Doesn't matter whether it's the footy, cricket, rugby, the NFL or otherwise, us Mancs love going out for a night of sport. Good job we've got plenty of places to do just that.
Game day is fast approaching, and with the NFL scene getting bigger and bigger in the UK each year, more and more Mancs are left wondering where to watch the Super Bowl in Manchester.
With six-time Championship winners, the New England Patriots, set to take on the Seattle Seahawks – a resurgent side who have only won just one Super Bowl in their history – it’s all set up to be a fully blown blitz from the off.
Luckily, there are a whole host of sports bars in the city centre that will be showing Super Bowl LIX right through, so you don’t have to miss a minute of the action – all four hours or so of it.
Yes, it’s a long, old night (usually wrapping up around 3am here in the UK), but that’s part of why people love it, and if you’re still undecided as to where to go, here are a dozen places you can hunker down with some good grub and plenty of pints to watch it.
13 of the best places showing the Super Bowl in Manchester
1. The Blues Kitchen – Deansgate
We’ve spent the last three years watching it from here, so we vouch for the vibes. (Credit: The Manc)
First up on our list is the place we spend the Super Bowl pretty much every year: Blues Kitchen just off Deansgate, which promises big screens, live music, American BBQ favourites and more from 9pm.
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With food and drinks served until late to keep you going throughout the long night, you’ll have an absolute ball. Book HERE.
2. BOX – Deansgate
BOX Bar opened on Deansgate back in 2021 and has quickly become one of the most popular places to watch any sport in town, and it’s not hard to see why.
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With massive pitchers and steins of booze, a banging food menu built for shuffleboard at the back and screens on almost every wall, including a massive NBA-style jumbotron screen, you won’t miss a second of the action. This one always fills up quickly, so book now if you don’t want to miss out.
3. O’Malley’s – Portland Street
Ideal gameday scoops and scran. (Credit: Supplied)
As one of the only pubs in Manchester that regularly stays up this late – and by that we mean 4am – keeping eyes open until the early hours is child’s play for these lot, so similarly, it’s no surprise that the Irish bar is showing the Super Bowl.
One of many recent green and gold additions to the city that’s obsession with Guinness and all things Gaelic only seems to be growing, O’Malley’s, you can book your spot to watch both the Bowl and the Six Nations right HERE.
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4. Black Cat Club
If you’ve never been to Black Cat Club before, then what are you playing at? They’ve got interactive darts, high-tech shuffleboard, foosball tables, and with the El Gato Negro team having spawned their food menu, you’re guaranteed a solid lineup of gameday goodies inspired by proper NFL tailgates.
They’re coming up on their second birthday very soon, and we think giving Mancs a first real taste of a proper sporting all-nighter is the perfect way to celebrate. You can find out more and how to book HERE.
Given that students are typically the ones who don’t tend to worry about sleeping/waking up at any particular time, it’d be rude not to put a regular uni haunt and Manc nightlife favourite, The Courtyard, on this list.
Not only is this one of the cheapest places for a night in town, possibly the country, but it’s yet another prime location to watch the sport. You are never, we repeat, NEVER too old for Courtyard, and it never disappoints when there are sports fans in.
Another all-time classic Manchester sports bar, The Directors’ Box, just off St Peter’s Square in the city centre, has plenty of pints, an absolutely mint menu full of sharing platters perfect for watching the game with your mates, as well as a pool table to keep you occupied during the breaks.
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They’re even putting on a special menu just for the game. This is another one that packs out fast, so book now while you still can.
The Brotherhood of Pastimes and Pursuits is another tried and tested favourite come any matchday, and the team over there does a great job of building a proper atmosphere across their two floors when it comes to the Super Bowl.
It’s a great post-work spot any day of the week, let alone when there are big events on like this. Food, pints, pool, table tennis and more. 10/10, no notes from us. Reserve your table now
8. Tib St Tavern – Northern Quarter
Credit: The Manc Group
No list of Manchester sports bars would be complete without Tib Street Tavern, one of the most popular in NQ or the city centre in general, for that matter.
With booths for you and all your mates to pile into, massive screens filling the walls and solid grub, this place is packed out noon till night, so give ’em a ring on 0161 834 1600 to sort your seat whilst you still can. They also completed a refurb not too long ago, so you’ll be comfier than ever this year.
Nothing like the Bowl at Bunny’s. If you’ve ever been in this beloved wing-stop and rock-themed watering hole for an NFL game, you know that this place is pretty much the perfect place to be.
Arguably the best dive bar on the planet (it’s us, we’re arguing it), and not just because the wings start from 30p, there’s no bookings – you just rock up and try your luck and hope for laces out. Say no more.
10. Albert Hall – Peter Street
Following the success of their England watchalongs for the Euros and World Cups, Albert Hall is going all fan park once again for Super Bowl Sunday 2026. With plenty of room and a very big screen, it’s set to be the ideal place to watch SBLX, from the gridiron carnage to the halftime show.
It’s just a tenner for entry, and once again, besides a top sound system and big HD telly, there’ll be pitchers of beer, hot dogs and all the essentials required for a proper American sports party. Find out more down below.
If you popped into Brickhouse for the World Cup or even the Six Nations, you’ll know the bar, club, rooftop terrace, and pool hall are really killing it when it comes to live sports at the minute – especially with tickets to dedicated fan zones for just a fiver.
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Kicking off from 8pm and spreading across two of the three floors, this is one of the best places to grab a slice of pizza and a pint while watching the game. Better yet, their increasingly popular fan zone is absolutely free; you just need to email [email protected] or ring 0161 236 4899.
Last on our list is another cult favourite amongst NQ frequent flyers, as not only do Shack MCR specialise in all the very best kinds of food you want whilst watching live sport – wings, fries, burgers, nachos, etc. – but they’re even serving up special Super Bowl platters for the occasion.
They’ll be serving scran until 1:30 in the morning, and although all the private booths have already sold out, there are still some tables left for Sunday, 11 February, so book yours now.
Last but not least, lucky number 13 (yeah, we’re glass-half-full kind of people) on this year’s list of Super Bowl screenings in Manchester for 2026 is veteran Aussie sports bar, Walkabout.
With Bierkeller and Shooters across the way having sadly closed, this is now the longest-standing boozer of its kind in Printworks, and they also love a late night,
Of course, it goes without saying that if we could chuck every one of our city’s wonderful pubs and sports bars on this list, then we would, but we’d be here forever.
That being said, a literal dozen places to watch the big game in Manchester city centre should be more than enough to get you started — now it’s down to you to make sure you plan out the perfect Super Bowl Sunday for LX 2026. Just make sure you’ve got your arse in a seat before that first touchdown.
Get lots of sleep this week because you’re going to need it!
Oh, and if you’ve also been wondering where to watch American football’s forefather, the best rugby union tournament in the land is underway, and there are plenty of places showing it in town.
Featured Images — The Manc Group/Publicity pictures (supplied)
Sport
Manchester Storm announce partnership with USAsports including NHL pop-ups and more
Danny Jones
Manchester Storm have announced a landmark new deal with USAsports, a dedicated home for British fans of North American sporting disciplines and global merchandising suppliers, which will see various exciting events this upcoming season.
Confirming the collaboration ahead of the pending 2026/27 campaign, this crossover will involve everything from special pop-up events to player sponsorships and much more.
USAsports specialise in officially licensed NHL, NFL, NBA and MLB clothing, and while you may have seen the odd jersey here and there at various Greater Manchester locations, they are now gearing up to work with Manchester Storm to deliver better exposure.
Whether you’re just a die-hard member of the Storm Shelter or an ex-pat who still follows an NHL franchise overseas, kit collecting and the fascination surrounding limited edition team jumpers is a big part of ice hockey fandom and culture not just here in the UK but around the world.
Sharing their own announcement, they wrote: “Manchester Storm are thrilled to announce a new partnership with USAsports for the 2026/27 Motorpoint Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) season as the club embarks on an exciting new chapter at the AO Arena.
“As part of the partnership, USAsports will sponsor a Manchester Storm player throughout the season and deliver multiple NHL Pop-Up Shop events at Storm home games during the forthcoming campaign.”
On the subject of sponsorship, commercial entities are the only people who will be given the opportunity to back big players this term, as Storm are once again bringing back their ‘own-and-loan’ scheme.
Speaking on working closely with their new partners, the club’s General Manager, Ryan Finnerty, added: “We’re delighted to have USAsports on board for the 2026/27 season.
“Their passion for the fan experience really stood out to us, and their NHL Pop-Up Shops throughout the season will be a fantastic addition to game days at the AO Arena.
“We’re looking forward to working together throughout what promises to be a very exciting season.”
As casual fans here at The Manc, we’ll admit that watching the growing buzz around the resurgent ice hockey team, especially ahead of their Manchester city centre ‘homecoming’, has got us amped to dive deeper into the sport when it gets back underway next month. We’re not the only ones, either…
The UK’s biggest padel event lands in Stockport with an all-star cast of top professionals
Danny Jones
On Monday, 10 August, what was billed as the UK’s ‘biggest and best’ padel event got underway in Stockport, as the Sci-Mx Padel Series came to Manchester Padel Club (MPC). Safe to say it didn’t disappoint one bit.
Hosted at the impressive Heald Green facility in Gatley, the Summer 2026 tournament, which saw everyone from total beginners to the cream of the crop turn up in force and fine form, drew a sold-out crowd of over 400 – and that was just the first day.
Running until 5pm this following Tuesday (11 Aug), the competition saw four all-weather and one outdoor courts taken over by padel’s hottest prospects and plenty of plucky underdogs.
More importantly, however, chatting with those not only right at the heart of this particular sporting showcase but the game as a whole gave us a wider appreciation for the craze than ever.
Credit: The Manc Group
First off, props must be given to Sci-Mx and the MPC, which put on a super slick opening afternoon, with plenty of live music, refreshments, bleacher seating, not to mention merch to grab for those who really want to look the part.
Besides the usual trickle of famous faces you regularly see at pro-am events across the country, they even had sports commentator Sam Matterface on the mic to add that extra bit of live flair to the action.
We expect no less for day two tomorrow.
We were lucky enough to catch everyone from last-minute sign-ups and people who have never picked up a racket before to the literal number ones, including UK no.1 Christian Medina Murphy (born in Preston to Mancunian parentage) and even Agustín Tapia, currently ranked the best player in the world.
The men’s exhibition to round off day one at Manchester Padel Club – which saw these two come face to face with separated partners – showed just how fast the best of the best play, demonstrating a frightening level of talent; you can watch the full livestream HERE.
But, to be honest, we were pretty blown away by the high standards from the off, even among the so-called ‘amateurs’ the sports nutrition brand assembled. They certainly didn’t look it to us…
Credit: The Manc
Sarah Horrocks, who heads up the Padel Foundation and partnered sports apparel brand, Palair Sport, was made up with the “family-friendly atmosphere” they’ve managed to deliver on opening day, too.
“It’s very much been a ‘bring anyone along’ approach”, she told The Manc, “and that’s exactly what communities need when it comes to sport. The turnout’s been amazing, especially on Monday.
“You can always fill a padel court these days, but lots of people will have never seen this level before, so having everyone here is special, and hopefully, it’ll inspire the kids and adults here to keep playing and influence that next generation.”
We also got to chat with Team GB padel player, Nikhil Mohindra, who spoke about how impressed he was with the calibre of talent on show even before the pros stepped out.
“It’s such a privilege to be involved with Sci-Mx and the Manchester Padel Club. It’s a very professional put-together event. It’s also exciting to see Sarah and the Foundation continuing to give people who’ve never had the chance to play sport full stop, let alone just padel, in underprivileged areas.
“Getting to not only play and film some content with the best players in the world, but also teach and instruct some of these younger players how to actually hit these shots – it’s a really unique opportunity to do that, so it’s an honour to be involved.”
Sarah and NikhilCredit: The Manc
As absolutely useless beginners ourselves, we also asked him for some useful tips to help us get started.
“I think in tennis you try and hit through the ball, whereas here, the softer you play, the better, as it’s a much more tactical sport; it’s about positioning, and because the courts are only 20×10, it’s about finding those gaps. The lob is the main shot here, so get used to using that and the glass as early as possible.”
Asking the pair what it is that they think has inspired this ongoing padel phenomenon and boom in courts opening across the North West, they believe it has a hugely “wide appeal”, with everyone from youngsters, ex-pros and even current athletes looking for something to mix up their schedule.
They also think a key part of its rapid growth here in the UK also comes down to how quickly people can improve, with Nikhil quipping that once people go online and check out the points, they’re often easily “tempted to come and give it a go for themselves.”
As for Sci-Mx, locally-born owner Sandy Chadha made it clear how key that element of access and the aim of making it for everyone was a core pillar of the event. Speaking ahead of the first ball, he said: “This is a massive coup for the Manchester Padel Community.
“We are bringing top-class talent to the region and throwing the doors open for two unforgettable days of world-class talent. It was important to me that accessible to all fans, whether you’re a first-timer or play every week; the aim is to bring everyone together in this state-of-the-art facility to watch the best players on the globe face off in my hometown.”
Some of the best on planetAnd quite literally the best in the world, Agustín Tapia
After seeing the rapturous applause from the intimate but packed-out crowd at Manchester Padel Club on a random Monday evening, we can confidently say we’re more keen to try our hand at it than ever.
Last but not least, if you fancy doing your bit for a good cause, you can donate to the Padel Foundation’s ‘Sport For Everyone’ fundraiser right HERE.