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Emirates Old Trafford is Lancashire’s cricket ground, and it is the other Old Trafford: a short walk from Manchester United’s stadium, with its own tram stop, a hotel built into the stands and well over a century of Test cricket behind it. This guide is for anyone planning a day there, whether that is an England international, a Friday-night T20, a slow day of county cricket or a stadium concert, and it covers the 2027 fixtures already on sale, how tickets work, what you can bring in and how to get there and back without the queues.
It is a ground with a split personality. On a big international day it is loud, full and expensive. On a weekday in the County Championship it is one of the most peaceful places in Greater Manchester, with a few thousand people, a newspaper and a pie. Both are worth doing; they are not the same day out.
Emirates Old Trafford at a Glance
| What | Details |
|---|---|
| Home of | Lancashire (county cricket and Lancashire Lightning), Manchester Super Giants in The Hundred, England internationals |
| Season | Roughly April to September; concerts are announced separately |
| 2027 internationals on sale | England v Pakistan ODI (19 May), England Women v Australia IT20 (9 July), England v New Zealand IT20 (9 September) |
| England tickets | From £16 (Women’s IT20); men’s internationals from £44 |
| Lancashire membership | From £35 for 2027 |
| Getting there | Metrolink to Old Trafford stop, directly outside the ground |
| Bags | One small bag per person, maximum 45 × 30 × 30cm; no bag storage |
| Alcohol | You cannot bring your own; drinks are sold inside |
The Ground and Its History
Cricket has been played here since 1857, and Lancashire have called it home since the 1860s. It was one of the first grounds in England to stage Test cricket, with its first Test in 1884, the second English ground after The Oval to host one. A lot of the most famous moments in English cricket happened on this grass, which is part of why the ground still feels important even on an empty Tuesday.
The look of the place today is mostly the result of a long redevelopment. The red-brick Pavilion, built in 1895, was refurbished as part of the redevelopment completed in 2013. The Point, the angular red conference and events building at one end, opened in 2010, and permanent floodlights followed in the 2011 rebuild, which is what makes day-night internationals and evening T20s possible. The two ends are named after Lancashire bowlers: the James Anderson End (renamed in 2017, it used to be the Pavilion End) and the Brian Statham End.
The ground’s own maps are worth a look when you arrive. Seating is split into numbered stands, each with its own gates, and the walk round the outside from one side to the other takes longer than it looks. Find your gate number on your ticket before you get off the tram.
Who Plays Here
Lancashire in the County Championship
The four-day County Championship is the backbone of the season, played from spring to late summer. Lancashire played in Division Two in 2026 and finished outside the promotion places, so they are in Division Two again in 2027. For the 2027 fixture list, check the fixtures and tickets pages on Lancashire Cricket’s website.
Championship cricket is the best-value day out at the ground. Crowds are small, you can usually move around and choose where to sit, and the pace is slow enough to read a book between overs. It is also the cricket that most visitors dismiss and then quite enjoy. If you are in Manchester on a weekday in May or June and Lancashire are at home, it is a lovely way to spend an afternoon, rain permitting.
Lancashire Lightning in the Vitality Blast
The Blast is the county T20 competition, played mostly on Friday nights and weekends in the summer, and it is where the atmosphere is: three hours, a full ground for the big games, music between overs and fancy dress in the stands. The Roses match against Yorkshire is the one everyone wants. For 2027 Lancashire list Lancashire Lightning v Yorkshire Roses provisionally for Friday 2 July; register your interest on the club website, and check there for the confirmed date and the full Blast fixture list.
Manchester Super Giants in The Hundred
Manchester’s Hundred team, the Manchester Originals until the 2025 season, now plays as the Manchester Super Giants, with men’s and women’s teams. The franchise is co-owned by Lancashire and RPSG Group, and Emirates Old Trafford is still its home. The Hundred runs in the summer holidays and is pitched at families and newcomers: short matches, double-headers with men’s and women’s games, and a lot going on around the cricket. Check The Hundred’s own site for the 2027 fixtures and tickets.
England internationals
The big days are the England matches. These 2027 fixtures are listed on the club’s ticket page:
- England Men v Pakistan, one-day international, Wednesday 19 May 2027.
- England Lions v Australia, Monday 7 to Thursday 10 June 2027, subject to Australia not being in the World Test Championship final.
- England Women v Australia, IT20 in the Women’s Ashes, Friday 9 July 2027.
- England Men v New Zealand, IT20, Thursday 9 September 2027.
There is no men’s Test listed for Old Trafford in 2027, so if a five-day Test is what you are after, keep an eye on the ECB’s future fixture announcements.
Which Match Should You Go To?
The same ground gives you five very different days out. Pick the one that suits the people you are going with, not the one with the biggest name.
| Event | How long | Atmosphere | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| County Championship | Four days; go for one | Quiet, unhurried, sit where you like | Cricket lovers, a cheap and peaceful afternoon |
| Vitality Blast (T20) | About three hours, usually an evening | Loud, social, fancy dress at the big games | Groups of friends, a Friday night out |
| The Hundred | A few hours; often a women’s and a men’s game on the same day | Family-friendly, music and entertainment around the cricket | Children and first-timers |
| England one-day or T20 international | A full day (ODI) or an evening (T20) | Full house, big-occasion feel | Fans who want to see the stars |
| Concert | An evening | Stadium gig on the outfield | Whoever has the tickets |
If you are bringing someone who has never watched cricket, start with a T20 or The Hundred. If you are the one who loves it and they are coming along to be kind, a sunny day of county cricket with a picnic is the gentlest introduction there is.
A quick guide to the formats
Cricket’s formats confuse visitors, so here is the short version. A first-class match, like the County Championship or a Test, lasts four or five days, with each side batting twice; a draw is a common result, and that is part of the game. A one-day international gives each side 50 overs, so it lasts most of a day. A T20, like the Blast or an IT20, gives each side 20 overs and is over in about three hours. The Hundred is shorter again, with each side facing 100 balls. The shorter the format, the more big hitting and the less time for the tea interval.
Tickets and Prices
Tickets for matches at the ground, England internationals included, are listed on the Tickets page of the Lancashire Cricket website. Prices depend on the match and the stand.
- England internationals: tickets start from £16 for the England Women v Australia IT20 and from £44 for the men’s internationals, with prices climbing for better seats and bigger matches. Lancashire members get 10% off international tickets bought by 31 December 2026, though not in the top price categories (Cat 1A and Cat 1).
- Premium and hospitality: packages for the 2027 internationals are listed on the club’s ticket pages.
- Membership: 2027 Lancashire memberships start from £35, and 18–21-year-olds get half-price membership for the first time. Membership covers county cricket and gives members a limited allocation for some other games: standard members can use it for up to two Manchester Super Giants fixtures, and Lite members cannot use it for The Hundred at all.
- County Championship and Blast: priced per match; check each fixture on the club website when 2027 tickets go on sale.
Two practical points. First, international tickets for the most popular matches sell out, so buy as soon as you know your dates rather than waiting for the weather forecast. Second, for County Championship days, there is rarely any need to buy far ahead; buy online a day or two before, check the forecast, and go.
Is membership worth it?
For a visitor, almost certainly not. Membership makes sense if you live within reach of Manchester and will go to several county days. For a one-off trip, buy a match ticket.
Concerts at Emirates Old Trafford
When the cricket stops, the outfield becomes a large open-air concert venue. Foo Fighters played there in 2024, and in 2017 it hosted One Love Manchester, the benefit concert organised after the Manchester Arena attack.
If you have tickets for a gig, the rules are set for each show. Look up your concert’s own entry information before the day, including bag rules, gate times and the rules on standing tickets. For 2027 concert announcements, check the Concerts section of the Lancashire Cricket website. Our guides to live music venues in Manchester and the Co-op Live arena cover the city’s other big stages.
Getting to Emirates Old Trafford
By tram
The Metrolink is the easiest way to get there on a big day. The Old Trafford stop on the Altrincham line is directly outside the ground, and trams run from Piccadilly, Victoria and Deansgate-Castlefield in the city centre; plan your journey on the Bee Network journey planner. After an international or a concert, expect to queue for a tram. The queue moves, and it is still quicker than a taxi through the traffic. Our Metrolink guide explains tickets and lines, and the transport passes guide covers the fare caps.
If you are driving in from outside the city, the club suggests the free Metrolink Park & Ride sites, then the tram for the last stretch. On a sell-out day, that is the right call. Cycling is an option too; the club’s visit page links to cycle parking and route information.
The football clash
Emirates Old Trafford and Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium are about a mile apart, and the trams and roads around them are shared. In the early and late parts of the cricket season the two can overlap. A big United home game on the same day as a big cricket match makes everything busier: the trams, the roads and the pubs. If you have a choice of dates, check United’s fixture list before you book. Our Old Trafford stadium tour guide covers the football ground if you want to do both in one trip.
Match-Day Practicalities
Bags and what you can bring
- One small bag per person, no bigger than 45 × 30 × 30cm (18 × 12 × 12 inches). No bag inside a bag.
- Every bag is checked and tagged, every day, so allow time at the gate.
- No bag storage. If you are coming straight from a train with a suitcase, you will need to leave it elsewhere. The Hilton Garden Inn at the ground may store luggage for its own guests.
- Food and cool bags are allowed, as long as there is no glass, no cans and no alcohol.
- Alcohol cannot be brought in, and nor can glass or metal bottles or cans, including soft drinks.
- Seat pads are allowed if they are not bulky; stewards may check them. Bring a waterproof too, for Manchester.
What to wear and bring
Cricket in Manchester is a long day out of doors in changeable weather, often in a stand open to the wind. Layers, a waterproof, sun cream (yes, really) and a hat cover most of it. A packed lunch is allowed and saves money, as long as it fits the bag rules.
Rain
Rain is the risk every cricket fan in Manchester accepts. Short showers mean covers on, an anxious wait and a later finish. Long rain can mean a shortened match or no play at all. Ticket refund rules for rain-affected matches vary by fixture and are set out in the terms when you buy, so read them before you book, particularly for international tickets.
Stadium Tours
Lancashire run an 80-minute guided tour of the ground, which takes in the Pavilion, the changing rooms, the commentary boxes and the Members’ Suite, finishing at the shop. Tours are currently suspended during renovation work at the stadium, so check the Stadium Tours page on the club’s website or ring the club on 0161 282 4020 for when they return before you plan around one.
If you can only do one stadium tour in Manchester, most visitors will pick Old Trafford or the Etihad. For cricket fans, though, the Pavilion and the dressing rooms at Emirates Old Trafford carry just as much history. Our stadium tour comparison covers the football options.
Staying at the Ground
The Hilton Garden Inn Manchester Emirates Old Trafford opened in 2017 and is built into the ground itself, with some rooms looking straight over the pitch. On a match day it is about as convenient as a hotel can be, and on a non-match day it is a practical base close to the Old Trafford tram stop, a few stops from the city centre. Prices rise sharply on international and concert dates, so book early if you want a room for one of those. Our guide to hotels near Old Trafford, the Etihad and Co-op Live covers the alternatives.
For most visitors, though, a city-centre hotel and the tram is the better choice. You get the restaurants and bars of the centre in the evening, and the ground is only a short tram ride away. See our city-centre hotel guide.
What Is Not Worth It
- Driving to a big match. Parking near the ground is limited and the roads clog. Take the tram.
- Premium seats for a county day. On a Championship day the whole ground is quiet. Sit wherever the sun is.
- Bringing a big bag. There is nowhere to leave it, and you will not get it in.
- Membership for a single visit. Buy a ticket.
- Waiting for the forecast to buy international tickets. The popular games sell out long before anyone knows what the weather will do.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Emirates Old Trafford the same as Old Trafford football stadium?
No. Emirates Old Trafford is Lancashire’s cricket ground. Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium is a separate ground, about a mile away. Both are reached from the Metrolink.
What is the nearest tram stop to Emirates Old Trafford?
The Old Trafford stop on the Altrincham line, directly outside the ground. Trams run there from Piccadilly, Victoria and Deansgate-Castlefield.
Can you take alcohol into Emirates Old Trafford?
No. The ground regulations do not allow alcohol to be brought in, and they also ban glass and metal bottles and cans. Food and cool bags are allowed within the bag size limit.
What international cricket is at Emirates Old Trafford in 2027?
The club lists England Men v Pakistan (ODI, 19 May), England Lions v Australia (7–10 June, subject to conditions), England Women v Australia (IT20, 9 July) and England Men v New Zealand (IT20, 9 September). England tickets start from £16.
What is the bag policy at Emirates Old Trafford?
One small bag per person, no bigger than 45 × 30 × 30cm, no bag inside a bag, and no bag storage on site. Every bag is checked.
What happened to the Manchester Originals?
The team now plays as the Manchester Super Giants, co-owned by Lancashire and RPSG Group, and it still plays its home games in The Hundred at Emirates Old Trafford.
Planning the Rest of Your Trip
For the bigger sporting picture, start with our guide to football and sport in Manchester and our round-up of sport beyond football, from rugby to ice hockey. If you are trying to see United or City too, our guide to getting football tickets explains how the clubs sell them.
For the rest of the trip, see getting around Manchester and the events calendar. If you are heading south from the ground afterwards, the same tram line runs on to Sale and Altrincham.
Altrincham, at the end of the tram line, is worth an evening for its market hall and restaurants: see our guide to Altrincham and Hale.