10 Best Bars to Watch the Game in Manchester

One of the largest sports bars in the city, Shooters at the Printworks runs more than 40 HD screens plus a giant video wall, so there is no such thing as a bad seat. The scale means it can carry several matches at once, which makes it the pick on a packed Saturday when your group cares about different games. It gets loud and busy for the marquee fixtures, exactly as a big-screen sports barn should.

BOX runs 25 HD screens across a huge Deansgate venue and shows the action right through the season, from the Premier League to the big European nights. It is a proper destination sports bar with the room to host a crowd, and its central location makes it the easy meet-up point before a night out. The setup suits a group that wants energy and volume rather than a quiet corner.

Housed in a former cinema on Oxford Road, The Footage holds two of the biggest screens in Manchester and a balcony that gives you a clear line to both. The old-cinema scale is the draw, and the student-area location keeps prices down and the atmosphere lively for a big fixture. It is the choice when you want the match to feel larger than life without a city-centre markup.

Tank & Paddle pairs a single 292-inch screen with 19 other HD TVs across two floors, so the whole room can lock onto one match together while the extra screens cover the undercard. The giant screen makes it ideal for a one-big-game night, a final or a derby, when you want everyone facing the same way. The food and drink range keeps a long afternoon comfortable.

Tucked in Chinatown, Seven Oaks shows the football in 4K Ultra HD, including three 84-inch screens that are among the sharpest in the city. It keeps a proper pub atmosphere rather than a barn-style sports-bar feel, which suits fans who want the picture quality without the noise of a 40-screen venue. A solid, no-fuss choice for a regular weekend fixture.

Inside Hotel Football near Old Trafford, Cafe Football is run by Manchester United's Class of '92, which makes it the natural home for United heritage on a match day. The room leans into the club's history and draws a United-leaning crowd for the away games and the European nights you cannot get a ground ticket for. It is more polished than a back-street boozer, and its proximity to the stadium is the whole point.

Director's Box on Booth Street trades the barn aesthetic for wood panelling and leather booths, while still carrying a full slate of sport across its screens. The result is a more comfortable way to watch a long afternoon of football, with the booth seating making it easy to hold a group together. It is the pick when you want to settle in rather than stand three deep at a rail.

Port Street Beer House is a Northern Quarter craft-beer institution that puts the major sporting events on its screens alongside a rotating list of UK and international brews. It is not a dedicated sports bar, which is the appeal: you get a serious pint and a more relaxed crowd for a big match without the chain-bar feel. Best for fans who care as much about what is in the glass as what is on the screen. Pair it with our Manchester craft beer guide.

For fans who want the football without the spectacle, the Sawyers Arms keeps it simple: traditional pub surroundings, regular match screenings, and some of the most affordable prices in the city centre. It is the antidote to the 40-screen barns, a proper pub where you can watch a game over a cheap pint and a chat. Reliable for the weekend Premier League slate rather than a one-off mega event.

One of Manchester's best-known Irish bars, O'Shea's carries the Premiership, GAA, and rugby alongside live music from Thursday to Sunday. The GAA coverage sets it apart, since few city-centre rooms reliably show the hurling and Gaelic football, and the rugby internationals draw a committed crowd. It is the room for a Six Nations Saturday or a GAA championship match, with a band to keep the night going afterward.