Etihad Stadium

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Key facts

Club: Manchester City FC | Opening: 2002 | Capacity: 48,000 seats

History and description

The Etihad Stadium, also known as Eastlands, was built for the 2002 Commonwealth Games.

After the games, the stadium was converted into a football stadium as to provide Manchester City with a modern replacement for Maine Road. The club moved into the Etihad Stadium at the start of the 2003/04 season.

In 2008, the Etihad Stadium hosted the UEFA Cup final between Zenit St. Petersburg and Rangers FC (2-0).

The stadium was initially called City of Manchester Stadium, but was renamed Etihad Stadium in 2011 as a result of a 10-year sponsorship deal with Etihad Airways.

In recent years, Manchester City has conducted feasibility studies on the ways to expand the stadium, possibly by lifting the roof and adding an extra tier, however no such redevelopments are expected in the upcoming years and the club is currently focusing on redeveloping the area around the stadium.

Getting there

The Etihad Stadium is located toward the east of Manchester, at about 1.5 miles from Manchester’s city centre and slightly less from Manchester Piccadilly Station.

The walk from the city centre to the stadium takes about 30 minutes, and that from Manchester Piccadilly Station 20 minutes. Follow the City Link signs.

Alternatively, a large number of buses serve the stadium, e.g. line 53, 54, 185, 186, 216, 217, 230, 231, 232, 233, 234, 235, 236, 237, X36 and X37. After the match buses to the city centre will depart from Ashton New Road next to the South Stand.

A new metro link line is scheduled to open later in 2012, which will connect Piccadilly Station directly with the Etihad Stadium (stop Etihad Campus).

If arriving by car, the stadium can be best reached from the M60 (running east from the city). Take either junction 22 or 24, and drive east towards the city centre. From there on, follow the signs to Sportcity.

Address: Etihad Stadium, SportCity, Manchester, M11 3FF

Eat, drink, and sleep

The area around the Etihad Stadium is among the poorest of Manchester, and apart from the odd pub, there are little options for eating and drinking.

The city centre is at walking distance though, and one can therefore just as well eat and drink there and then walk or take a bus to the stadium. There are some bars around Piccadilly Station, closest to the stadium, but other nightlife areas such as the Northern Quarters, The Printworks (both north of the center), Deansgate Locks (south), or around the Town Hall are not too far away.

There are neither any hotels right by the stadium, but there are plenty of options near Piccadilly Station. Most hotels near Piccadilly are in the high-end category though. The Portland by Thistle, Premier Inn, Britannia Hotel, and Mercure are some of the cheaper options, but still pricey. Hotel International is quite a bit cheaper, as is The Merchants Hotel, though the latter is reviewed rather mediocre.

Of course, the rest of the centre is nearby and has many more options. Few hotels come cheaper than £50.00 a night though. Click here to see all hotels in Manchester.

Tickets

Tickets for Manchester City games can be bought online, or by phone +44 (0) 161 444 1894.

Manchester City requires a club membership to be able to buy tickets. The cheapest blue membership comes at £10.00.

The successes of last season have resulted in the Etihad Stadium practically always selling out, and tickets are only available for limited sections of the stadium.

Expect to pay between £40.00 and £52.00 for a ticket. For more information call +44 (0) 161 444 1894 or email tickets@mcfc.co.uk.

Attendances

Stadium tours

Manchester City offers guided stadium tours around the Etihad Stadium, that include visits to the dressing room, players’ tunnel, directors’ box, press conference room, and the dug outs. The tour lasts approximately 90 minutes.

Tours run every day of the week, generally at 10:30 am, 11:30 am, 12:30 pm, 1:30 pm, 2:30 pm, and 3:30 pm. The schedule can be slightly different on Sundays, and a limited schedule applies on a matchday.

Tours can be booked online, by phone +44 (0) 161 444 1894, or at the Etihad Stadium. Booking is not required, but recommended and if not done one needs to arrive at least 40 minutes in advance.

The tour costs £10.00. For more information email tours@mcfc.co.uk.

Photos

Relevant Internet links

Mcfc.co.uk - Official website of Manchester City.
Visitmanchester.com – Official tourism website for Greater Manchester.
TfGM.com – Manchester public transport maps, timetables, and fare information.