It’s official, we’ve been fully hit with Euros fever and we cannot wait for a full summer of watching the games and hopefullywith plenty of sun, but a lot of people are still on the hunt for family-friendly places to watch the action here in Manchester.
The fact is, the idea of piling into a busy boozer or fan zone and waiting for a sea of pints to be thrown into the air isn’t for everyone (as much as many of us love the carnage) and tournament time can often feel dominated by the ‘lads, lads, lads’ vibe but the beautiful game is famously for everyone.
With that being said, we’ve put together a quick list of places to watch the football in Manchester this Euros season that are perhaps a bit quieter, more kid-friendly or just a bit less boozy than you might find at most other pubs or fan parks.
Let’s kick off then, shall we?
10 places for kids and families to watch the Euro 2024 in Manchester
1. Nell’s – Kampus
First up is local pizza legends Nell’s and their waterside site over at Kampus. It may be another one you possibly weren’t expecting but who doesn’t love munching on pizza whilst you watch the game?
Kampus has turned into one of the city’s coolest little corners, and with a beautiful almost jungle-like beer garden and terrace there to soak up the rays, if you’re wondering where is best to spend your time before and after the Euros games you might already have your answer here.
Arguably one of the most family-friendly options for those hoping to watch with their kids or maybe just find a less rowdy option with plenty of activities beyond sitting and watching the game itself, the brand new King Pins site in Manchester’s Arndale Centre is also screening the England matches this year.
As our very own Will says, this place has virtually everything under one roof, including a whole summer of footy. What more could you ask for?
Another left-field one you most likely won’t have been expecting to be showing the footy this tournament season is PizzaLuxe but after nipping along for a few slices, a pint and a casual mid-week 2pm kick-off (don’t worry, the boss approved), we can confirm it’s a great little alternative.
With the stylish Arndale lunchtime spot showing every game right throughout the competition and the full menu of pizza, fresh sides and salads on offer, it makes for a great central location to catch a game and they even have a site at Manchester Airport in case you happen to find yourself in the terminal one.
Next up is another old faithful favourite of any local foodie and that’s Almost Famous, who happen to be showing the Three Lions at the Great Northern and Withington sites here in Manchester
With the latter receiving a raft of support from locals after it faced potential closure, the burger pros are back to doing what they do best, only with the added perk of screening all the action plus some seriously good deals on pints, cocktails and more.
For another foodie and family-friendly place to watch the Euros in Manchester, the city’s resident Hard Rock Cafe over in Printworks is another reliable option if you want the guarantee of a screen, a great value-for-money matchday meal and a lively but less rowdy atmosphere.
Showing every England group game – and hopefully all the knockout fixtures – and even serving up the official Messi Chicken Sandwich (we know he doesn’t play in Europe but still), you won’t go far wrong. Booking advised.
Credit: Supplied
6. King Street Townhouse
Getting into the second half now and this one’s for those people who are essentially looking to recreate the comfort of their front room only with room for all their friends and family to get involved too.
King Street Townhouse‘s secret cinema has been a cult favourite for a while now it also happens to be one of the coolest and cosiest places for a quieter, more bespoke way to watch the games this summer.
One of the most family-friendly and personalised places to watch the Euros in Manchester.
7. Festival of Football – Freight Island
At the other end of the spectrum, if you still want somewhere with plenty of atmosphere but that’s fundamentally safe and welcomes a family-oriented crowd, this year’s ‘Festival of Football’ over in Mayfield is a great shout.
Don’t get us wrong, there’ll be plenty of limbs and all the rest of it in the main room, but the more reserved Plant Room has been turned into a dedicated family space for all ages. With full coverage, heaters and its own bar, it’s a floral little hideaway where you can still cheer on the boys. Book HERE.
In the heart of the midfield, you’ll find GRUB and Fairfield Social Club’s approach to screening the Euros one of the most inviting in the city too, with plenty of scope for the adults to have a good time with a few bevs, but whilst still ensuring an accessible atmosphere for everyone to come along.
We often see kids running around the terrace over at GRUB, and with one of the biggest dedicated screens in Manchester (yes, seriously); better still, if you book, you’ll automatically get 10% off the bar whilst the games are on. Sorted. You can get in touch with them on socials or via email for more info.
Another nice middle ground between a beer hall and a more relaxed fan zone is Bundobust, who are once again showing the games this Euros and serving up arguably some of the most flavourful scran you’ll ever tuck into whilst the footy is on.
With bookings available and lots of football-themed specials including The Vindaloo Pie collab with Great North Pie Co. and ‘The Fat Les’ pie barm (a.k.a. a Wigan kebab), not mention plenty to sip in, the risk you run is being so distracted by the food that you forget to look up and watch the match.
Lastly, just a tram ride away from the city centre or a short journey in the car, Hotel Football’s in-house cafe over in Trafford is perhaps one of the most family-friendly places to watch the Euros you’ll find anywhere in Greater Manchester.
Sitting just next door to the Theatre of Dreams, the day-time side of the local hotel, cafe and bar is fittingly serving a wide variety of food from around the globe; there’s an ice cream and sweet service on offer for little ones, as well as special competitions throughout Euro 2024. You can enquire HERE.
We hope you found this list of more family-friendly places helpful and you can of course find some other gems on our full where to watch the Euros in Manchester list – either way, we just hope you enjoy this year’s tournament and please oh please spare us penalties, footballing gods.
Not to tempt fate but we really do believe it’s coming home this time (famous last words).
And for one last honourable mention, we simply had to give a shout-out to what no has to be our favourite British supermarket chain thanks to their lovely initiative to make sure the elderly have somewhere comfortable to watch Euro 2024 as well.
Featured Images — The Manc Group/Freight Island (via Instagram)
Sport
The latest on Salford Red Devils financial situation as ‘winding-up’ petition is adjourned
Danny Jones
The current situation at Salford Red Devils is far from ideal, with the rugby league team currently owing hundreds of thousands of pounds in debt, not to mention facing further stress over finances with players owed wages, key personnel leaving and remaining uncertainty over future ownership.
So, why is the board expressing reassurance among supporters following the recent adjournment of a ‘winding-up’ petition, and what exactly does this mean?
It is no doubt a complex issue, but with the season concluding in October and the Greater Manchester club essentially being given a stay of execution, for lack of a better phrase, it’s possible that a corner could hopefully be turned soon.
Here’s everything we know so far about the situation in Salford and where the Red Devils’ finances are currently at.
Salford Red Devils’ finances and more – explained
For a start, they’re late on payroll again this month.
Salford Red Devils players have been told they will not receive their salaries today.https://t.co/ofHTR0uZyN
According to recent reports, Salford Red Devils owe more than half a million pounds to His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) at present, with current estimates said to be in the region of £600,000.
The Super League side has fallen into debt due to a number of factors: their own performance as a business, cuts to local funding and a period of spending in terms of recruitment and pre-season preparation under the assumption of a subsidy from Salford City Council (SCC).
However, this would-be uplift – despite it being promised late last year – never came as the Council (having already provided £315k in ‘immediate’ financial aid back in March 2024) U-turned on the decision after it was revealed further backing was not in the budget.
SCC ended up owing around £2 million itself after stepping in to save both SRD and fellow rugby league outfit Swinton Lions, handing out loans to both clubs even prior to purchasing Salford Community Stadium and the surrounding area.
The Council ultimately shelled out north of £7.7m to buy the ground and sever commercial ties with previous owners, Peel. They had hoped to further alleviate pressure on the club, but Salford Red Devils (SRD) had already spent the money they were expecting to receive on new players, training and more.
SRD were then told to sell off a number of players by the league.
With all this in mind, something called a ‘winding-up’ petition – basically a document sent by creditors that demands the immediate liquidation of a company/organisation that owes them money – was filed by HMRC back in May, with the tax authorities demanding payment of the outstanding sum.
However, special dispensation appears to have been made not only due to the complicated and unforeseen circumstances Salford have faced along the way, but also for the sake of the Rugby Football League (RFL) itself, with the Red Devils still seen as a valuable sporting and community asset.
One of those unexpected twists was the takeover by a new consortium led by Dario Berta, whose investment failed to clear in time and resulted in the club being hit with the financial sustainability problem that saw them cutbacks.
In a small bit of good fortune, it has now been decided that the petition to liquidate the SRD has been postponed, though not indefinitely.
As expected, there is good news that the winding-up petition filed by HMRC against Salford Red Devils has been successfully adjourned by the club's representatives in London until after the season has finished in September.
It's important to focus on supporting Salford as they…
— The Game Caller 🗣🎙📻 (@TheGameCaller) June 25, 2025
What could happen next?
The date for coughing up what debt they owe to the tax authorities has now been pushed back to September, meaning they have until then to find the finances, or else they could very well be made insolvent in a matter of months.
However, as per BBC Radio Manchester, those involved in the ongoing process are “confident” that bridging loans will be put in place over the coming days to keep HMRC at bay.
And, nevertheless, head coach Paul Rowley has insisted that he can see “green shoots” starting to emerge around the club, despite still sitting bottom of the table with just one win to their name.
What’s for sure is that the local area isn’t giving up on them, with numerous fundraisers and charity events being set up to help support the club via the official Salford Red Devils Foundation.
Fingers firmly crossed that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Wigan Athletic sign third forward of the summer window so far
Danny Jones
Greater Manchester side Wigan Athletic have announced yet another summer signing with the arrival of 22-year-old Dara Costelloe.
Not only is he the fourth acquisition of the transfer window so far, but the now ex-Burnley prospect is the third new forward picked up by Wigan ahead of the 2025/26 season.
The Irish striker, who started out in the youth academy at Galway United before breaking into the senior team and being bought by the Clarets, has spent the last couple of years on loan, representing five different clubs since 2023.
Having most recently been at Northampton Town, scoring six times in 15 games, he finished the previous campaign with a total of a dozen goal involvements from 36 appearances – a direct contribution in nearly every other game. Now he’ll be tasked with finding similar success with another League One outfit.
𝘿𝙖𝙧𝙖 𝘾𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙏𝙞𝙘! 💙
The exciting striker arrives from Burnley on a three-year deal, with the option of a further year! 🤝#wafc 🔵⚪️ pic.twitter.com/9VzrqDR5uL
Commenting on the move, the youngster said in an official club statement: “I’m delighted to get the move over the line. It’s been a great day for me and my family – I brought my Dad over with me, and having seen the stadium, we definitely made the right choice.
“It is a great Club, and I cannot wait to get started. I’ve spoken to the Gaffer [Ryan Lowe] for quite a bit, and the plan that was outlined is to get this Club back to the Championship. That’s my ambition as well, so we’ll try to achieve that.
“I’ve seen the strikers the Gaffer has worked with, and how he’s helped progress their careers. Hopefully, he can do the same with me.”
As a retired forward himself, the strikers Costelloe is referring to include Southampton’s Cameron Archer, fellow Irishman and ex-Spurs graduate Troy Parrott, as well as former Man City, Ipswich and now Chelsea marksman, Liam Delap, who was on the radar of several teams this summer.
Speaking of Lowe, the Latics head coach confessed, “Dara is a forward who I have admired for some time, and I’m delighted he’s decided to come to us. [He] has all the attributes we are seeking in a new signing – and is hungry, ambitious, and wanting to improve.
“He is a real threat in the final third, and already has experience at this level following his successful spell at Northampton last season.
“Dara adds to the attacking options we have at [Wigan], and we’re looking forward to working with him and helping him to develop his game further. It enables us to have some really healthy competition in the striking department, which will spur each of the lads on throughout the season.
Not only is it usually reassuring to hear when a manager secures a talent they’ve been keen on for a while (the assumption being that they’ve done their due diligence and the player has been well scouted), but it says a lot about the 46-year-old’s ambition for this season by picking up three new attackers.
Snatching his permanent signature from a division rival is a nice bonus, too.
Wigan didn’t score enough goals in 24/25, simple as – finishing in 15th on minus two goal difference after registering just 40; that being said, the signing of Dara Costelloe, Christian Saydee, and most notably, prolific English forward, Paul Mullin, should help bolster those numbers to kick off this new era.
There’s certainly plenty of excitement surrounding the Wrexham hero on loan for the season.
Danny Jones -
17th June 2024 
