From the return of Sankeys, to key dates for sports and gigs, here is a look at some of the excitement brewing in Manchester over the next year.
50 Cent at Parklife 2025 in Heaton Park(Image: Jody Hartley)
2026 follows a particularly ‘supersonic’ year for Manchester. Unforeseen moments like the Oasis reunion in Heaton Park felt like the city’s on top of the world, while fresh from its cradle, the Co-op Live arena was crowned ‘New Concert Venue of the Year’, as stars including Bruce Springsteen, Billie Eilish, and Tyler the Creator took to the stage.
Over the last 12 months Manchester proved to be a top choice for celebrated performers, from the trance-like play debut by performance artist Marina Abramović in Aviva Studios, to a reunion stop by Irish shoegaze pioneers My Bloody Valentine.
As we head into 2026, the doors remain open for unmissable cultural events to take stage too. Alongside the festivals it’s renowned for including Parklife, the city is lining up to host prestigious award shows, more legendary acts, and welcoming back some familiar establishments.
Manchester’s Co-op Live – the new home to The BRIT Awards(Image: The BRIT Awards)
Live from Wythenshawe Park will put on five lavish shows this August. Whether you’re looking to experience the voices that defined gothic post-punk, Sheffield’s eccentrically suave take on Britpop, or adrenaline-driven 90s breakdowns, there is a chance this summer to do so outdoors as The Cure, Lewis Capaldi, Pulp, Courteeners, and The Prodigy take over the park.
Two televised music award ceremonies are confirmed to be held at Manchester’s Co-op Live arena this year too. The BRIT Awards (February 28) bring their celebration of UK music industry talent to the city, and while this year’s performers still to be confirmed, in recent years the show’s line-up has included stars such as Charli xcx, Sam Fender and The Last Dinner Party.
The MOBO Awards meanwhile, takes place on March 26, and will celebrate excellence in Black music in Britain and internationally, with Little Simz and Stormzy included amongst past award winners.
Take That kick off their tour in summer 2026. (Image: GETTY)
Amongst 90s giants stopping by on tour are Manchester boyband Take That, currently made up of Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald. Celebrating the 35th anniversary of their debut album, they will headline Etihad Stadium on the 19, 20 and 21 of June.
While we hold our breath waiting for line-up drop, we know that the Parklife festival known by all locals will take place on the June 20 – 21 weekend too. A few months later, Psych Fest, spanning venues such as the Manchester Academy, Gorilla, and Deaf Institute, is scheduled for September 5. And you can read more about 2026 Manchester shows, including Lily Allen, and Wu-Tang Clan’s farewell tour here.
The popular Mystery of Banksy – A Genius Mind exhibition will make its UK debut in Manchester. Already having attracted more than 3.5 million visitors across Europe, this interactive take on the enigmatic artist’s world will be open at Depot Mayfield from March 13 to July 5.
The exhibition will feature more than 200 reimagined Banksy works(Image: mystery-banksy.com)
On the sporting side, Emirates Old Trafford will host four matches for the Women’s T20 Cricket World Cup this year. July 9’s England v India team showdown will see the ground’s first international women’s match in over a decade.
Runners looking for a challenge and commuters planning their routes to work will want to mark April 19 in their calendars as this year’s Manchester Marathon date. For an extra month of training, May 31 will bring the annual (slightly more merciful) Great Manchester Run 10k to our streets.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will provide an inevitable month of buzz for Manchester. With matches taking place a continent away, June 11 till July 19 will provide a unique atmosphere for sports bars, as dedicated viewers tune in at unusual hours to find out whether “it’s coming home” this time.
(Image: Jason Roberts /Manchester Evening News)
Etihad Stadium is scheduled to open its new Medlock hotel in late 2026. The North Stand expansion project will be bringing 401 bedrooms to the site, and the stadium capacity up to over 60,000.
The 90s underground club originally born of a Victorian soap factory, Sankeys, is also returning to Manchester this January (nine years after the closure of its Ancoats site). The new venue will hold 500 attendees, with phones banned to preserve the sound-system and crowd-centred atmosphere of its heyday.
The Ducie Street Warehouse restaurant near Piccadilly Station is also set to reopen as a food hall this spring following renovation work. Further food business expansion is coming to Deansgate too with the first UK ‘Eggslut’ restaurant outside of London scheduled to start serving its all-day breakfast menu by the end of January.