Host a tournament in Manchester
Three venues are wanted in Greater Manchester, one for each of North Manchester/Bury, Trafford/West and Stockport/South. The venue that takes a ground becomes its home for the whole Pitch Round in spring 2027, hosting amateur teams under a format, fixtures and prize fund set by MCC. This page sets out what that means for anyone running artificial pitches in those areas.
What a Manchester venue takes on
Hosting means staging the ground's matches on the fixture dates, each in a 40-minute slot. Four-team groups meet on 9 to 11, 16 to 18 and 23 to 25 April, playoffs begin on 30 April, and the ground's final closes the round on 9 May. Entries decide whether a ground has 64 teams or 128.
Which part of Greater Manchester each ground covers
North Manchester/Bury fits sites in Bury, Prestwich, Middleton, Heywood and the north of the city. Trafford/West fits Trafford, Salford, Sale and Altrincham. Stockport/South fits Stockport, Cheadle, Hazel Grove, Wythenshawe and the southern suburbs. Owners apply for the area their pitches sit in, and the Manchester page shows which grounds already have a confirmed venue.
How a Manchester venue applies
Owners in Bury, Trafford, Stockport and the areas around them apply through one form, the pitch owner application. MCC confirms a single venue for each ground and an agreement is signed. Only after that does the Manchester page carry the venue's name and send that ground's teams there.
Questions from Manchester venues
How many teams will a Manchester ground bring to a site?
A ground holds between 64 and 128 teams, depending on how many enter. Fixtures use 40-minute slots, with group matches on three April weekends and the ground's final on 9 May 2027.
Can a site outside the city centre host a ground?
Yes. The grounds cover whole parts of Greater Manchester, so a site in Bury, Altrincham or Stockport fits its ground as well as one near the centre. The Manchester page shows which grounds already have a confirmed venue.
Who provides the teams, referees and crew?
Teams enter through this website, and match officials and crew are recruited by MCC through its join page, so a venue appoints neither. Each match has a referee, two assistants and a fourth official.