City of Manchester Stadium facts for kids
| Eastlands | |
 UEFA Elite Stadium |
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| Location | Sportcity, Rowsley St, Manchester M11 3FF |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 53°28′59″N 2°12′1″W / 53.48306°N 2.20028°W |
| Owner | Manchester City Council |
| Operator | Manchester City F.C. |
| Capacity | 47,726 |
| Field size | 105 by 68 metres (344 ft × 223 ft) |
| Surface | Desso GrassMaster |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1999 |
| Opened | 25 July 2002 (Athletics) 10 August 2003 (Football) |
| Construction cost | £110 million |
| Architect | Arup Associates |
| Tenants | |
| 2002 Commonwealth Games Manchester City F.C. (2003–present) |
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The City of Manchester Stadium is a large sports venue in Manchester, England. People also call it the Etihad Stadium, COMS, or Eastlands. It was designed by Arup and built by John Laing.
The stadium was first planned for Manchester's try to host the 2000 Summer Olympics. Even though that bid failed, the stadium was built for the 2002 Commonwealth Games. It cost about £110 million to build. After the Games, it was changed into a football stadium. In 2003, Manchester City F.C. moved there from their old home, Maine Road. They signed a 250-year agreement to use the stadium.
The stadium looks like a big bowl. It has two levels of seats all around. There is a third level of seats along the two long sides. As of 2010, it was the third-largest stadium in the English Premier League. It is the ninth-largest in the United Kingdom, with 55,097 seats. The most people to watch a football game there was 54,693. This happened on 6 February 2016, when Manchester City played Leicester City. In 2008, the stadium hosted the 2008 UEFA Cup Final.
In March 2010, Manchester City F.C. made a deal with Manchester City Council. This deal allows them to develop the land around the stadium. They might add more seats to reach a total of 60,000. Work on the land started in September 2010. The club is also talking about a new agreement for the stadium's future.
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Building the Stadium: A Look Back
Plans for a stadium in east Manchester began around 1990. This was part of the city's effort to host the 2000 Summer Olympics. Manchester City Council paid for a design for an 80,000-seat stadium. It was planned for an old industrial site called Eastlands. However, in October 1993, Sydney, Australia was chosen for the Olympics.
Manchester then successfully bid to host the 2002 Commonwealth Games. They used the stadium plans from the Olympic bid. In 1996, the planned stadium competed with Wembley Stadium for government money. The money was instead used to rebuild Wembley.
Construction and Early Use
Prime Minister Tony Blair laid the foundation stone for the City of Manchester Stadium in December 1999. Building started in January 2000. Arup designed the stadium, and John Laing built it. The stadium cost about £110 million. Sport England paid £77 million, and Manchester City Council paid the rest.
For the Commonwealth Games, the stadium had one lower level of seats around three sides of the athletics track. There was a second level on the two sides. One end had a temporary stand without a roof.
The first public event at the stadium was the opening ceremony of the 2002 Commonwealth Games. This happened on 25 July 2002. Queen Elizabeth II was there. During the ten days of competition, the stadium hosted all athletics events and rugby sevens. Four Commonwealth records were set there.
Changing to a Football Stadium
After the Commonwealth Games, the stadium was changed for football. Some people, like athletes Jonathan Edwards and Sebastian Coe, thought it was a shame to remove the athletics track. However, the changes were needed to give the stadium a future.
Parts of the track were removed and moved to other athletics stadiums. The ground level was lowered to add another level of seats. The temporary stand was taken down. A permanent stand, similar to the others, was built at the southern end. This work took a year and added 12,000 seats.
Manchester City F.C. moved to the stadium for the 2003–04 season. The changes cost over £30 million. The football club paid for these changes.
First Football Matches
The first public football match at the stadium was a friendly game. It was between Manchester City and Barcelona on 10 August 2003. Manchester City won 2–1. Nicolas Anelka scored the first goal at the stadium.
The first official match was four days later. It was a UEFA Cup game between Manchester City and TNS. City won 5–0. Manchester City started the English Premier League season away from home. Their first home league match was on 23 August. They tied 1-1 with Portsmouth. Their first Premier League win at home was on 14 September. Nicolas Anelka scored three goals to help City beat Aston Villa 4–1.
The record number of fans for a football game at the stadium is 47,348. This was for a Premier League game against Chelsea on 5 December 2009.
Other Sporting Events
The stadium has also hosted other sports events. It was the 50th stadium to host an England international football match. The English and Japanese teams played there on 1 June 2004.
On 30 October 2004, it hosted a rugby league match. This was between Great Britain and Australia. In June 2005, the stadium hosted England's first game in the UEFA Women's Championship. It set a record for the most fans at that competition.
UEFA rates the stadium as an elite stadium. It hosted the 2008 UEFA Cup Final. This game was between Rangers and Zenit St Petersburg.
Stadium Nicknames
The stadium has many unofficial names. Eastlands was used before its official name and is still common. City of Manchester Stadium is sometimes shortened to COMS.
The Blue Camp is a rare nickname, a play on Barcelona's Camp Nou. After the club was bought by the Abu Dhabi United Group in 2008, some fans jokingly called it Middle Eastlands.
Fans generally like the stadium. In a 2005 poll, it came second to Old Trafford as the UK's favorite football ground. Since Manchester City Council owns the stadium, fans of Manchester United, City's rivals, sometimes call it the "Council House".
Manchester City Council owns the stadium. The football club rents it. After the club was bought in 2008, it became one of the richest in the world. This led to talks that the club might buy the stadium from the city.
Inside the Stadium
The City of Manchester Stadium is shaped like a full oval bowl inside. It has three levels of seats on the sides and two levels at each end. Each side of the stadium has its own name, like other football grounds.
At first, the sides were named by direction: North, South, East, and West. In February 2004, fans voted to rename the West Stand the Colin Bell Stand. This was to honor a former player. Part of the North Stand is called the Family Stand. This area is for fans with children. The East Stand is unofficially known as the Kippax. This name comes from the East Stand at Maine Road, the old stadium.
Fans of visiting teams sit in part of the South Stand. There are 68 special executive boxes inside the stadium. These are along the West, North, and East Stands.
Stadium Features
The stadium roof is shaped like a doughnut. It hangs from steel cables connected to eight towers. These towers have spiral ramps for people to reach the upper seats. The corners without seats have movable panels. These panels let air move through the pitch.
You enter the stadium using a special card, not a regular turnstile. This system can let in 1,200 people per minute. A tunnel under the stadium allows emergency vehicles to enter. The visiting team's bus can also drive directly into the stadium.
Inside, there are six themed restaurants. Two of them have views of the pitch. There are also many rooms for meetings and events. The stadium can even host marriage ceremonies.
The City of Manchester Stadium has a standard UEFA pitch size: 105 by 68 metres (344 ft × 223 ft). It has natural grass mixed with artificial grass fibers. There are 218 floodlights in the stadium. Each light uses 2000 watts, using 436,000 watts in total.
The stadium is the main part of an area called Sportcity. This area also has other sports venues. Next to the stadium is the Manchester Regional Arena. This arena was a warm-up track during the Commonwealth Games. Now, it holds 6,178 people and hosts athletics trials and Manchester City reserve team games. The Manchester Velodrome and the National Squash Centre are also nearby.
From 2005 to 2009, a sculpture called B of the Bang was in front of the stadium. It was built to celebrate the success of the 2002 Commonwealth Games. It was the tallest sculpture in the UK. However, it had problems and was taken apart in 2009.
Getting to the Stadium
The City of Manchester Stadium is east of Manchester city center. The stadium has 2,000 parking spaces. Local businesses and schools provide another 8,000 spaces nearby.
The closest train station is Ashburys. It is a 20-minute walk south of the stadium. Services there are limited. Manchester Piccadilly, a larger station, is a 30-minute walk away. Many special bus services run to the stadium during events.
An extension to the Metrolink tram system was planned in 2000. This would include a stop at the stadium. The plan was paused in 2004 but restarted in 2006 for a shorter route. A Sportcity Metrolink station opened on 11 February 2013.
Concerts and Events
When there are no football games, the stadium hosts concerts. It is one of the UK's largest music venues. It can hold up to 60,000 people for performances.
The first concert at the stadium was by the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 2004. James Brown also performed. The local band Oasis, who are Manchester City fans, have played concerts there. One of their shows is on their DVD Lord Don't Slow Me Down. Another Manchester group, Take That, also released a DVD of their performance there.
Other famous artists who have played at the stadium include U2, Rod Stewart, Foo Fighters, Bon Jovi, and George Michael.
Summer events like concerts and boxing matches can damage the pitch. In 2008, repairs to the pitch and an early start to the football season meant the pitch was not ready. Because of this, Manchester City played their first home game of the UEFA Cup qualifying round at Barnsley's Oakwell Stadium.
Images for kids
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Model of 80,000-seat stadium used in 2000 Olympic Bid. The proposed stadium was a larger design of CoMS, with more access ramps and masts.
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South Stand after expansion in 2015
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Rear view of the South Stand in 2015. Two sets of masts and steel cabling suspend separately the new South Stand roof and the catenary cable supporting roofs on the other three sides
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Panorama of north end of stadium as viewed from southern approach along Joe Mercer Way
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Main entrance to Colin Bell Stand on west side of stadium
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SportCity with City of Manchester Stadium (left) and Manchester Velodrome (right)
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Colin Spofforth's giant bronze sculpture, The Runner, at SportCity
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Pitch invasion after Manchester City's 3–2 Premier League title victory over Queens Park Rangers in 2012
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Action from the 2008 UEFA Cup Final
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Etihad Stadium, viewed in March 2015 from the new SuisseGas Bridge
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Manchester City v Manchester United in the EFL Cup semi-final second leg in January 2020
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A tram at Etihad Campus tram stop which opened in February 2013
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Side view of Take That on stage
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Boxing ring at Hatton's title fight
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See also
In Spanish: Estadio Ciudad de Mánchester para niños
