Freight Island’s Six Nations fan zone returns for 2025 at the end of this month and we’re so ready for seven weeks of rugby action and a river of Guinness.
The iconic international tournament gets underway on 31 January and so too does Freight Island’s fantastic fan experience, providing an unparalleled level of excitement beyond being inside the stadium.
Set to be even bigger and better than last year, it’s the largest of its kind anywhere in the country because, well, as well as know, Manchester sports fans do it better than anyone.
Promising everything from free pints and prosecco for ticket holders, live music, top-notch scran from Freight’s in-house vendors and more, it’s going to be another year to remember.
The Freight Island Six Nations fan zone is back for 2025. (Credit: Supplied)
Fuel for the sporting action
Launching in time for the first game between France and Wales on the final Friday of the month, the Freight Island Six Nations fan zone will be open for the full duration of the competition, showing all 15 fixtures across a seven-week period.
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With the final not until Saturday, 15 March, you’ve got plenty of time to sample all the massive Manchester venue has to offer this year. Speaking of..
As well as a steady supply of drinks including a self-service Guinness machine, punters will be eligible for a free pint of Freight Island pilsner or a glass of Prosecco with their ticket.
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To make things even sweeter, as well as the usual foodie favourites such as Fuku, Mia’s Arepas, Burgerism, Voodoo Ray’s; Mega Gyros, Oh! My Cheesecake and Soft Boi, Scouse chicken connoisseurs Pattersons are launching their brand new ‘American Buffet’. We’re talking proper game-day food.
Every Sunday, they’ll be serving up half-chickens brined and deep fried in their special spice mix, or a vegetarian nut roast, plus an all-you-can-eat sides including sweet potato, corn salsa, tater tots, cheesy grits, home-made corn bread and their famous gravy, all for £18 per tray
You can ever pre-order a full bird ahead of time if you like – consider this the Six Nations answer to Super Bowl-level feasting.
But isn’t all food and drink, of course: Freight Island will also be making sure to keep the energy high no matter what’s going on in the matches with DJs, music from live bands, as well pre and post-match content for you to enjoy. Let us explain.
In addition to sets by the likes of singer-songwriter Neeva Zahra, Paul Eden and other special guests, but they’re also be performances by the Pent Up Pipes band and Dizzy Brasscals to really get the atmosphere going.
Crowd interaction is essential to making these fan zones work, so if bagpipes and a brass band doesn’t get you hyped as the six sporting-mad continental countries go head-to-head for European glory, we don’t what will.
Freight Island have also partnered with The EggChasers rugby union podcast, who will be delivering podcasts live from the building, as well as fan content before and after the whistle, meaning you can also get involved if you fancy yourself an armchair expert.
Dizzy Brasscals is the best band name we’ve heard in ages. (Credit: Supplied)
Once again, the tournament last for a good month and a half, so you’ll have plenty of opportunity to enjoy all of the above, as well as all the live rugby on the multiple screens dotted around the venue – including one very big one.
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Freight Island opening hours during the Six Nations and throughout February and March are Friday (4pm-12am), Saturday (12pm-12am), and Sunday (12-8pm).
You can book your free tickets HERE and we’ll no doubt see plenty of you there.
Meanwhile over in rugby league, local side Salford Red Devils have found themself in a less than ideal position ahead of the new season after being hit with a new sustainability cap.
Featured Images — Press Images (supplied via Freight Island)
Sport
Stockport County are hosting huge World Cup screenings at Edgeley Park
Danny Jones
Stockport County are set to host one of the biggest World Cup screenings in Greater Manchester this year, with the nearby football club opening up their very own ground at Edgeley Park to host some huge watchalong parties.
And before you ask, no – you won’t be watching from the pitch, sorry.
Still, a dozen large TVs, loads of great street food and free-flowing drinks, not to mention plenty of stadium-level atmosphere, we’d absolutely call this the next best thing.
With the 2026 World Cup and a whole summer packed with sporting tournaments coming up, ‘The Hatters’ will be creating their own home camp to help cheer on the national squad.
As you can see, while you won’t quite be out of their on the turf for yourselves, and outrageous ‘scam’ ticket prices mean even fewer England supporters will likely be flying out to watch the boys in person, the Stockport side will be doing their best to create a proper good crowd.
Taking over the County Courtyard – the team’s dedicated social hub for before and after games, which opened back in 2022 – the local League One side will be turning this into a Three Lions fan zone for each and every game they play in the tournament.
Fingers crossed they give us plenty of rounds to witness, eh?…
Anyone who’s been to Edgeley Park‘s County Courtyard or simply even seen the scenes online will know how busy this place can get on a matchday, so just imagine what it will be like with the big screens showing the all-important games.
With resident cult figure ‘Chef John’ cooking up street food scran inspired by the cuisine and cultures that will be hosting this year’s World Cup, and a special, not to mention brand-new, US-inspired beer in collaboration with natives Runaway Brewery, it’s a great lineup – we just pray Thomas Tuchel matches it.
Credit: Publicity pictures (supplied via Stockport County Football Club)
Doors open at 6pm for all fixtures, and The Courtyard will remain open until midnight; with tickets starting from just a fiver for the group stage, you’d be foolish not to at least consider it.
If England do make it through to the knockouts, each following fixture will obviously be shown on the box, too, with tickets then rising to £10 per game (Edgeley Park is also a fully cashless venue).
You can find out more information about what will be on offer and find the ticket link right HERE.
As for Stopfordians and regular season ticket-holders, they’ll no doubt be gutted to hear that manager Dave Challinor has now departed SK3 after a hugely productive five-year stint – here’s hoping a great World Cup can help lift some spirits.
Memories that will last a lifetime 💙
We wish Dave and his family every success in the future – they will always be welcome back at Edgeley Park 🙌 pic.twitter.com/ZxcH5Keag9
— Stockport County (@StockportCounty) June 1, 2026
Featured Images — The Manc Group/Stockport County FC (supplied)
Sport
One of the biggest and best new beer gardens in Manchester drops just in time for the World Cup
Danny Jones
You heard us right: what could very well be Manchester’s favourite new beer garden has just landed over in St John’s, and all can envision is non-stop sun, suds and sporting action all summer long.
This, my friends, is ‘The Green’.
Capturing a kind of mix between the simple combo of wide open space, booze and hopefully sun on the Stevenson Square we all know and love, with a bit of the Boxpark fanfare that will make it perfect come World Cup, we’re big fans of what they’ve put together here.
It’s also worth noting that this place is significantly bigger than you’ll find in most corners of central Manchester, complete with plenty of room to perch, from the rows of deckchairs to even tiered step seating that runs along the edge.
There’s new artificial turf laid down, complete with fresh wooden borders, lamp lighting, big benches perfect for squeezing plenty of mates on each side, as well as a decent number of small parasols. There are even QR codes to save time ordering at the bar.
Speaking of, the bar is already full up and running with a very solid lineup of summery drinks, for beers and fruity ciders to Aperol and plenty more. You are paying the expected St John’s prices, but when the rays hit just right, the footy’s on and you’re with your mates, you won’t hear us complaining.
Not just batch stuff being proud from the tap either – they’ve got cocktails, creative twists on frozen margs and lots of other stuff still in the pipeline.
But understandably, the instant start of the show is that large screen, which has already got us dreaming of the World Cup and tournament season year in year out, for that matter. And when we say large, we really mean it…
Just picture the scenes…
The lawn itself is plenty long, and the massive monitor is high up enough on the old studio wall that not a single soul will be missing a second of that action.
Be it the footy, Wimbledon, F1, rugby – whatever the discipline happens to be, we can’t wait to find any excuse to watch it all here (weather permitting). Only a short distance from Deansgate, Spinningfields, Castlefield and more, we feel like this spot is about to blow up.
You’ll also be glad to know that while you can’t take food and drink from other venues around the beer garden itself, they’ve got a food lineup all of their own coming very soon, centring around Manchester locals and regional indies. That’s what we like to hear.
It’s just what that Grape Street area needed, and regardless of whatever potential seasonal shifts it might need to make, we hope it stays here for a very long time. Good vibes all-round.
Danny Jones -
21st January 2025 
