Now one of Europe’s leading clubs, more and more people are wanting to see Manchester City live.
The club moved into the Etihad Stadium in 2003 after the Commonwealth Games were held there a year earlier.
In the summer of 2015 the club expanded its capacity to 55,000 by adding a third tier to the South Stand of the stadium in Beswick, east Manchester.
They also have planning permission to add an extra tier to the North Stand, which would take the capacity to over 60,000. However purchasing tickets for games, can be a complicated affair.
So whether you’re a fan who has not been for a while, or wanting to buy tickets for family or friends, we have all the information you’ll need to book your seat to see Pep Guardiola’s men in action.
Where are they sold?
There are three main channels in which tickets to City games are sold.
The first and main one is now online via a dedicated section of the club’s website, tickets.mancity.com
It contains information about all upcoming matches and the sales criteria for each.
For home matches, the website has an interactive stadium plan showing all the seats which are available and allows fans to pick the specific seat or seats they would like.
Tickets can also be purchased over the phone by calling 0161 444 1894.
Or they can be bought in person at the ticket office, which on non-match days is on the first floor of the City Store, behind the North Stand of the Etihad Stadium.
. Prices through these websites vary, however, and may be expensive for bigger and more important fixtures.
Can I buy them off a ticket tout?
No. The unauthorised selling of football tickets is a specific crime.
That has never stopped touts hanging around stadiums selling tickets at inflated prices.
The sight has been on the decrease in recent years with the advent of electronic tickets.
However fans are still warned they may be refused entry if they are found with a ticket illegally sold.
Many third party websites also offer City tickets for sale but the club say only official channels can be trusted and the tickets may not be genuine. Again, they warn anyone who buys one may not get in.
Who is allowed to buy tickets?
In short this depends on the game and availability.
Season ticket holders have their seats reserved for all 19 Premier League home games.
They also have an exclusive window in which to reserve their seat or buy tickets for cup-matches.
Afterward, those on the club’s official membership scheme, called Cityzens, also have an exclusive window.
If any tickets remain they will be go on general sale.
At this point anyone can buy with new supporters simply needing to register with their details. Each fan can buy up to six tickets.
However for some games, usually high profile ones, there are special sales criteria put in place.
For instance, to prevent fans of the away team getting into the home end, the club sometimes insist you have previously purchased a ticket with them before and they are limited to one per fan.
How much they are they?
The cost of tickets again depends both on the opponent and where you want to sit in the stadium.
The more high profile the opponent, the higher the cost.
As a general rule seats in the two stands behind the goal are also cheaper than those at the side.
Seats for Premier League games range from between £35 and £58.
These are often significantly less for cup games and can be as low as £10 for adults and £1 for juniors.
Cityzens memberships costs £35 a year however members get a £5 discount on the cost of each ticket they buy.
Premium seats, with access to exclusive bars, and tickets for hospitality lounges with a meal included, are also available and usually start at least £100.
Do babies and young children need tickets?
No. Children under the age of five can accompany a paying adult free of charge however they must sit on their knee.
Do I have to collect the tickets in person?
Both season ticket holders and members have electronically chipped cards which are activated for each game they have a seat for and they gain entry by placing them in the readers at the turnstiles.
Non members can have paper tickets posted to them or can have an electronic ticket e-mailed to them which they can print at home.
Can I use my friends season ticket if they can’t make the game?
In short yes.
The club’s terms and conditions do state that in general Season tickets are non-transferable.
However they also say: “A seasoncard Holder may temporarily allow a person who is known to them (a guest) to use their Seasoncard for the purpose of allowing that guest to attend” a specific game.
They person using it must be a City fan and not a supporter of the opposing team.
If it is a concessionary season ticket, ie. a junior or OAP, and a full-paying adult wants to use it, they must contact the ticket office to ‘upgrade’ the ticket and pay the price difference.
The season ticket holder is responsible for ensuring the person using their ticket abides by all the usual rules.
For example, if the guest was ejected for misbehaviour, the season ticket holder could see their ticket suspended or revoked.
Seasoncard holders are only allowed give their ticket for individual games to a friend or family member free of charge, and not sell it.
If they cannot attend a game, and want to be reimbursed, the club has its own official ticket exchange where fans can list tickets for sale with the money being deducted from the cost of their renewal the following season.
Away supporters must purchase tickets for the away section from their own club.
Can I buy tickets for Man City away games?
The sales process is more complicated for City away matches.
The club operates a loyalty scheme in which season ticket holders and members are rewarded for attending games with ‘ticket points.’
Tickets for away games are then sold on a sliding scale to members depending on how many ticket points they have.
Allocations for away games are usually always snapped up by season ticket holders or members.
However some do very occasionally go on general sale.
The purchasing and passing on of away tickets by season ticket holders is technically not allowed.
The club have in the past, for some away games in European competition, asked supporters to collect their tickets in the city where the game is being held with photo ID.
Tickets for away games were capped at £30 in a move agreed by all Premier League clubs last summer.
Can I buy a Manchester City season ticket?
The club currently operates a waiting list for people wanting to buy a season ticket.
Those wanting to join it must pay a £100 deposit which will be deducted from the cost of the ticket when one comes available.
I'm a fan of the away team. Where do I sit and how do I get tickets?
The away fans are housed within one central block of the South Stand which is situated directly behind the goal. There is an outdoor area known as the Summerbee Bar where fans of away teams will gather prior to kick off. For tickets, you must go through your own club and generally need to have accumulated credits over time.
Once again, as an alternative, you can look for tickets labelled **Away Secton** in the upcoming game.
Where can I book a stadium tour?
A one-and-a-half-hour behind-the-scenes walking tour of the Etihad Stadium is available on TripAdvisor for just £17.
