The Etihad Stadium bag policy allows one small handheld bag no larger than A4 (30 x 20 x 8 cm), and Manchester City refuse backpacks, rucksacks and holdalls at any size. The club does run a paid bag drop in the car parks, which is more than most grounds offer, but it costs £10–12 per item and queues on big nights. This guide covers the exact rule, prohibited items, where the bag drop is, parking near the Etihad, the stadium’s capacity after the North Stand expansion, the City tour, how to get there from Piccadilly and where to store luggage in Manchester.
Travelling with a backpack or suitcase? Store it near Piccadilly station before the tram, or at the 24-hour partner five minutes from the ground.
Etihad Stadium Bag Policy: Key Facts
| Address | Etihad Campus, Ashton New Road, Manchester M11 3FF |
| Capacity | About 61,000 after the North Stand expansion (53,400 before) |
| Bag limit | One handheld bag up to A4: 30 cm x 20 cm x 8 cm; no backpacks of any size |
| Bag drop | Grey and Orange car parks, £10–12 per item, searched, collect after the match |
| Metrolink | Etihad Campus stop (East Manchester line), 5 min walk; Velopark for the North Stand |
| From Piccadilly | Tram 10 min, or 25–30 min walk along Ashton New Road |
| Parking | Official car parks pre-booked only; Sportcity residents’ zone on match days |
| Tour | Etihad Stadium Tour daily on non-match days |
| Official site | mancity.com |
| Turnstiles open | About 2 hours before kick-off |
Etihad Stadium Bag Policy in Detail
- A4 maximum: 30 x 20 x 8 cm. Handbags, cross-body bags and belt bags within that size are fine and are searched at the turnstile.
- Backpacks, rucksacks and holdalls are banned at any size, even a small one that would fit the gauge.
- Oversized bags must go to the bag drop. It’s in the Grey car park by the away turnstiles and the Orange car park for home fans, £10–12 per item, and bags are searched before storage. On Champions League nights and derbies the queue can run 30 minutes before kick-off and again at the end.
- Arrive early. City run extra screening on high-profile fixtures; the club’s own advice is to be at the ground well before kick-off.
Etihad Stadium Bag Policy: Prohibited Items
| Category | Not allowed |
|---|---|
| Bags | Backpacks, rucksacks, holdalls, anything over 30 x 20 x 8 cm; prams and buggies |
| Drinks and food | Glass bottles, cans, outside food and drink |
| Smoking | E-cigarettes and vapes, as well as cigarettes |
| Tech | Large cameras, filming tablets, selfie sticks |
| Display and noise | Flags over 2 m x 1 m, flagpoles and sticks, long umbrellas, air horns and noise devices |
| Dangerous | Fireworks, flares, smoke bombs, weapons, sharp objects, drugs |
Vapes are the part of the Etihad Stadium bag policy fans miss: the Etihad is fully no-smoking including e-cigarettes, and they’re confiscated at the gate. Tickets are digital in the Man City app and the club cancels resold tickets.
Etihad Stadium Capacity
The Etihad held about 53,400 until the North Stand expansion, which adds a new tier, a hotel and a fan park and takes the capacity to around 61,000, the fourth-largest club ground in England. Capacity on a given match day depends on which phases are open, so the figure the club quotes for your fixture is the one to trust.
Parking Near the Etihad Stadium
The official car parks on the Etihad Campus are pre-book only on match days and sell out for big games. A residents’ parking zone covers the streets around Sportcity, Beswick and Clayton, so street parking means a fine. The realistic options are the pre-booked official car parks, the private car parks along Ashton New Road and Alan Turing Way, or parking in the city centre and taking the tram. After the match, the Alan Turing Way exits take 30–45 minutes to clear.
How to Get to the Etihad Stadium
| From | Route | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Manchester Piccadilly | Metrolink (East Manchester / Ashton line) to Etihad Campus, or walk along Ashton New Road | 10 min tram, 25–30 min walk |
| Manchester Victoria | Metrolink via Piccadilly to Etihad Campus | About 20 min |
| Manchester Airport | Train to Piccadilly, then tram or walk | About 40 min |
| Bus | Routes 53, 216, 217, 231 along Ashton New Road and Ashton Old Road | 15–20 min from Piccadilly Gardens |
| Velopark stop | Metrolink, best for the North Stand and the bag drop car parks | 12 min from Piccadilly |
Etihad Campus tram stop runs a queuing system after the match; walking back to Piccadilly along Ashton New Road takes about 25 minutes and is usually faster. Check TfGM for Metrolink engineering works, which affect the line several weekends a season, with replacement shuttle buses from the city centre.
Etihad Stadium Tour
The Etihad Stadium Tour runs daily on non-match days from the Etihad Campus, with the dressing rooms, the tunnel, the dugouts, the press conference room and a virtual Pep Guardiola team talk, and ends in the City Store. Allow about 90 minutes. The same bag rules apply loosely on tours, and there are no lockers for suitcases, so day-trippers between trains need somewhere to leave luggage in the city centre.
Luggage Storage Near the Etihad Stadium
Most visiting fans arrive through Piccadilly, and with the Etihad Stadium bag policy banning backpacks and a paid bag drop with a queue, the easiest move is to store luggage before you get on the tram. Radical Storage has verified partner locations around Piccadilly and the city centre, plus a 24-hour partner five minutes from the stadium for late kick-offs. Book online in a minute, pay a flat rate per bag with no size or weight limits, drop your luggage and collect it after the match. Every bag is protected up to €10,000, cancellation is free and travellers rate the service 4.8/5.
- Luggage storage near the Etihad Stadium, including a 24-hour option five minutes away.
- Luggage storage near Manchester Piccadilly for train and airport arrivals.
- Luggage storage near Manchester Victoria for the Northern Quarter and Victoria trains.
Etihad Stadium Bag Policy FAQ
One small handheld bag no larger than A4, 30 x 20 x 8 cm, searched at the turnstile. Backpacks, rucksacks and holdalls are not allowed at any size. Oversized bags must go to the club’s paid bag drop in the Grey or Orange car park.
Yes. Manchester City run a bag drop in the Grey car park (by the away turnstiles) and the Orange car park, at £10–12 per item, with bags searched before storage and collected after the match. It queues on big fixtures; Radical Storage partners near Piccadilly and a 24-hour partner by the stadium are the alternative.
About 61,000 once the North Stand expansion is fully open, up from around 53,400. The exact figure on a match day depends on which expansion phases are in use.
Take the Metrolink East Manchester (Ashton) line to Etihad Campus, about 10 minutes, or walk 25–30 minutes along Ashton New Road. Velopark is the better stop for the North Stand and the bag-drop car parks. Walking back after the match is usually faster than the tram queue.
Official Etihad Campus car parks are pre-book only and sell out for big games, and the surrounding streets are a residents’ zone on match days. Private car parks on Ashton New Road and Alan Turing Way, or parking in the city centre and taking the tram, are the usual options.
No. E-cigarettes and vapes are on the prohibited-items list along with cigarettes, and are confiscated at the gate.
Radical Storage has partner locations around Manchester Piccadilly and Victoria, and a 24-hour partner five minutes from the stadium. Book online, drop your bags at a verified local business and collect them after the match, with protection of up to €10,000 per bag.
