Due to the ever-rising popularity and success of Manchester City, getting hold of tickets for Manchester City home games are often hot commodities.
One way that can help you see your City heroes in action is by becoming an official Manchester City member. Whilst only a season ticket can guarantee you a ticket for every Manchester City home game, for those not wanting to splash out for a season ticket, a Man City membership package is a nice alternative that can provide plenty of perks.
In this guide, we will tell you everything you need to know about becoming a Man City member; we will tell you how much it costs, what perks it provides and what you need to do in order to become one.
What different Manchester City Membership packages are available?
For those interested in becoming a Manchester City member, there are three official Manchester City membership packages to choose from - Cityzens Membership, Matchday Membership and for those younger City fans, there is the option of becoming a Junior Member.
All three Manchester City club membership packages come with different benefits and are priced differently. Let’s explore more about what is on offer below.
Becoming a Manchester City member - Cityzen Memberships explained
A Cityzen membership will set you back £25. Valid for the entirety of a season, becoming a Cityzen member will see you receive;
- An official water bottle, pin badge and membership card
- 10% Manchester City Store discount
- Discounts with official Manchester City affiliate partners such as Puma, Etihad Airways and EA Sports
- The ability to enter exclusive membership competitions
- Annual City + subscription package
- Early access to merchandise releases
Whilst membership often can help with the purchasing of Manchester City home tickets, becoming a standard Cityzen Member doesn’t provide you with any advantages when it comes to getting your hands on a matchday ticket. In order to give yourself the best chance of securing a ticket, you will need to become a Matchday Member, which costs £10 more.
Becoming a Manchester City member - Matchday Memberships explained
If you want to buy an official Manchester City membership package that will get you one step closer to the action, then buying a Matchday Membership is the way to go.
Costing £35 for the season, becoming a Matchday Member contains many different benefits;
- Be the first in line to get your hands on tickets after season ticket declines and before tickets go on general sale. As well as being eligible for matchday tickets, Matchday members could also receive £5 off the overall ticket price
- Be the first in line for tickets to Manchester City women’s matches and bring a guest for free
- An official water bottle, pin badge and membership card
- 10% Manchester City Store discount
- Discounts with official Manchester City affiliate partners such as Puma, Etihad Airways and EA Sports
- The ability to enter exclusive membership competitions
- Annual City + subscription package
- Early access to merchandise releases
By becoming an official Matchday Member, it’s important to stress that you won’t be guaranteed a ticket for every Manchester City home game.
Tickets for members are often limited and will often depend on the amount of refused tickets from season ticket holders. Due to the large number of Manchester City members, any tickets made available for members can be snapped up quickly, so you will need to act fast in order to secure yours.
Becoming a Manchester City member - Junior Memberships explained
The final official Manchester City membership package on offer to Manchester City fans is a Junior membership.
Depending on the age of the junior member, there are two different Manchester City Junior packages that can be purchased: one package for those aged between 0-12 and one package for those aged 13-17. Both memberships cost £20 for the season and include the following:
- The option to get your hands on tickets after season ticket declines and before tickets go on general sale. As well as being eligible for matchday tickets, Junior members could also receive £5 off the overall ticket price
- Be the first in line for tickets to Manchester City women’s matches
- Free junior pass for the official stadium tour
- An official water bottle, pin badge and membership card
- The ability to enter exclusive membership competitions
It’s important to note that Junior Memberships will end once that member turns 18, if they wish to continue their membership journey with the club, these Junior members will need to upgrade to either a Cityzens or Matchday membership package.
Junior memberships can be gifted at any point throughout the season.
If I become an official Manchester City member, am I guaranteed a Manchester City ticket?
Not officially. As we have already mentioned, the only way to guarantee a seat at every Manchester City home ground is through the purchasing of a season ticket. However, due to the long waiting list and cost of a season ticket, a membership can often be the best alternative for those wanting to get hold of tickets regularly.
Members will have the first opportunity to buy tickets after season ticket holders. On occasions, Manchester City season ticket holders will decline tickets for matches, and these tickets will be made available for members. There is also a small ticket pool reserved exclusively for members.
Official Matchday or Junior members will have the opportunity to buy tickets before they are sold on general release.
Does my Manchester City membership cover the cost of the ticket?
By subscribing to become a member of Manchester City this doesn’t cover the cost of any official Manchester City tickets that you are able to get hold of.
If you are able to get your hands on a ticket, you will need to be willing to pay the additional ticket price for the match.
If I am lucky enough to get a ticket, can I choose where I sit?
If you are awarded a ticket, your ticket for the match will already have a predetermined location.
There are four main stands at the Etihad: the Colin Ball Stand, East Stand, Family Stand and South Stand where tickets can be made available. Usually, you won’t have the opportunity to pick and choose where you sit, but will have to accept the ticket for the area where it is located.
For more information about the various stands within the Etihad Stadium, make sure to check out our detailed Manchester City seating guide.
Will the price of my ticket vary depending on where I sit?
Yes it will, seats in the Colin Bell and East Stands are generally more expensive than seats in either the Family or South Stands. Running alongside either side of the pitch, a great atmosphere and fantastic vantage point should be provided in either stand.
Can I watch domestic cup games and European cup games as a Manchester City member?
The same membership ticketing rules apply to European and domestic Cup games for Manchester City members. Tickets will be made available after season ticket holders have taken up their allocation. Whilst not true in every case, it is usually expected that a higher volume of tickets is available for Manchester City members for the early rounds of cup competitions. Tickets to Champions League games will be more limited.
Is there a waiting list to become a Manchester City member?
Every Manchester City supporter dreams of holding a season ticket, but in order to get hold of a Man City season ticket, supporters may need to wait years on a waiting list before it’s finally their turn. Currently, the Man City waiting list is believed to have over 100,000 people on it, but thankfully, for those wanting to become official members, there is no waiting list to overcome.
Becoming a member takes just minutes, and your one-off payment will last for the entirety of the season.
Could the cost of my Manchester City membership increase?
Despite Manchester City being one of the richest football clubs in the world, membership and season ticket holder revenue still plays a huge part in forming a crucial revenue stream for the club.
Costs for Manchester City memberships are reviewed annually, and you will be informed of any official price increases before they happen.
Manchester City membership auto-renews every year, and it will be up to the member to decide whether they are happy or wish to cancel their membership before a predetermined date that the club will provide. If you don’t cancel your membership account before the specified time period (usually the dates for renewal are in June), your account will be automatically charged with any new price increases.
Does being a Manchester City member help me get hold of Cup Final or away game tickets?
Official Cup Final tickets for any finals that Manchester City reach are controlled by the club. Usually tickets are awarded on a points based system and it is usually season ticket holders who have accrued the most points throughout a season.
A similar model exists for away game allocations, with tickets often reserved for those who attend the most matches. Whilst getting hold of either a Cup Final or away ticket isn’t impossible, being a member does make it harder to receive either type.
If the idea of buying a Manchester City membership isn’t for you, we can help. At Ticket Compare we sell tickets for most Manchester City home games with seats all over the stadium. With tickets available for every type of match be sure to check our ticket section today.
