In another major coup for Manchester, the NBA is coming to our shores for just the second time in history, having only been played in the UK on a relative handful of occasions.
This is nothing short of a massive milestone for the city.
Having last crossed the pond back in 2019, the NBA has only visited 0161 once before over a decade ago at the old AO Arena, and there’s only been a total of 19 transatlantic meetings up until now.
As if that wasn’t exciting enough, being confirmed as part of the NBA’s new European slate, Manchester is also set to be one of the first venues in the UK to ever host a regular-season game.
JUST ANNOUNCED: @NBA The NBA, Co-op Live and @ManchesterCityCouncil have today announced that the NBA will bring a regular-season game to Manchester for the first time ever in 2027, a monumental moment for the city, the venue, and UK sport. Read more here: https://t.co/6hR5g8XsxXpic.twitter.com/PRCCqb2Zaw
NBA Europe have managed to secure a three-year programme of matches that will feature as part of the league’s normal competitive season.
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Kicking off next year and running until 2028 at the very least, the current deal will see the much-loved sport watched worldwide first land on the continent for a pair of games next year in Berlin and London, before heading to Paris and our very own Manchester in 2027.
Florida’s Orlando Magic and Tennessee’s Memphis Grizzlies have already been announced for the first two games, although Manchester’s match-up is yet to be confirmed at this early stage.
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With Basketball England being officially headquartered within the wider Etihad Campus, there was no question that the Manchester NBA fixture was going to be held at Co-op Live.
As well as being not just the biggest indoor entertainment venue of its kind in England but all of Europe, the arena has also recently welcomed the likes of the UFC, WWE and multiple boxing matches, proving it can serve as the perfect host for premier live sporting action on a global scale.
Speaking in the wake of the seismic news, the Leader of Manchester City Council and representative for Burnage, Bev Craig, could only echo how big a deal this is for the region.
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“Manchester once again has shown what a magnificent draw it is for major events, and we are thrilled to welcome the NBA back to our city”, she said. “This city is known for big names, big games and a reputation for showcasing world-class events on the biggest stage possible.
“With a growing basketball scene in Manchester, this event feels like the perfect fit and will give so many people in our city the chance to see what the best athletes in the sport can do on our home turf.
“When it comes to delivering world-class events, we know that Manchester is now firmly on the map. Now, working with our partners, we want to continue driving investment towards our city, creating new jobs, increasing growth and providing new opportunities and experiences for all of our residents.”
Once again, the exact date, timings and teams set to play at the Co-op are still yet to be decided, but having also sealed the BRIT Awards ceremony for 2026, it’s set to be a truly momentous couple of years for the arena and the city as a whole.
Bruno Fernandes out for ‘at least a month’ following Aston Villa injury
Danny Jones
Less than ideal news for Manchester United fans as first-team star Bruno Fernandes is reportedly out for “at least a month.”
Reds can consider that akin to a lump of coal in their Christmas stockings.
Man United lost 2-1 to Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday night despite a good performance, and certainly missed their creative spark in the middle of the park when Bruno Fernandes was forced off at the break.
Supporters in the away end and watching at home were no doubt looking through their fingers as they saw him pull up out of the blue and let the ball go out of play, especially given the fact that he never missed a game through injury.
To put things into context, Fernandes has played more matches than any top-level football player in Europe in the last three years (approximately 6,343 minutes – yes, really), so not only is it usually taken as read that he’ll start, but seeing their midfield talisman pull up mid-game was obviously a worry.
Fans immediately feared the worst as he had to stop moving and signal to the bench on multiple ocassions towards the end of the first half, and although it couldn’t certainly be worse, The Telegraph is now reporting that Fernandes has injured his “soft tissue” and faces at least a month on the sidelines.
The exact nature of the damage and the precise window he is expected to spend on the sidelines is yet to be fully confirmed by the club, but it seems likely that he’s latest to find his way onto the physio bench with a muscle problem.
Safe to say that it comes at a rather unfortunate time in the season, not only with three important players missing on AFCON duty, but with his supposed ‘like-for-like’ positional replacement, Kobbie Mainoo, seemingly having picked up an issue as well.
It still remains to be seen, however, just how serious the young Stockport-born star is injured for.
As the Portuguese captain, you can see the moment he suddenly pulled up and had to stop play – before ultimately seeing out the 45 – here:
Bruno should not have been on the pitch.
He’d done his hamstring.
Watch the video… Why is he still on the pitch if he can’t close down the player? pic.twitter.com/H8swgaQGSP
His compatriot Ruben Amorim was in no doubt that he would “lose some games”, but did play down that “nobody is going to die.”
The manager is still struggling to pick up points and still has the worst win percentage stat looming for the time being.
It doesn’t help that his now diminished squad have a tough game against Newcastle United coming up on Boxing Day; it’ll be interesting to see how the Red Devils head into 2026.
You can watch the highlights from Aston Villa vs Man United down below.
However, following a consortium bid led by a former player, it now looks as though the local community will be starting a new sporting era in 2026. You can read the RFL’s statement in full down below.
As you can see, the English governing body has agreed to grant the new Salford-based rugby league team Championship status in time for the start of next season.
The Red Devils were officially relegated back in October, following months of uncertainty surrounding their unpaid debts and having to rely on loan players to field squads.
It’s unclear whether the new Salford side will carry on under the well-established brand and logo, or whether they fresh start will include a new Greater Manchester moniker.
There is, of course, an obvious choice as retired winger Mason Caton-Brown has been confirmed as one of at least three key investors following his ‘Phoenix Bid’ to resurrect the club earlier this month.
Speaking in an official press release, Caton-Brown stated, “This is for the fans. They are the heartbeat of this club. Today’s announcement is the result of countless hours of hard work, honesty, and unity. We’re incredibly proud to bring rugby league back home to Salford. But now the hard work really begins.”
Following the official announcement on Monday (22 Dec), fan group The 1873 have now expressed their gratitude and support regarding the new investment, adding: “The strength of this club has always been its people and that must remain true in this new chapter.”
We would like to congratulate The Phoenix Bid on being awarded RFL membership and becoming custodians of Salford Rugby League 👏
Fans must fully back the new board as we move into 2026. We have a responsibility to ensure that this is as successful as it can be. pic.twitter.com/BZEwzS0zC6
Caton-Brown had already insisted that the new leadership group had reached multiple pre-contract agreements with players and a new head coach.
Meanwhile, ex-Salford Red Devils stars Paul Rowley and Adam Sidlow have now joined the coaching staff at St Helens.
While it’s obviously a big result to be gearing up just a few weeks after seemingly folding as a competitive side, the owners are now racing to get a full squad ready to face Oldham in their season opener on 16 January.
The 32-year-old went on to add: “The next month will be crucial. We’re asking supporters to stand together with us, to get behind the rebuild, to volunteer, to spread the word, and to help us make sure Salford rises again stronger than ever.” Happy, Salfordians?
Elsewhere, the national rugby community are similarly uniting to give a Super League legend some long overdue recognition…
Danny Jones -
30th July 2025 
