The Manchester Half, the largest of this marathon distance in the entire North West, is back for 2025 this weekend, and literally tens of thousands of Brits and more are set to descend upon 0161 for the big race. And that’s just the runners…
It’s estimated that 26,000 participants are set to lace up their running shoes for the ninth edition of the Manchester Half, which also marks the third and final year of their ‘Express Yourself’ campaign.
This year’s event is also expected to raise £1.5 million for various organisations, with thousands running in support of partnered charities like the Alzheimer’s Society, Cancer Research UK and The Christie. One of the best days of the year and all for a good cause.
With all that in mind, whether you’re taking part or just spectating, we want to do everything we can to help to get ready for the event; here’s everything you need to know about the 2025 Manchester Half.
Manchester Half 2025 guide – all the important info
What time does the Manchester Half start?
Elite wheelchair participants will set off first at 8:55am, followed promptly by the elite wave at 9:00am.
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Following this, the rest of the participants will get going in roughly 10-minute intervals, depending on their allocated colour, with staggered waves setting off up until approximately 10:48am.
You can see all the waves and their relevant start times below:
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Credit: MCR Half (supplied)
The Manchester Half route: start and finish line + key checkpoints
Access to the start process is adjacent to Trafford Town Hall; those wishing to use the bag drop can enter the Emirates Old Trafford (Lancashire Cricket Club) stadium via gates 5 and 10.
Marshals will then direct participants to the start line from both locations.
On the route, participants will head towards the city before looping back, passing through Stretford, Sale, Chorlton-cum-Hardy and eventually the finish line back along Talbot Road.
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The full participant guide, containing start times, a detailed breakdown of the route and more, can be viewed here, but you can see a helpful map of the Manchester Half route down below.
Check out our new updated Activations Route Map, featuring @AppliedNutrition
Where are the toilet locations, water and nutrition stations on the MCR Half?
As you can see, there will be a total of four drink stations along the half-marathon course. Isotonic Energy Gels from Applied Nutrition will be available at stops two and three.
Similarly, there will be portaloo toilets at each of the water stations, as well as plenty at the Event Village for those pre-race precautions (time that morning coffee carefully, folks…)
Road closures for the Manchester Half
Road closures will be in effect along and around the half-marathon route starting from early on Saturday, 11 October.
Those affected should allow extra time for journeys, as open roads in the surrounding areas will be busy.
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Many bus services will also be diverted due to these closures, and you can also expect added congestion further out into Greater Manchester, especially towards Trafford.
Full details of road closures can be found HERE, and you can consult an interactive map below:
How to get to Event Village for the Manchester Half
The tram network will allow both runners and spectators the best access to and from the event.
For a quieter journey, the Imperial War Museum stop is a 15-minute walk to the Event Village. The closest tram stations are Old Trafford (a 3-minute walk) and Trafford Bar (a 10-minute walk), but these will be very busy and will likely have significant queues.
As mentioned, buses will be disrupted by road closures, meaning those arriving in Manchester by train are advised to take the tram directly to the Event Village if and wherever possible.
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Participants are advised to avoid driving to the event due to the increased level of traffic already brought about by the well-attended annual event.
For those who do plan on driving, however, there is no official parking, but Manchester United do offer pre-paid parking spaces at Old Trafford. They are available for £18 when booked in advance.
Make sure to double-check your Manchester Half guide on race morning, too. (Credit: Supplied)
How to track runners and watch the 2025 Manchester Half remotely?
Once again, countless numbers are expected to line the Manchester streets in support of those running the MCR Half, but for those who can only cheer on from afar, the race will be available to view via livestream on the full Manchester Marathon YouTube channel.
If you’re looking to see where a participant is along the route, you can find more help on how to best utilise all the recommended tracking features like the ‘Find My’ app, ‘share my location’ on WhatsApp and the Strava beacon function HERE.
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Supporter hub and dedicated cheer zones
As for where is best to cheer on the 26k or so legends running the Manchester Half, the temporarily re-named Deansgate ‘Inter-rave’ (Deansgate-Castlefield Interchange) will see hordes of spectators amping up the atmosphere at mile 1 with a Cybertruck DJ and ‘kick-off cam showing live starts.
Over at Wharfside, the ‘Buzz Hub’ will enable spectators can see participants twice on their journey past the iconic Old Trafford stadium, before heading toward Stretford. There will also be inflatable dancing bees and a DJ.
Other prime viewing spots include Stretford, Sale and Chorlton-cum-Hardy. The Event Village at LCCC will also have a large screen showing live finish line coverage, as well as food outlets and activities from partners for everyone to enjoy.
It’s highly recommended that supporters avoid going directly to the finish line, where viewing will be limited due to large crowds and one-way systems.
Easy bit of advice that often gets forgotten for you here: organise a specific meeting point to reunite with those runners beforehand – saves a lot of time and faff among the crowds.
What/who else to look out for at this year’s Manchester Half…
Other things to keep in mind include the official Manchester Half shakeout run, which is being hosted by lead sponsors PUMA and Runna, and takes place the official Manchester Half shakeout run will take place on Saturday, 11 October.
Having set up another pop-up for this year’s event, where top-end running trainers, merch and other goodies can be picked up, they’re just one of many brands getting involved with the wider 2025 Supporter Hub.
For instance, ERDINGER’s – who will be handing out alcohol free beers for those crossing the finish line – are also serving as this year’s team of pacers.
If you’re looking to get a certain time in your race, as well as assembling with the rest of your wave at the start line, look out for your relevant pacer at the start on the day.
That should be just about all the key details you need to know for this year’s Manchester Half-marathon guide, but if in doubt, you can always check the event website for more info.
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Last but not least, make sure you get a good breakfast in, prepare your race kit all ready the night before, get plenty of rest and drink even more water.
Best of luck to all those running, not that anyone needs it – you’re going to absolutely SMASH it and we’ll see you at the pub for plenty of celebrating afterwards!
NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani gives thoughts on Andy Burnham running for Prime Minister
Emily Sergeant
Mayor of New York City, Zohran Mamdani, has given his thoughts on Andy Burnham’s intention to run for Prime Minister.
In case you missed it, after it was announced last Friday that Andy Burnham had clinched the victory in the crucial Makerfield by-election, winning 24,927 votes (54.8% vote share) and a majority of 9,231, he then went onto announcing his intentions to run for Labour Party leader, and therefore Prime Minister, after Keir Starmer confirmed he would be stepping down.
Greater Manchester‘s next Mayoral Election has also been announced, given that Burnham is now not eligible to stay in the role – with the date set for Thursday 30 July and candidates frequently being announced.
Talk of Burnham’s chances of running the country have been around for months now, but have ramped up considerably over the past week of course in the wake of his by-election win.
It’s fair to say that for much of Andy Burnham’s time as Mayor of Greater Manchester, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, he was up there as one the most famous Mayors in the world… but over the past year, he’s arguably had to hand that unofficial title over to Zohran Mamdani, the current Mayor of New York City.
Mamdani is considered to be a democratic socialist, and campaigned for things like progressive, affordability-focused platform, supporting fare-free city buses, universal child care, city-owned grocery stores, a rent freeze on rent-stabilised units, additional affordable housing units, and a $30 minimum wage by 2030.
He has also expressed support for LGBTQ+ rights, comprehensive public safety reform, and tax increases on corporations and those earning above $1 million annually.
Mamdani was elected Mayor of New York City last October, and was officially sworn in on New Year’s Day at the start of this year.
Since then, he has successfully – very successfully, in fact – made a name for himself around the world, and has even managed to deliver on a good chunk of what he set out to do in his campaign, seeing many calls for him to become President one day.
Oh, and he’s also a massive (and very knowledgeable) football fan – an Arsensal fan, to be precise, but football in general really.
Appearing on BBC’s Football Daily podcast this week to talk about his love of the sport as the US currently hosts the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Mamdani was also asked to give his thoughts on Andy Burnham and his upcoming run to be Prime Minister.
“I don’t think anything comes with ease at that kind of a level,” Mamdani started out in response to host Mark Chapman’s question.
“I do think they are very important skills because many people have lost faith in Government, the place they earn that faith back, they decide to trust again, is at the most local level. That’s where they see what it’s like to have a Government that delivers for them.
“And if you’re able to respond to people, whether it’s in Greater Manchester or New York City, it is at the heart of what people are looking for for any kind of politics.
Mamdani then closed out his thoughts by questioning: “I don’t think he’s an Arsenal supporter though?” and when the hosts clarified that Burnham is an Everton fan, Mamdani responded: “Well at least you can respect that someone has suffered.”
He concluded: “No but like, I like it when I meet someone who’s a fan of a team that hasn’t just won and won and won.”
Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons
Sport
The world’s first standalone women’s football retail store has opened in Manchester
Lydia Mastrolonardo
Foudys, the world’s first ever store dedicated exclusively to women’s football, has opened in Manchester.
Back in 2020, Helen Hardy began Foudys, with the goal (pardon the pun) of addressing a fundamental gap in the market, regarding the lack of access to official women’s football merchandise.
She began the brand by supplying shirts with women’s players names on the back, something that shockingly has not been widely available until now. The business has since rapidly grown into a highly respected name, working with global brands such as Nike, Adidas and Puma.
As Hardy rightly said: “Women and girls are underserved by traditional sport retailers. Currently we see store environments created through the male lens, an overwhelming focus on male products and aesthetics that are geared toward football-mad boys.
“The staff are used to selling to men and boys who often grow up with an innate knowledge of football products. Through our online store we can see what our customers want and need is different.
“They like a mix of performance and lifestyle products, more specialist advice and a non-intimidating environment where they feel comfortable to ask any product questions. This is what our Foudys store will deliver.”
A giant football scarf instead of a ribbon cutting at FoudysFoudys celebrates the women’s football game
After developing a loyal community of players and fans across the globe, Foudys has finally branched out into a new in-person two-storey retail store here at Manchester’s Great Northern Warehouse, on Deansgate – and where better to have it than a city so synonymous with football?
The store is set to stock official merchandise, exclusive handpicked collaborations, limited-edition ranges, performance products tailored specifically for female athletes, plus some must-have fashion collections inspired by women’s sport.
There’ll be a whole section of performance wear like sports bras, football boots and more, plus football shirts you can have customised with printing in-store.
This isn’t just a shop – it doubles up as a cultural hub for the women’s game, with events in the store including watch parties, panini sticker swaps, player panel discussions and sewing workshops to fix damaged football kits.
A glimpse inside Foudys in ManchesterYou can pick up performance wear as well as merch and fashion pieces
The new Foudys opening represents a wider significant step forward for women’s sport, as the demand for women’s football continues to soar with record-breaking attendances, increased media rights deals and rising brand investment.
This is reflected by Deloitte’s* findings showing that in 2026, global revenue in women’s elite sports is predicted to exceed US$3 billion for the first time, marking a 25 per cent increase over 2025 and 340 per cent growth since 2022. However, retail is currently not sufficiently reflecting this shift, which is something Foudys aspires to change.
“There’s been huge progress on the pitch and in media coverage, but the commercial ecosystem hasn’t fully caught up,” Hardy added.
“Retail is a critical part of that. This store is about creating a space where fans and players feel seen, represented and catered for, something that hasn’t existed before at this scale.
“Foudys has always led from the front, being the first to put female players’ names on the back of shirts and providing exclusive access to products from the US NWSL League and the TOGETHXR range. This is the next step in that journey. We want to break barriers and show what women and girls need from a sports store.”
Foudys is named after USA Legend Julie FoudyPieces in store celebrate the Lionesses’ big wins
Foudys hopes to become the global home of women’s football retail and culture, with their in-person store being a crucial step in bridging the gap between performance and lifestyle.
In 2024, the Sports Innovation Lab* found a significant disparity in sport retail, highlighting that for every nine pieces of men’s sport merchandise available, there is only one piece for women’s sport. While in the same study, it was revealed that women’s sport fans spend more on merchandise and make more purchases per year than men’s sport fans.
Foudys prides itself on its inclusive community feel, with staff trained to help explain their products in a way that is accessible, whether you’re a complete newbie or consider yourself a pro.
Their expert team is on hand to help players consider a wide variety of boot options, as well as providing a safe space for sports bra advice, fittings and help on the best period underwear for performance. What more could you ask for?
The Foudys store is now open (from 25 June 2026) at 293 Deansgate, Manchester.
Danny Jones -
10th October 2025 
