Manchester
Manchester plays as much of its football under floodlights on midweek artificial pitches as it does in stadiums. In 2027 the Manchester tournament spreads three 5-a-side grounds across Greater Manchester: one in the north around Bury, one in the west around Trafford and one in the south around Stockport. Each ground crowns its own Pitch Champion, and the ladder continues through the United Kingdom championship to the World Final on 7 July 2027.
Three grounds, three champions
Two halves of 15 minutes on a stop clock. Every team plays three group matches in a group of four, and the top two go into the playoffs, where a tie level after two halves goes to penalties. Five weeks of football on each ground leave Manchester with three Pitch Champions, and each goes straight to the Country Championship.
North Manchester/Bury
64 to 128 teams · $20,000 to its Pitch Champion
Trafford/West
64 to 128 teams · $20,000 to its Pitch Champion
Stockport/South
64 to 128 teams · $20,000 to its Pitch Champion
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Small-sided football in Greater Manchester
The city and its ten boroughs have two giant professional clubs, and almost everyone grows up supporting one of them or a lower-league side nearby. The weekday version of the game is played on rented artificial pitches: office teams, old school friends, pub sides, and groups of neighbours who have booked the same Wednesday slot for years. That habit is the entry point for this tournament.
A team that already plays 5-a-side in Salford, Altrincham, Prestwich or Cheadle does not need to change anything about how it plays. It needs a squad of up to nine, a Team President to put their name to the entry, and a Team License.
North, West and South grounds and how to reach them
The North Manchester/Bury ground covers the Metrolink line through Prestwich and Whitefield into Bury, and the towns along the M60 and M66 on that side, including Middleton and Radcliffe. Trafford/West serves Sale, Altrincham, Urmston, Stretford and Salford Quays, with trams and the M60 as the main links. Stockport/South draws from Stockport itself, Cheadle, Hazel Grove, Didsbury and Wythenshawe, with rail from Piccadilly and the A6 corridor.
Each ground holds 64 to 128 teams and plays a full round of its own, so a team can pick the side of the conurbation closest to where its players live and work. A single venue per ground comes from the pitch owner programme, and its name goes up here once the agreement is signed.
April and May in Manchester, then the road to the country final
April and May in Manchester bring mild afternoons and the odd shower. Group fixtures land on three weekends, the first starting on Friday 9 April 2027 and the third ending on Sunday 25 April. Knockouts open on 30 April, with each ground's final set for 9 May.
In late May the three Manchester Pitch Champions go to the Country Championship, held 28 to 30 May 2027, to face the winners from London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Leeds, Newcastle-Gateshead and Glasgow. The continental stage follows, and the season ends at the World Final on 7 July 2027.
Why this tournament is not another summer cup
Charity days, corporate cups and club open days fill the Greater Manchester calendar, and most end by teatime. MCC has a Pitch Round from 9 April to 9 May 2027 with published rules, fixed match lengths and a $20,000 prize for every Pitch Champion. Teams must be amateur. The conduct policy is zero-tolerance, and a serious breach can cost a squad its licence with no refund.
The road out of Manchester
- 01 · 9 Apr - 9 May 2027
Pitch Round
Groups of four on every pitch, three group matches each. The top two of every group go into the playoffs, and penalties settle a level playoff tie.
$20,000 - 02 · 28-30 May 2027
Country Championship
The Pitch Champions of each country play for the national title: two halves of 15 minutes, a league table, then the playoffs.
$150,000 - 03 · 2027
Continental Championship
Country Champions compete within their region for a place on the world stage.
$500,000 - 04 · 7 Jul 2027
World Championship
A five-team mini-league, then the World Final: two halves of 15 minutes, penalties if level. One MCC World Champion.
$5,000,000
Questions from Manchester
How does a team enter MCC in Manchester?
Register on this site and pick one of Manchester's three grounds: North Manchester/Bury, Trafford/West, Stockport/South. One Team License per team: USD 1,200 for one year until 1 March 2027 (then 2,500), or 5,000 for three years. Payment and KYC verification follow the application.
When does the tournament start in Manchester?
The Pitch Round runs 9 April to 9 May 2027 on all three Manchester grounds. The group matches are played on 9-11, 16-18 and 23-25 April, the playoffs from 30 April, and each ground's final on 9 May. Pitch Champions go straight to the Country Championship on 28-30 May 2027.
How many teams can play in Manchester?
Up to 384: each of the three grounds takes up to 128 teams, and each needs a minimum of 64 to run its round. A full ground puts an entry on its waitlist instead of turning it away.
What can a Manchester team win?
$20,000 per Pitch Champion, $150,000 for the United Kingdom title, $500,000 continental and $5,000,000 for the World Champion - plus championship rings from Country level up.
Can a team from Salford or Wigan enter a Manchester ground?
The three Manchester grounds are drawn by area. Trafford/West covers Salford Quays and Stretford, and North Manchester/Bury covers the north of the conurbation including Prestwich. A Salford team would look at those two first, and a Wigan team at whichever is nearer by road or rail.
Is 5-a-side the same as the six-a-side leagues we play now?
Not exactly. MCC is five players a side, not six, with squads of up to nine and two halves of 15 minutes on a stop clock. A team used to six-a-side leagues will find the bench of up to nine gives it room to rotate.
Does a Manchester team need a venue booking of its own?
No. Each ground gets a single venue, and matches there run in 40-minute slots across the Pitch Round, 9 April to 9 May 2027. Teams enter through this website and turn up for their slot.
Which Manchester ground is closest for a team from Didsbury?
Didsbury sits on the southern side of the city, so Stockport/South is the nearest of the three grounds, with Wythenshawe, Cheadle and Hazel Grove in the same area. The ground's venue is named on this page when its agreement is signed.
Also hosting in United Kingdom
Nearby in Europe
Claim a pitch in Manchester
One Team License per team, for one year or three years. Squads of up to 9 are built in the MCC app after licensing. Registration takes the team, its coach and its Team President.
- USD1,200One year
- 5,000Three years