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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Entertainment
Ben Arnold

Piccadilly Gardens to be turned into ‘festival of football’ for the UEFA Women’s Euros

Piccadilly Gardens is set to be transformed into a ‘festival of football’ for the UEFA Women’s Euros for the whole of July. The tournament starts on July 6, with Manchester being among the host cities taking on the matches.

In fact, the very first match of the competition takes place at Old Trafford, with England taking on Austria in the first match of Group A. Matches will be screened in the Gardens, along with a host of other activities going on every day of the tournament.

There will be food and drinks stalls on hand, along with football-themed activities and face painting from Euros sponsor Starling Bank, and football taster sessions. The activities will start at 11am until 4pm each day from 6 July to the final on July 31.

England’s women’s team are up against Austria, Norway and Northern Ireland in its group, while matches will also be taking place in London, Brighton, Milton Keynes, Rotherham, Sheffield, Southampton, Trafford and Wigan & Leigh.

Fans are expected to descend on the city from across Europe, with strong contingents from from Iceland, Belgium and the Netherlands. The final happens on July 31 at Wembley.

Councillor John Hacking, Executive Member for Skills, Employment and Leisure for Manchester City Council, said: “In Manchester we’re thrilled to be one of the host cities for the Women’s Euros. The women’s game is bigger than ever, and in a city where equality is at the heart of what we do, we’re proud to provide a platform for these incredible athletes.

England's Steph Houghton (PA)

“At our purpose-built fan party in Piccadilly Gardens there will be so much on offer for fans of the game to come down and enjoy. Not only that, with some of the legends of the women’s game attending we hope it will inspire the next generation of footballing talent.”

UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 Tournament Director, Chris Bryant added: “Showtime is almost upon us. UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 will be a landmark, ground-breaking tournament in so many ways and not just for the fantastic football on the pitch.

“All of our host cities are planning events before, during and after games. Whether you are a diehard football fan or just looking to enjoy your first tournament, we want everyone to share in the momentum of this event. There will be concerts, exhibitions, fan parties, match screenings, workshops and much more.”

Tickets are on sale now, starting at £10 for adult and £5 for under 16s, from the official UEFA ticketing website.

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