Music
Step Inside
Step Inside: Co-op Live
Everything you need to know about the UK's leading music-first arena in the heart of Manchester's city centre
| Venue Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Venue Name | Co-op Live |
| Location | Etihad Campus, Manchester |
| Parking Information | Onsite parking available; additional parking can be found at the nearby Etihad Stadium, or at other public carparks |
| Address | Etihad Campus, 1 Sportcity Way, Manchester M11 3DL |
| Phone # | 0161 850 5000 |
| Capacity | 20,500 (all-seated); 23,500 (with standing) |
| Opened | May 14, 2024 |
| Designed By | Populous |
| Website | https://cooplive.com |
Gone are the days of believing that the only arenas worth visiting are in London. With the completion of Co-op Live in May 2024, the UK’s first music-first arena was open to the public, allowing music fans to see state-of-the-art shows from the biggest artists. Ever since, the venue has been winning plaudits for its innovation, cutting-edge technology, and forward-thinking sound design.
Located on the Etihad Campus, Co-op Live is at the centre of Manchester‘s entertainment and sports complex, with easy transport link access and a programme of music that spans Lady Gaga to Vybz Kartel to A.R. Rahman.
History of Co-op Live
Opening its doors on 14 May 2024 with a show by indie rock mainstays, elbow, Co-op Live is a music-first arena founded by Oak View Group, City Football Group, and investment from Harry Styles (as well as a slew of more high-profile investors). Its impact on the entertainment scene in Manchester was immediate and abundant, with elbow frontman Guy Garvey describing the “beautiful new venue” as an “amazing room” (NME, 2024), and Liam Gallagher comparing it to New York City’s Madison Square Garden.
The venue was launched with the aim of bringing the best of music entertainment back to the cultural music hub of Manchester, which was further cemented when it was announced that Co-op Live would host the 2026 and 2027 BRIT Awards. Also in its opening year, the venue managed to host tour stops for major artists including Nicki Minaj, Paul McCartney, a UK-exclusive performance by the Eagles on their farewell tour, and The Killers. In November 2024, the arena hosted MTV’s EMA ceremony, attended by stars such as LE SSERAFIM, RAYE, Tyla, Little Simz and Benson Boone, and was hosted by Rita Ora.
Even though the venue was designed with music in mind, Co-op Live is also host to a myriad of sporting events, including Premier League Football matches, boxing matches, All Elite Wrestling, and in 2027, the venue will host its first regular season NBA game. The venue also stages major comedy tours, including Jason Manford’s A Manford All Seasons tour, and John Bishop’s 25 Years of Stand Up tour.
Venue design
Co-op Live has a capacity of 20,500 all seated, and 23,500 including standing space. The venue also boasts 32 bars and restaurants, as well as a “bowl design” that allows sound to be optimised inside the venue, while having soundproofing outside the venue. Each level of the arena is constructed to give every seat and standing area a great view of the action, with the largest floor space in comparison to similarly sized venues.
Co-op Live is split into five main levels; Level 0, where the entrance, the floor space, Vertu Place – the main food hall and bar, the Green Room, the Bentley Record Room are located. On Level 1 is the Ciroc Lounge, Co-op Live Backstage Club, the Respite Room, and the first level of seating. Level 2 is home to the Encore Restaurant, the Amp Club, and the second level of seating. Level 3 has the final level of seats, and on Level 4, you can the OVO and Sky VIP Lounges. Each floor has water refilling stations and toilets, and you can find First Aid on Levels 1 and 3. Visitors can check the Co-op Live virtual venue map to pick their ideal vantage point, with a handy navigation system that shows the view from all angles of the whole stadium, or all angles of level 1.
Food, drink and amenities at Co-op Live
The main place to get food and drink is Vertu Place, which has a 22-metre long bar and food stalls – Sound Bites, Co-op Kitchen and Big Chicken. General Admission visitors can also find food stalls on Levels 1 and 3, including Saucy Chips and the Co-op Backstage Club. Each food stall offers high-quality fast food options, from burgers and hot dogs to Indian fusion street food, and more.
For Premium ticket holders, there are exclusive VIP food and drink facilities at Co-op Live, in case you want to make your gig experience even fancier. Premium and VIP visitors can check out the Ciroc Lounge, Encore Restaurant, the Gallery Suites and on Levels 1, 2 and 3, the Hideaway, Private Suites and the Bentley Record Room. The latter of which is a Co-op Live exclusive members club that includes a concierge service, private entrance, exclusive pre-show live entertainment and dining – all with an interior designed by the Bentley Design Team.
Getting to Co-op Live
By Public Transport
Since Co-op Live is on the Etihad Campus and located just a stone’s throw away from Manchester City’s home game stadium, the Etihad Stadium, visitors should have no trouble getting to this premier arena. Fans can travel by tram from Piccadilly Gardens and Piccadilly Station, as the Etihad Campus has its own stop on the Bee Network Tram lines. Additionally, there are 24 Park and Ride sites in Greater Manchester, which allows visitors travelling by car to park for free and get the tram to Co-op Live. The nearest Park and Ride sites to the arena’s entrances are Ashton Moss and Ashton West on the Ashton tram line, and Ladywell on the Ashton-Eccles tram line. Each Park and Ride site has at least 10 disabled parking spaces and over 100 general parking spaces.
To get to the venue via bus, visitors can take route 53, which drops fans off along Alan Turin Way and is a two-minute walk from the venue. Bus routes 216, 230 and 231 drop visitors along Ashton New Road, which is a 10-minute walk from the venue; and bus routes 83, 84, 181 and 182 drop visitors along Oldham Road, which is 20 minutes away from the venue.
By Car
While the venue encourages car shares, the tram or the bus to travel to Co-op Live (in accordance with the venue’s dedication to sustainability), there are limited parking spaces at the venue. Parking spaces must be booked ahead of the event, and spaces are released up to four weeks before each event.
