Manchester is not just a football city - it is the most complete sporting city in England, and probably the world. Start with the obvious: Manchester United at Old Trafford and Manchester City at the Etihad. Two global clubs separated…
Manchester is not just a football city - it is the most complete sporting city in England, and probably the world. Start with the obvious: Manchester United at Old Trafford and Manchester City at the Etihad. Two global clubs separated by three miles of east Manchester. Derby day at either ground is unlike anything else in English football - the noise, the stakes, the history. United's Theatre of Dreams has stood since 1910; a planned rebuild will push capacity beyond 100,000. City's Etihad opened in 2003 on the Commonwealth Games site and now holds over 55,000. Both clubs have women's teams competing at the top of the WSL. But Manchester sport is far wider than the Premier League. Salford City have climbed from non-league to League One under the backing of Class of '92 and a proper fanbase growing at every level. FC United of Manchester, founded by supporters in 2005 as a protest against the Glazer takeover, play at Broadhurst Park in Moston - proper community football, one of the best atmospheres in non-league. Lancashire County Cricket Club host Test matches, one-day internationals and T20 at Emirates Old Trafford in Stretford. The ground has been staging international cricket since 1884 and the recent redevelopment added a hotel and new stand without losing the old character. Sale Sharks are Gallagher Premiership rugby union at AJ Bell Stadium in Salford - they share the ground with Salford Red Devils, one of rugby league's founding clubs, which gives AJ Bell a unique place in English sport. The Manchester Giants bring BBL basketball to the city, and the Manchester Storm play Elite Ice Hockey League at Altrincham Ice Dome - fast, physical, and genuinely good value for a night out. The National Cycling Centre - the Manchester Velodrome in Clayton - has produced more Olympic gold medals than any other track in the world. British Cycling is based here. The Manchester Aquatics Centre on Oxford Road hosts elite swimming and is open to the public. Belle Vue dogs still run on Friday nights for those who know. On the roads: the Great Manchester Run draws 25,000+ each May, one of Europe's biggest 10k events. The Manchester Marathon through the south of the city follows in spring. Community sport runs deep. Parkrun at Platt Fields in Fallowfield, Heaton Park in the north, and Wythenshawe Park in the south - free, every Saturday morning, hundreds of runners. Hough End playing fields in Chorlton host dozens of teams every weekend. Five-a-side leagues run across the city at Goals and Powerleague sites from Stretford to Failsworth. Whatever your sport, Manchester has it, and it takes it seriously.
Manchester Regional Arena at SportCity is the main athletics track, and several clubs run open club nights across…
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Courts, clubs and casual drop-in sessions for badminton across Greater Manchester, from SportCity to Wythenshawe Forum.
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Manchester has a deep boxing heritage and the gyms to match. Whether you want to compete or just…
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Indoor climbing has boomed in Manchester. Here are the best walls and bouldering centres, what each is good…
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From the National Basketball Performance Centre at SportCity to street courts across the estates, Manchester has a real…
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CrossFit boxes operate as affiliates rather than chains, which makes the community feel in Manchester boxes noticeably tighter…
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Crown green bowls is as North West as it gets - dozens of clubs across Greater Manchester, usually…
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Home of British Cycling, with traffic-free routes across the city and the chance to ride the same Olympic…
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Darts in Manchester covers social venue darts at Flight Club through to serious pub leagues across Salford and…
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Field hockey in Manchester runs on astroturf, with club sessions at Manley Park in Whalley Range and weekend…
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The complete guide to 5-a-side football in Manchester - the pitches, the leagues, how to get a team…
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From municipal courses you can just turn up to, to established members clubs, here is where to play…
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City centre running in Manchester is underrated. From the Quays loop at Salford to the Castlefield basin and…
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Thousands of Mancunians have started running through the NHS Couch to 5K programme. Here is where to find…
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The Mersey corridor is south Manchester's flattest running option - grass and compacted paths along the river from…
View route →Manchester's canal towpaths are an underused running resource - flat, traffic-free and steeped in industrial history, with routes…
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The Fallowfield Loop is south Manchester's traffic-free running backbone - 8.5 miles of former railway line threading through…
View route →The best events, restaurants, nightlife, music and culture in Manchester, curated weekly by locals who know the city inside out.
MCR is Manchester's all-in-one city guide and events platform. We list thousands of events in Manchester every month, from live music and club nights to restaurant openings, art exhibitions and sport fixtures across Greater Manchester. Whether you're looking for free things to do or planning a weekend in the city, MCR has you covered.
From the independent shops and street art of the Northern Quarter to the canal-side restaurants of Ancoats, the cocktail bars of Deansgate and the village charm of Didsbury. Explore every corner of Manchester with our area guides, curated city stories and real-time what's on listings.
