX bar’s massive Manchester venue on the main Deansgate strip.
With a total of five races to try and win during the night, you’ll have plenty of chances to holler your head off and cheer on your winner. Whether you’re a pro, a ‘once-a-year flutter’ kind of person, or just joining your mates for a laugh, we can certainly voucher for the vibes.
Better yet, beyond the user-fuelled action on the telly, there’s plenty more entertainment to be enjoyed on the night, from BOX‘s regular DJs and live music to plenty of other interactive party games to give other guests a chance to win extra prizes.
A very fun and often silly party. (Credit: The Manc Group)
‘What’s the top prize?’, we hear you ask: how does a £200 bar tab sound?
Even from entry, your £5 entry fee scores you a complimentary glass of prosecco upon arrival and, as always, there’s plenty of delicious food and drink to tide you over throughout the night.
Here’s a more detailed breakdown of how Race Night works:
Guests place their bets with fun money tokens through our virtual bookies on their phones.
You can bet on multiple horses per race but you are only paid out for the winner.
This payout goes directly into each of their betting accounts so will change throughout the event.
Odds are worked out via the software and vary by however many people bet on the same horse.
Races are pre-recorded – it all comes down to the luck of which horse you pick.
The winner is the person at the end who has the most fun money in their betting account.
The overall winner gets a £200 bar tab.
Table downstairs for our live band at 9pm.
Two rounds of the ‘Chair Jockey’ game: first to pop the balloon gets a round of shots for their table.
Put your inhibitions aside, folks – there’s booze to be won. (Credit: The Manc Group)
Set to happen every month, with the next event taking place from 7-9pm on Friday, 14 March – the week of this year’s Cheltenham Festival – you don’t want to miss out on the unique virtual and immersive sporting event.
You’ll also be glad to hear that all profits from the tickets, which are again just a fiver, will be donated to MNDA (Motor Neurone Disease Association), with a guaranteed minimum donation of £2.50.
Before you inevitably get off your seat to cheer on a digital horse and jockey, you can book yours HERE.
With just a few days left of the competition, it also happens to be one of the best places to watch the 2025 Six Nations.
Emily Sergeant -
2nd November 2022 
