Erling Haaland smiles as he walks past fans (mostly children) toward the locker room in Etihad Stadium's tunnel club. Phil Foden walks behind him and reaches his hand out to give high-fives to children.

MANCHESTER CITY’S TUNNEL CLUB PREMIER WITH KIDS – Our Experience

If you’re researching Manchester City’s hospitality experiences at Etihad Stadium, you’ve probably come across Tunnel Club and Tunnel Club Premier. 

I’m a mom of three boys (ages 10, 7, 4), and two of them are big Manchester City fans.  I wouldn’t classify the 4-year-old as a fan, but he does recognize Haaland and cheers for the team when we watch matches on television at home.

I wasn’t intent on purchasing a hospitality package for a Manchester City match (I was trying to figure out how to buy regular seats), but as I learned more, it sounded like a once-in-a-lifetime experience for our family’s Man City fans.

It’s a pricey experience, so it’s important to know what you’re getting into before making the purchase.  I’ll walk you through:

  • Who will love Tunnel Club Premier
  • Who should skip Tunnel Club Premier
  • Tunnel Club Premier vs Tunnel Club Ground
  • Our family’s experience
  • Was it worth it?  Would we do it again?
  • How to buy tickets to Tunnel Club Premier
  • Tips for your Tunnel Club Premier visit with kids

Good To Know:  The official name of Tunnel Club Premier is Asahi Super Dry Tunnel Club Premier.  In order not to wear my typing fingers out, I’ll refer to it as the former.

This is long, and may feel a bit ‘dear diary,’ but I hope the detailed information will give you what you need to know to make a decision about whether or not to choose Tunnel Club Premier for your family. 

Who Will Love Tunnel Club Premier

Erling Haaland in his warmup suit smiles from behind glass as he prepares to walk from the tunnel to the pitch at Etihad Stadium on match day.
Haaland, on his way out to the pitch for warm ups

Tunnel Club premiere is an excellent choice for you if:

  • You’ve got serious Manchester City fans in your family (especially your kids).  If so, this experience will be a core memory for your family.
  • You want to get an up-close look at the players before, during, and after the game.
  • Someone in your family is a foodie.  The dining experience is Michelin-level (in fact, when we went, there was a Michelin-starred guest chef in the kitchen).
  • You’re a true fan who knows the club and would be excited to meet Man City ‘celebrities’ like the owner, announcers, or other legends.
  • You, or someone in your family gets cold easily.  The Tunnel Club Premier seats are padded and heated!  I actually had to take my hat off because I was getting warm… even though it was freezing outside.

Good To Know:  Even if you’ve got, say, a parent who’s a serious fan and kids who just play/love soccer, it still will be amazing.  The up-close look at the players and stadium and the pitch side experience are so special.  Plus, foodies will delight in the dining experience.

Who Should Skip Tunnel Club Premier

Tunnel Club Premier may not be for you and your family if:

  • You’ve got toddlers or younger.  We had our 4-year-old with us, and it’s the youngest I’d do Tunnel Club Premier with.  He did enjoy the experience, and he was worn out part way through the match (he fell asleep on my lap).  I didn’t see any younger children, and I think it would be tough to do with a baby or toddler because at that age, you really have to cater to their needs.  Our little guy was old enough to participate in everything and he loved seeing the players and the excitement of the match.
  • You won’t be happy if you don’t meet a player or get a high-five from a player.  While my boys did get some high-fives (and were so excited!), I know they would’ve loved to get an autograph or have a chance to speak to a player.  But, it’s match day and they’re focused.  Still, if your kids wouldn’t be thrilled with ‘just’ a high-five or being close, it’s not worth it.
  • It’s not in your budget.  However, if your budget doesn’t allow for Tunnel Club Premier, you still get a true behind-the-scenes look at the match and players in the Tunnel Club Ground (see the next section).    
  • You don’t want your kids to hear any swearing.  For the most part, the stands were very family friendly.  We did hear some f-bombs and choice words. 

Tunnel Club Premier vs Tunnel Club Ground

If your goal is to get close to the players, both of these options are excellent choices.  Having seen both, I’m glad we were able to do the Tunnel Club Premier experience, but we also would’ve been thrilled to be in the Tunnel Club Ground.

The main differences between the two (from my point of view):

  • Tunnel Club Premier gets to go on the sideline to watch warmups
  • Tunnel Club Premier gets access to the glass tunnels (where the players wait pre-match and come off the field at halftime at the end of the match)
  • Tunnel Club Premier sits closer to the dugout and pitch
  • Tunnel Club Premier has ‘fancier’ dining

Both Tunnel Clubs (Premier and Ground) line up to welcome the players and coaches enter the stadium before the match.

In Premier, we were also able to see them up close:

  • On the sideline while they warmed up for the match
  • In the glass tunnel while they waited to go on the field for the match
  • In the glass tunnel when they went to/from the field at halftime (we actually just saw them as they went in at the end of the half)
  • In the glass tunnel after the game, on their way to the locker room
  • From our table when they left the stadium post-match (large glass windows)

I had assumed my boys would see the players once and the glossiness would wear off.  Instead, they were thrilled every time we saw a player.  As their mom, it was so much fun to see them so excited.

Good To Know:  There are other experiences and tours available.  Check out the Manchester City website or call one of the hospitality representatives if you want/need more details. 

Our Family’s Experience in Tunnel Club Premier

You can skip straight to match day, or read a little bit about our Man City experience from ticket purchase through match day.

Ticket Purchase – I purchased our hospitality tickets in mid-October, just over 3 months before the match.  I spoke with Rosie in hospitality and she was a dream to work with.  In the time leading up to the match, she answered my questions and made sure we were set.

Arriving in Manchester – We flew from Italy to Manchester (via Amsterdam) two days before the match.  We arrived at our hotel (Maldron Hotel Manchester Cathedral Quarter) in the evening.

Stadium and Training Ground Visit – The day before the match, we took the bus to Etihad Stadium.  Rosie showed us around Etihad Stadium and the Etihad Campus (training grounds, housing, etc).  When we arrived, we checked in with security, met Rosie, and got a behind-the-scenes look at the Man City grounds.  In Etihad Stadium, we were able to visit:

  • Tunnel Club Premier and Tunnel Club Ground
  • The hallway leading to the locker room and the walkway the players use to get to the pitch
  • The sidelines – totally empty!  It was amazing to see the field and stadium empty and to then see it the next day roaring with life.
  • The dugout – we sat in Pep’s seat.
  • Press areas
Three boys stand on Manchester City FB logo at the edge of an empty field at Etihad Stadium in Manchester, UK.
My boys checking out the pitch the day before the match

Then, we walked across the bridge to the Etihad Campus.  Rosie pointed out the main building where the players were at the moment.  We stopped in one of the office buildings, saw some of the pitches (there are 17!), visited the women’s pitch, and saw some of the youth development teams practicing.  We also walked right past goalie Ederson practicing with his coaches and he even stopped to say ‘hi’ and ‘good morning.’  Needless to say, my boys were thrilled and couldn’t stop smiling. 

After our tour, we said bye to Rosie and made our way to check out the Man City Team Store.  It’s right on the edge of the stadium, and it has an incredible selection of jerseys, other clothing, toys, gifts, soccer balls, and more.  Head upstairs for the kids’ gear and cross your fingers there’s a sale going on.  You can buy jerseys and get a player’s name and number printed on-site and get patches added (Premier League, Champion’s League, etc).  You can also have photos taken with a replica trophy.

Match Day in Tunnel Club Premier – We left our hotel around 1:30pm and took the bus from the city center.  We had one change, and it looked like we wouldn’t get on the second bus due to the crowd of people waiting.  Another bus pulled right in and we were able to hop on it.

We arrived at Etihad Stadium at 2:20pm, 10 minutes before we were allowed to enter the stadium through the Colin Bell entrance.  There was a band playing, so my boys watched, climbed on some poles, and narrowly avoided falling into puddles while we waiting.  I had our tickets ready on my phone, and I showed them to staff to go through the gate.  Before entering the building, my small bag was checked and tagged. 

Three boys in heavy coats walk toward the Colin Bell Stand West Reception at Manchester City's Etihad Stadium. The sign above the doors says 'Champions 4-in-a-row.'
Walking into the stadium (bags are checked up ahead on the right)

Inside the building, our tickets we scanned and a hostess walked us downstairs to Tunnel Club Premier and the reception.  We were given lanyards with our Tunnel Club Premier pass and shown to our table.  Around 3:00pm, we ordered our meals and before eating, my two older boys went upstairs (3:15pm) to Tunnel Club Ground (I know, doesn’t really make sense) to wait along the edge of the walkway where the players enter.  I walked up at about 3:40pm but I should’ve gone up a bit early to get a better spot.  While waiting, my youngest was able to ‘meet’ the mascots and get high-fives from them.

Tip:  Wait on the players’ right side (as they’re walking into the building) for the best chance of getting a high-five.  I walked to the other side to try to get a good angle for photos.  You don’t want to be too close to the entrance, as the players don’t give high-fives right as they enter.  You also don’t want to be too close to the stairs, because just before the players enter, security puts up a barrier and angles it away from the stairs – the players won’t walk out of their way to give a high-five there.  They just make a straight line toward the stairs.

The players entered on time at 4:05pm and it was definitely a Taylor Swift moment for my boys.  They were so excited to see their favorite players up close and reach their little hands out for high-fives.  Most of the players gave high-fives.  Haaland didn’t.  I saw Pep up close and yes, he does look like my husband (I can’t tell you how many times we heard that while in Manchester).

Manchester City soccer players walk down a hallway. On both sides are fans, mostly children, reaching their hands out for high-fives.
When the players enter they’ll give high-fives to lucky kids

After seeing the players, we went back downstairs to eat, and a few minutes later (around 4:45pm), we walked out to the sidelines to watch the players warm up.  My two older boys watched all of the warmups but I snuck back in to eat more with my youngest and my husband.

Tip:  Head out to the sidelines as soon as it’s open (it says when on the email you get with the match day schedule).  We went out right away and were in the very front.  My boys were able to watch all of the warmups.  It got fairly crowded and they wouldn’t have been able to see over the adults and crowd if we’d waited to go out.

Two boys in coats walk up steps to enter Etihad Stadium's pitch on a match night.
Walking out to watch warm ups from the sideline
Fans in coats watch Manchester City soccer players warm up at Etihad Stadium before the match. It's evening and the stands aren't full yet.
My boys loved watching the players warm up

Before I continue, a note on the meal.  The food was delicious – Michelin star level.  In fact, there was a Michelin-star guest chef.  The food is served by course (amouse bouche, appetizer, main course) and dessert and a cheese course are served later.  You also have a high-end selection of wine, champagne, etc, and of course Asahi beer.  The meal is a bit fragmented if you want to do all of the experiences (welcome players, see warmups, etc), but our waitress was great about timing the delivery of our courses.  My boys were focused on the players and the match, but they did each eat an entire meal.  For adults (and kids too, if they prefer), the menu has multiple choices per course.  You can see our match day menu in the photo below.

Matchday menu for Asahi Tunnel Club Premier at Etihad Stadium in Manchester, UK.
The menu for our match

Back to the match.  At about 5:20pm, we made our way to the glass tunnel to watch the players come down the stairs and wait to go out onto the pitch.  It’s a one-way mirror, so we giggled at some of the players checking their hair.  Other players are already so focused – you can see it in their eyes and demeanor.  Haaland stopped and waited right in front of us and my boys were in awe.

Manchester City soccer players on the other side of a glass window walk down steps toward the pitch on game day at Etihad Stadium.

At 5:30pm we were in our seats and watching the match!  My youngest was on my lap, and he was not thrilled about that, but we made it work.  The seats are heated (aaaah, so nice), and they’re in the perfect spot – close enough to really see the action, but far enough up that you can still get a feel for what’s going on on the entire pitch.

Players in seats at Etihad Stadium. They wear heavy coats. Part of the seating area is covered by an overhang.
My boys, focused on the match (we weren’t winning yet)

The crowd got a little quiet after Chelsea made it 1-0 in the opening minutes, but spirits were back up after Gvardiol scored to make it 1-1.

The match experience is something else.  It was my first time seeing a match in the UK.  I’ve been to matches in Sevilla, Barcelona, multiple places in Italy, and in the US, and nothing compares to this.  The roar of the crowd, the energy of the fans, the singing, the celebrating, the heckling of the away fans… we soaked it all up. 

Soccer players are on the field and the stands are packed at Etihad Stadium in Manchester. The overhead camera is above the players and coaches on the sideline.

We had dessert at half time, and my older two boys watch the players come and go in the glass tunnel.  After dessert, we walked back to our seats.  My youngest fell asleep on my lap during the second half.  He woke up briefly when the crowd exploded after Haaland’s goal to put us up 2-1.  He slept through Foden’s goal to make it 3-1.

At the end of the match, you can stay in Tunnel Club Premier.  I will admit, my husband and I and our 4-year-old were ready to call it a night, but our older two were so excited to see the players again that we decided to stay.  From our table, they could tap on the window at the players walking right by them on their way out of the stadium for the night.  They were pumped to get responses from quite a few of them. 

Two boys look at Kevin DeBruyne through the window from the Tunnel Club Premier at Manchester City's Etihad Stadium. The boys are wearing light blue Man City jerseys (players Haaland and Foden).
Saying ‘bye’ to DeBruyne as he leaves the stadium

We left the stadium just after 9:00pm, all smiles.  We took a taxi back to our hotel and called it a night.

Will Little Kids Get Bored or Restless?

A sky blue mascot blows a kiss to a small child directly in front of her. It's one of Manchester City F.C.'s mascots.
My 4-year-old, meeting Moonbeam

Every child is different, and you know your child best.  I will say that we have a very active 4-year-old and he was into every part of the experience…

  • When we arrived at the stadium, he danced to the live band and climbed structures while we waited in line to enter.
  • He gave high-fives to and ‘met’ the Man City mascots – Moonbeam and Moonchester.
  • He watched intently (from my husband’s shoulders) as the players entered the stadium
  • He cheered for the players and kept pointing out his favorite – Haaland.
  • He ordered the children’s menu and loved the fish and chips, juices, and desserts.

It looked like most of the kids were elementary age or older.  Our 4-year-old was the youngest child we saw.

We saw around 5 other children in Tunnel Club Premier, and I’d guess they were around 10-14 years old.  There were probably another 20 children in Tunnel Club Ground, and I’d guess the age range was 8-14. 

Was It Worth It?  Would We Do It Again?

I’m all about experiences over things, and this was definitely an investment in memories.  YES, bringing our family to Manchester City’s Tunnel Club Premier was definitely worth it.  The day was full of joy and excitement – from the players’ arrival to the roar of the crowd when Gvardiol, Haaland, and Foden scored, to finishing up dessert while seeing players walk out post-match – we all soaked up every moment (except my littlest when he fell asleep).

Would we do it again?  If I went back in time and needed to decide, yes, I’d book it in a heartbeat.  If we’ll go back and do the same thing again?  Not on my dime, but if my kids want to save up, they’re more than welcome to.  I was talking to my 10-year-old and he said he’d love to come back and any seats would be fine.  I know he loved seeing the players up close, but he’d also be thrilled to come back and just be in Etihad again.

How to Buy Tickets to Tunnel Club Premier

You can buy your tickets directly on the Manchester City website.  Or, you can contact the hospitality department and speak directly to a representative.  That’s what I did (thanks, Rosie!) and it was really helpful to be able to ask questions and get more details on the experience.  The website gives bullet lists of what the experience is like, but I had so many questions!

One important thing to know is you’re purchasing a table, and you must purchase in quantities of 2, 4, 6, or 8. 

Kids 4 and under can dine for free and sit on an adult’s lap for free!  I learned this by speaking with Rosie. 

Also, kids under 12 get a discount. 

We were originally just going to send my husband and two older children to the match, but it ended up costing the same amount for me and our youngest to attend as well.  We would’ve had to purchase a table for 4  for my husband and two sons.  I attended as the fourth person at the table and my youngest son attended for free.  Of course, we still had to pay for airfare and a hotel for the two of us.

Good To Know:  The match day can change.  Read the fine print on the site (or speak to a hospitality representative), but know that when you buy your tickets, the date could change.  Wait to buy your plane tickets and reserve your hotel until you know the date is set.  I kept in touch with Rosie to find out when the date was set.

Tips for Your Tunnel Club Premier Visit with Kids

Grass soccer pitch at Etihad Stadium in Manchester, UK. Man City and Chelsea players are on the field and the stands are packed.

Rest up the day of the match.  It’s a long day – we left our hotel at 1:30pm and didn’t get home until around 10:00pm.  We woke up, had breakfast, walked around Manchester a bit, and then came back to our hotel to rest and relax before heading to the match.  It sounds a bit silly, but I’m so glad we did.

If you can, visit the Man City team shop at Etihad the day before the match.  That’s what we did, and it was much less crowded.  Still, if you’re doing Tunnel Club Premier, you arrive before most of the fans, so it won’t be too bad.  If you want to get a jersey printed, be sure to allow extra time (30-60 minutes on match day).

Talk to your kids pre-match about what you’ll be seeing and doing.  For example, “First we’ll arrive and head down to our table to start our meal.  Next, we’ll go up and wait for the players to arrive.  It will be crowded, so we’ll go up a little early to get a good spot so we can try to get a high-five from a player.  After that, we’ll finish up our meal and then go out onto the sideline to watch the players warm-up.”  You’ll get the schedule by email pre-match, and you can get an idea based on our summarized experience as well.

You can’t leave and re-enter the stadium, so make sure you’ve got everything you need with you.

Bring a small bag with you.  Review the current bag policies to make sure yours is small enough.  My purse was too big, so I ended up bringing a paper shopping bag.  Inside I had our passports, my phone, a credit card, an external charger for my phone, and lip balm. 

Bring an external charger for your phone.  Your tickets are on your phone, and you’ll take a ton of photos.  I used my external charger to top up during the match.

Don’t forget to take family photos!  I often forget, but I have one of us in front of the stadium and one of us in the stands and they’ll both end up printed and on the wall in our home. 

Take public transportation to the match.  It’s really easy, there are plenty of buses, and it drops you right where you enter (like a 3-minute walk from the door).  We would’ve taken it home too but our little one was fast asleep so we decided to take a taxi so we’d get dropped off right at the door of our hotel. 

Find out if your seats are covered. We were in row Y and were just covered by the overhang. I’d request these seats in the future as seats closer to the dugout and pitch aren’t covered, and it wouldn’t be much fun to sit in the rain with kids. Umbrellas aren’t allowed.

I hope this helps you a bit in making a decision on whether or not you’d like to experience Tunnel Club Premier as a family.  It was an incredible experience and a core memory for our family.  Go City!

Family wearing coats in the stands at Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England. Manchester City players on the field in the background and the scoreboard shows a 3-1 victory for the home team.

Visiting the UK? Be sure to check out
Visiting London’s Tower Bridge with Kids
Harry Potter Studio Tour – Our Experience
Weekend in Manchester with Kids – Our Soccer-Focused Itinerary

Manchester City’s Tunnel Club Premier – Our Experience
Things to Do in Manchester with a 10-Year-Old
Family Packing List for a Winter Weekend in Manchester

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