The home of Manchester City Football Club and venue for the 2002 Commonwealth Games, the City of Manchester Stadium has become an irreplaceable part of the Manchester skyline. With a capacity of over 55,000, the stadium also plays host to a wide variety of one-off events. It is currently known as the Etihad Stadium for commercial reasons.
Guided tours of the stadium last 70 minutes and start in the Manchester City Museum. They include a visit to the directors’ boxes, press room, players’ lounge, and dressing room, then take visitors through the tunnel to the dugout. Every month, one of these tours is hosted by an ex-Manchester City player. Tours run every day including match days. On average, 98% of the seats are filled for Manchester City matches and tickets must be purchased in advance.
The City of Manchester Stadium is located to the east of Manchester City Centre, on Ashton New Road. It takes 30 minutes to walk here from the central Manchester Piccadilly Station. Metrolink trams heading towards Droylsden stop outside the stadium, and there are a number of city buses which can be taken. It’s advisable not to arrive by car on matchdays.
The size and grandeur of the City of Manchester Stadium befit Manchester City’s status as one of England’s premier football teams. It was a different story when the club moved here after the 2002 Commonwealth Games. They had only been in the Premier League for two seasons, and it would be six years before Sheikh Mansour bought them.