Why Manchester is the Top Sporting Destination in the UK

Manchester is a city very much on the up. You can quickly see this as you approach the centre as you’re met by an ever-expanding skyline that towers over the old industrial heart of the city and the army of cranes that add floor after floor to them. 

Investment is everywhere, with every corner of Manchester having new life breathed into it. The diversification isn’t just geographic either, in addition to the property and construction industries, the city’s investment spans every industry imaginable with major media companies moving operations to the city, technology juggernauts opening bases, and a thriving entertainment sector. 

In the midst all of this, Manchester maintains its sporting heritage. The city is home to some of the biggest and best-known stadiums, teams, and athletes in the world. 

So while plenty of people are pulled to Canal Street to party, the Trafford Centre to shop, and Salford to be entertained, many more make their way to Manchester to enjoy world-class sport and soak up sporting heritage that cannot be found anywhere else. 

Poker

While the plans were eventually scrapped, Manchester was selected, in the 2000s, to be the host of the UK’s only Las Vegas-style ‘super casino’. This hasn’t left the city bust, however, it played a tight game and has built its chip stacks another way. 

Instead of going all-in on a single super casino, Manchester has become a poker powerhouse by opening a plethora of casinos and card rooms across the city centre. 

Today, you can find regular tournaments taking place in these venues, catering to players of all kinds. These work differently from the cash games you’re more likely to play at home or online, requiring players to apply different strategies when competing, typically with a tighter preflop range, larger wagers, and greater focus on bluff catching. 

So if you’re a fan of card games, either playing or spectating, you won’t be short of action in Manchester. 

Football

It’s not possible to talk about sport in Manchester without discussing football. The city is home to two of the country’s most successful professional clubs in the history of the Premier League - Manchester City and Manchester United. 

This is in addition to the lower-league clubs that are spread out across the city and Greater Manchester region, giving football fans plenty of opportunities to catch a game or two while they're in the area. 

Manchester is also where you’ll find the National Football Museum, which boasts the world’s largest collection of football objects and archives, and Hotel Football, an up-market hotel outside Old Trafford that’s owned by several former United players. 

Speedway

Speedway was once one of the biggest sports in the UK, but it has sadly been in a constant state of decline since the 1980s. Manchester remains home to one of the top-flight speedway teams in the country - the Belle Vue Aces. 

Founded in 1928, the club competes in the SGB Premiership from the National Speedway Stadium, a purpose-built facility that has been the host of the British Final since 2016 and is a regular venue for international meetings. 

For fans of motorsport, this makes Manchester a must-visit destination. 

Cricket

If you’re a football fan, Old Trafford is the site of the Theatre of Dreams, the stadium that Manchester United has called home since 1909. However, for fans of England’s other national sport, Old Trafford is Manchester’s legendary cricket ground. 

Established back in 1857, this 26,000-capacity ground is home to Lancashire County Cricket Club, the England cricket team, and the England women’s cricket team. 

Whenever ICC events are hosted in England, with national teams touring the country, there is always at least one stop at Old Trafford. This makes Manchester an important place for cricket fans across the country.

Even if there isn’t a match taking place during your visit, the hotel that operates from within the grounds has 36 rooms with completely unobstructed views of the pitch so you can admire this historic venue.