Help Planning Trip to Manchester UK for PL Soccer Game

[Anonymous]

DS is hitting a milestone birthday and we want to take a family trip in April 2024 to see his favorite PL team play in Manchester.

How set is the game schedule at this point? We don't want to plan this trip now, only for the game to get rescheduled later. (The game we're looking at is mid-week, not on a weekend.)

Any other advice about planning this trip would be appreciated! For example, if you've traveled for a PL game, did you buy tickets through the team website or did you work with a travel agent/agency for a package deal with airfare and hotel?

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

The PL has stated that they are “committed” to giving 5 weeks notice, after January, for changes, but that’s not really a promise. In the past, games have been changed around a lot, but the changes have been more likely to be change in time of day rather than the day. The midweek games are less common now—I don’t think it would be changed to a Saturday game. But that’s a guess. And if you are talking about Man City vs. AV, I would guess their broadcast schedule could not easily be changed, since they are top of the league. I know it would be a disappointment but I’d book it and maybe have your eye on a couple of nearby “back up” games in the EFL which you could likely get tickets to on short notice. The Bolton Wanderers maybe? I’d buy your tickets/package through Champions Travel or (cheaper ) Go Sports Travel. Ahead of time, you can’t buy tickets yourself through the team’s site without buying a membership for a supporter’s club.

[Anonymous]

I would use the team affiliated travel/hospitality services. Easily found on official team site. This is what we did for our Anfield visit. I am sure Man City and Man U have similar services.

[Anonymous]

I’m the pp from 11:55–the travel services I mentioned are the team affiliated ones. There are more than those two though and they are listed on the website.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The PL has stated that they are “committed” to giving 5 weeks notice, after January, for changes, but that’s not really a promise. In the past, games have been changed around a lot, but the changes have been more likely to be change in time of day rather than the day. The midweek games are less common now—I don’t think it would be changed to a Saturday game. But that’s a guess. And if you are talking about Man City vs. AV, I would guess their broadcast schedule could not easily be changed, since they are top of the league. I know it would be a disappointment but I’d book it and maybe have your eye on a couple of nearby “back up” games in the EFL which you could likely get tickets to on short notice. The Bolton Wanderers maybe? I’d buy your tickets/package through Champions Travel or (cheaper ) Go Sports Travel. Ahead of time, you can’t buy tickets yourself through the team’s site without buying a membership for a supporter’s club.

Agreed- I think it's pretty unlikely they would move the date for the April 3 Man City-Aston Villa match. The Champions League quarterfinals will be April 9/10 and 16/17, so shouldn't conflict there, and that makes it even that much less likely that any of the matches on surrounding weeks will move all that much. But yes, still not certain that the date will stick really until the Champions League match dates are finalized.

Looks like there are hospitality options available on that day direct from the Man City website for 240 GBP/person. I don't think you have buy a supporters club membership if you are buying a hospitality package, but might be wrong about that. You definitely need to in order to just buy tickets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The PL has stated that they are “committed” to giving 5 weeks notice, after January, for changes, but that’s not really a promise. In the past, games have been changed around a lot, but the changes have been more likely to be change in time of day rather than the day. The midweek games are less common now—I don’t think it would be changed to a Saturday game. But that’s a guess. And if you are talking about Man City vs. AV, I would guess their broadcast schedule could not easily be changed, since they are top of the league. I know it would be a disappointment but I’d book it and maybe have your eye on a couple of nearby “back up” games in the EFL which you could likely get tickets to on short notice. The Bolton Wanderers maybe? I’d buy your tickets/package through Champions Travel or (cheaper ) Go Sports Travel. Ahead of time, you can’t buy tickets yourself through the team’s site without buying a membership for a supporter’s club.

Thank you so much! Yes, we're looking at the AV game, which is during our kids' spring break. Any other advice? Looks like the Go Sports Travel tickets are in the 93:20 section - good views/experience from there with our teenagers? Also, would you book hotel through a Go Sports package as well, or do that separately from the US with the flights?

[Anonymous]

PP here. I don’t think I know anyone who’s booked the hotel through Go Sport. Haven’t heard anything bad about it. I think people just like to research and pick our own place to stay. The Lowry is good. There’s a Holiday Inn Express not far which I know people like.

The section should be good, and you’ll have fun—no doubt.

Google to find a stadium tour—they’re done by tour groups, not through the team. Very cool. There’s also a Football Museum in Manchester—I’ve never been but have heard good things.

[Anonymous]

So how much are top tier EPL club tickets before you have to shell out $300 for the hospitality packages? Friend to went to see Liverpool mentioned this to me once.

Perhaps I'm not a baller like other DCUM posters, but I'd much rather fly by the seat of my pants and see international futbol for cheaper in Latin America than shell out of my a55 to impress other Americans with EPL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So how much are top tier EPL club tickets before you have to shell out $300 for the hospitality packages? Friend to went to see Liverpool mentioned this to me once.

Perhaps I'm not a baller like other DCUM posters, but I'd much rather fly by the seat of my pants and see international futbol for cheaper in Latin America than shell out of my a55 to impress other Americans with EPL.

Basically all the regular tickets for the top tier teams are sold to supporters club members, ranked by years of membership. They have blocks available for members of supporters club of the opposing team, but those are similarly generally ranked by seniority. They also usually prioritize members who live in the UK. So it's usually very difficult to get single game tickets to one of the big teams from the US.

If you want tickets for teams below the top 7 or 8, you can usually join the supporters club for around $50, and then enter the lottery for single game tickets- and usually get 1 or 2 for non-major games.

There is also a very small resale market- most people have season tickets and usually don't sell them- given to friends, etc. it's a different culture of being a fan/supporter.

This is why the standard way for Americans to go to one of the big team matches are the expensive hospitality packages. There isn't a no much cheaper/simpler way usually.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So how much are top tier EPL club tickets before you have to shell out $300 for the hospitality packages? Friend to went to see Liverpool mentioned this to me once.

Perhaps I'm not a baller like other DCUM posters, but I'd much rather fly by the seat of my pants and see international futbol for cheaper in Latin America than shell out of my a55 to impress other Americans with EPL.

Been to games all over the world. Not a league or team in Latin America that is going to be anywhere near the level of play as EPL. The operations and fan bases are also polar opposites.

Some people are just fans. I don’t post on social or tell others when I got to European matches. Just enjoy relaxing and watching top level play.

[Anonymous]

Pro tip - double check the player your kid is most interested in isn’t going to be on international duty for the game dates you are interested in seeing. For instance, my kid doesn’t like Messi (he likes another player named Sergio Busquets on Inter Miami) but I was tracking the Miami vs my team (Philly Union) next year and messi and Sergio will likely miss the Philly game. Each will be playing for Argentina and Spain, respectively in international tournaments.

Would be tough to buy a game planning on seeing de Bruyne - and he’s with Belgium for Euro qualifiers.

[Anonymous]

NP. You basically have to buy the hospitality packages. That having been said, it’s fun and I found it worth the money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP. You basically have to buy the hospitality packages. That having been said, it’s fun and I found it worth the money.

That’s what we did for a MC game. Very expensive but worth it. We also joined Cityzens to try to buy tickets directly but that didn’t work as the game was too popular. We got socks & coasters for our fan membership though, which we actually use.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP here. I don’t think I know anyone who’s booked the hotel through Go Sport. Haven’t heard anything bad about it. I think people just like to research and pick our own place to stay. The Lowry is good. There’s a Holiday Inn Express not far which I know people like.

The section should be good, and you’ll have fun—no doubt.

Google to find a stadium tour—they’re done by tour groups, not through the team. Very cool. There’s also a Football Museum in Manchester—I’ve never been but have heard good things.

I’m the pp above. This thread being revived caused me to look at my post. The hotels I mentioned are near old trafford, where Man United plays. A hotel we’ve stayed at near Etihad is The Dakota. A little pricey but worth it. Especially because we didn’t see any closer options.

[Anonymous]

We’ve used Groundhopper to buy tickets. They’ve been great.