Sport

Freight Island is hosting the UK’s biggest Six Nations fan zone

One of Manchester's biggest sporting events is back.

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 21st January 2025

Freight Island’s Six Nations fan zone returns for 2025 at the end of this month and we’re so ready for seven weeks of rugby action and a river of Guinness.

The iconic international tournament gets underway on 31 January and so too does Freight Island’s fantastic fan experience, providing an unparalleled level of excitement beyond being inside the stadium.

Set to be even bigger and better than last year, it’s the largest of its kind anywhere in the country because, well, as well as know, Manchester sports fans do it better than anyone.

Promising everything from free pints and prosecco for ticket holders, live music, top-notch scran from Freight’s in-house vendors and more, it’s going to be another year to remember.

six nations fan zones uk
six nations manchester city centre
The Freight Island Six Nations fan zone is back for 2025. (Credit: Supplied)

Fuel for the sporting action

Launching in time for the first game between France and Wales on the final Friday of the month, the Freight Island Six Nations fan zone will be open for the full duration of the competition, showing all 15 fixtures across a seven-week period.

ADVERTISEMENT

With the final not until Saturday, 15 March, you’ve got plenty of time to sample all the massive Manchester venue has to offer this year. Speaking of..

As well as a steady supply of drinks including a self-service Guinness machine, punters will be eligible for a free pint of Freight Island pilsner or a glass of Prosecco with their ticket.

ADVERTISEMENT

To make things even sweeter, as well as the usual foodie favourites such as Fuku, Mia’s Arepas, Burgerism, Voodoo Ray’s; Mega Gyros, Oh! My Cheesecake and Soft Boi, Scouse chicken connoisseurs Pattersons are launching their brand new ‘American Buffet’. We’re talking proper game-day food.

Every Sunday, they’ll be serving up half-chickens brined and deep fried in their special spice mix, or a vegetarian nut roast, plus an all-you-can-eat sides including sweet potato, corn salsa, tater tots, cheesy grits, home-made corn bread and their famous gravy, all for £18 per tray

You can ever pre-order a full bird ahead of time if you like – consider this the Six Nations answer to Super Bowl-level feasting.

ADVERTISEMENT
freight island fan zone sports
pattersons chicken manchester
Credit: Freight Island/Patterson’s (supplied)

Entertainment on and off the pitch

But isn’t all food and drink, of course: Freight Island will also be making sure to keep the energy high no matter what’s going on in the matches with DJs, music from live bands, as well pre and post-match content for you to enjoy. Let us explain.

In addition to sets by the likes of singer-songwriter Neeva Zahra, Paul Eden and other special guests, but they’re also be performances by the Pent Up Pipes band and Dizzy Brasscals to really get the atmosphere going.

Crowd interaction is essential to making these fan zones work, so if bagpipes and a brass band doesn’t get you hyped as the six sporting-mad continental countries go head-to-head for European glory, we don’t what will.

Freight Island have also partnered with The EggChasers rugby union podcast, who will be delivering podcasts live from the building, as well as fan content before and after the whistle, meaning you can also get involved if you fancy yourself an armchair expert.

Dizzy Brasscals Manchester
Dizzy Brasscals is the best band name we’ve heard in ages. (Credit: Supplied)

Read more:

Once again, the tournament last for a good month and a half, so you’ll have plenty of opportunity to enjoy all of the above, as well as all the live rugby on the multiple screens dotted around the venue – including one very big one.

ADVERTISEMENT

Freight Island opening hours during the Six Nations and throughout February and March are Friday (4pm-12am), Saturday (12pm-12am), and Sunday (12-8pm).

You can book your free tickets HERE and we’ll no doubt see plenty of you there.

Meanwhile over in rugby league, local side Salford Red Devils have found themself in a less than ideal position ahead of the new season after being hit with a new sustainability cap.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Press Images (supplied via Freight Island)

OSZAR »

Sport

Luxury Manchester gym Blok confirms permanent closure after weeks of uncertainty

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Blok Manchester has announced its permanent closure. Credit: The Manc Group

Blok Manchester has announced its permanent closure, weeks after the doors to the premium fitness facility mysteriously closed.

Around a fortnight ago, members began to arrive to their classes to find the gym on Ducie Street locked up and a forfeiture notice on the door – but at the time, Blok said that it was fighting to reopen.

Sadly, in an email sent to members today, its founder has confirmed that the studio is now permanently closed.

Blok – which has several very successful sites down in London – said that its relationship with its landlord has ‘broken down to a point where trust has been lost’.

The gym wrote that it’s been left with ‘no workable way forward’.

They said: “BLOK Manchester was a space built by our loyal and dedicated community. Whether you joined us for one class or one hundred, we are deeply grateful. You helped create something genuinely special in an incredible city.”

In the immediate future, they said they’ll be supporting the team of fantastic trainers who worked here, as well as looking after members.

Members will be contacted within a few hours with options and refunds owed.

Blok Manchester has announced its permanent closure. Credit: The Manc Group
Blok Manchester has announced its permanent closure. Credit: The Manc Group

CEO and founder Ed Stanbury said: “While this marks the end of a chapter, we don’t see it as the end of our story in Manchester. We’re already speaking with developers about potential future sites and remain committed to returning to the city when the time is right.

“Thank you for being part of our story so far. Let’s shape the future of wellness. The mission continues.”

Commenting on Blok’s Instagram post – its first in almost a fortnight – people have been sharing their sadness at the closure of its Manchester site.

One person wrote: “beautiful space, beautiful staff and beautiful community.”

Another said: “Sending love to all the instructors !! :(((( gutted”

Someone else commented: “THE BEST CLASSES. I’m gutted.”

Read more

Featured image: The Manc Group

OSZAR »

Sport

Manchester City plotting spending spree ‘before’ Club World Cup

Danny Jones Danny Jones Man City summer signings before Club World Cup

Manchester City are set to embark on somewhat of a spending spree this summer transfer window as the club’s higher-ups are looking to get business done before the 2025 Club World Cup.

With FIFA’s intercontinental club competition set to get underway in mid-June, the Blues don’t have too long to welcome in new players, but Man City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has reiterated their urgency regarding recruitment.

Despite having brought in four new acquisitions in a very short space of time last season, the 50-year-old argued that he wasn’t completely happy with the extent and speed of their business.

Giving a lengthy interview this week, CFG‘s founding chairman has imposed an internal deadline ahead of the lucrative knockout competition.

Speaking with club media, Khaldoon recognised that while there were incomings in January of this year, he believes they “should have been more aggressive in some of the changes we needed to do, adding that he believes it “cost [them].”

“I can tell you today, we have clearly identified who exactly [the targets are], in what positions, and we have our clear number one option, our clear number two option”, he continues.

More importantly, he goes on to add: “We’ll go about our business, and it will be very clear, very swift. Our objective is to try to be ready with the new squad for the Club World Cup.”

He also suggested the flurry of activity this past January was not just atypical of the administration, but felt the squad fell into a crisis state with the number of injuries, insisting they “had to act.”

City have already been linked with a hugely talented and highly-rated European target in the wake of Kevin De Bruyne‘s departure and a lack of strength in depth in midfield.

Manchester City reportedly set to snap up Serie A star this summer
An initial bid is said to have been received already and will likely be the first of many City summer signings.

He also insisted that the players who joined last season weren’t scattershot, emergency transfers (perhaps barring the resigning of İlkay Gündoğan) but were the start of the rebuild and “gives [fans] an idea of what’s coming this summer.”

Another player linked with a move to the Etihad Stadium is Lyon star Rayan Cherki, who scored in big moments during their Europa League run this year, registering 32 goal contributions across all competitions throughout the 24/25 campaign.

Who would you like to see added to Pep Guardiola’s side this summer, then, Man City fans?

You can watch Khaldoon Al Mubarak’s interview in full down below:

What do you make of the plans?

Read more:

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — The Manc Group/Manchester City (press shots)

OSZAR »

More Sport

Ruben Amorim on Man United being booed off in Malaysia friendly

News

Ruben Amorim reacts as Manchester United are booed off after Malaysia friendly

Stockport County safe standing next season 2025/26

Sport

Stockport County to introduce safe standing at Edgeley Park

Rio Ferdinand leaving TNT Sports

News

Rio Ferdinand is stepping away from TNT Sports after more than a decade

Audio

Clint Boon takes us around Manchester's iconic Deaf Institute

Eats

We go meatballs deep with Mira's traditional Neapolitan sandwiches