Etihad Stadium

The Etihad Stadium, originally known as the City of Manchester Stadium, was constructed to serve as the centerpiece for the 2002 Commonwealth Games. Groundbreaking for the venue took place in December 1999, and it officially opened on July 25, 2002, as an athletics arena. Following the conclusion of the Games, the stadium underwent a significant conversion to transform it into a dedicated football facility. This process involved removing the athletics track and excavating the pitch area to accommodate a new lower tier of seating, allowing Manchester City to move from their historic home at Maine Road in 2003. Since its conversion, the stadium has become a focal point of the wider Etihad Campus, which includes the City Football Academy and state-of-the-art training facilities. The venue has seen multiple phases of expansion to meet the growing demands of the club and its supporters. A major project in 2015 added a third tier to the South Stand, and subsequent developments have continued to increase the stadium's capacity, which now exceeds 61,000 for domestic football matches. Beyond its role as the home of Manchester City and Manchester City Women, the stadium has established itself as a versatile venue for major international events, including the 2008 UEFA Cup Final, international rugby fixtures, and high-profile concerts by global musical acts. Today, it stands as one of the largest club football grounds in the United Kingdom, reflecting the club's evolution into a global sporting institution.