WHAT'S ON AT THE AO ARENA, MANCHESTER
What's On at the AO Arena, Manchester
The AO Arena Manchester, also known as Manchester Arena, opened in 1995. It’s one of the busiest venues in the world and one of the largest in Europe. Its capacity of 23’000 attracts over a million visitors each year, hosting the biggest names in live entertainment, music artists, comedians, musical theatre concerts, dance shows, sports, and circus.
AO Arena’s premier international artists include U2, Madonna, Pavarotti, Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga, Celine Dion, Lionel Richie, and Beyonce and Manchester’s rich heritage include Take That, Oasis, Elbow, James, Simply Red and Peter Kay’s record-breaking residency.
AO Arena hosted Commonwealth Games and international boxing with Mike Tyson, David Haye, Joe Calzaghe, local champs Ricky Hatton, Amir Khan, Anthony Crolla. Events and productions coming up include Strictly Come Dancing The Live Tour, Mika, Premier League Darts, Yungblud, Calum Scott, Peter Kay, Mo Gilligan, Ocean Colour Scene, and Romesh Ranganathan. See what's on at the AO Arena Manchester below and book tickets online.
The AO Arena Manchester, also known as Manchester Arena, opened in 1995. It’s one of the busiest venues in the world and one of the largest in Europe. Its capacity of 23’000 attracts over a million visitors each year, hosting the biggest names in live entertainment, music artists, comedians, musical theatre concerts, dance shows, sports, and circus.
AO Arena’s premier international artists include U2, Madonna, Pavarotti, Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga, Celine Dion, Lionel Richie, and Beyonce and Manchester’s rich heritage include Take That, Oasis, Elbow, James, Simply Red and Peter Kay’s record-breaking residency.
AO Arena hosted Commonwealth Games and international boxing with Mike Tyson, David Haye, Joe Calzaghe, local champs Ricky Hatton, Amir Khan, Anthony Crolla. Events and productions coming up include Strictly Come Dancing The Live Tour, Mika, Premier League Darts, Yungblud, Calum Scott, Peter Kay, Mo Gilligan, Ocean Colour Scene, and Romesh Ranganathan. See what's on at the AO Arena Manchester below and book tickets online.
Most Popular Shows and Events at AO Arena, Manchester
What's On at the AO Arena, Manchester
Manchester Audio Tour: Art Culture and Legend Audio Adventure
AO Arena, Manchester
Thursday 12 November - Thursday 31 December 2026
A secret war once raged beneath the towers of Manchester, while masterpieces and mayhem have brushed shoulders on rain-soaked streets. Manchester?s story is hidden in the echoes between galleries and gothic halls. On this self-guided audio...Gladiators Live
AO Arena
Saturday 14 - Sunday 15 November 2026
Get ready for the ultimate action-packed experience, as Gladiators Live Tour makes its global debut in arenas across the UK for the very first time in 2025. Featuring the new stars of the UK TV series Gladiators, the live show will be a sp...Beabadoobee
AO Arena, Manchester
Tuesday 17 November 2026
Born in the Philippines and raised in London, Beatrice Laus emerged as a British alternative music icon with her flawless output of confessional bedroom pop songs and DIY folk aesthetic. Her third album, "This Is How Tomorrow Moves" became...Manchester Storm vs Fife Flyers
AO Arena, Manchester
Thursday 19 November 2026 - Wednesday 24 March 2027
Doors: 18:00 Face Off: 19:30...Manchester Storm vs Nottingham Panthers - Venue Premium Tickets
AO Arena, Manchester
Thursday 19 November 2026 - Sunday 4 April 2027
Doors; Mezz Restaurant: 2pm Mezz Entry: 2pm Fast Track: 2.30pm Schweppes Signature Lounge: 2.30pm Beautiful North: 2.30pm Private Suites: 2.30pm Shared Suites: 2.30pm...Shinedown
AO Arena, Manchester
Friday 20 November 2026
 Hailed for their high-octane live shows, explosive rock 'n' roll spirit, thought-provoking lyrics, and melodic sensibility,, the record-breaking multi-platinum Jacksonville, Florida rock outfit have cemented their status as one of the m...Fontaines DC
AO Arena, Manchester
Saturday 21 November 2026
The London-based, Dublin-raised five piece are back with their fourth album, ROMANCE - and stop off with what's set to be an unforgettable live show. Set for release on 23 August 2024 via XL Recording, ROMANCE builds upon sonic sensibiliti...Deep Purple
AO Arena, Manchester
Sunday 22 November 2026
Pushing the boundaries of time, after five decades of records and 120 million albums sold, Ian Paice, Ian Gillan, Roger Glover and Don Airey continue to travel the scope of hard rock - the textures and nuances of their recent works are any...Manchester Storm vs Glasgow Clan
AO Arena, Manchester
Friday 27 November 2026 - Friday 26 February 2027
Doors: 18:00 Face Off: 19:30...Ocean Colour Scene
AO Arena
Saturday 28 November 2026
In their 30 years together, multi-Platinum selling Birmingham indie legends OCS have enjoyed five Top 10 albums, six Top 10 singles and a mantelpiece full of awards. But behind all the swagger and the style there are great songs, with word...Manchester Storm vs Cardiff Devils
AO Arena, Manchester
Sunday 29 November 2026 - Sunday 14 February 2027
Doors: 14:30 Face Off: 16:00...Bill Bailey
AO Arena, Manchester
Thursday 3 December 2026
Before streaming, before TV, before cinema, before even radio... there was Vaudeville! This was the prime-time entertainment of its day. A celebration of comedy, songs, and multifarious skills. Tales of showbiz, tales of the city. Tales of...Pete Tong - Ibiza Classics
AO Arena, Manchester
Friday 4 December 2026
 DJ, broadcaster and global dance music legend Pete Tong has announced the return of his critically acclaimed Ibiza Classics show featuring long-time collaborator Jules Buckley and The Essential Orchestra. Ibiza Classics debuted in 2015,...Manchester Storm vs Nottingham Panthers
You Me & Comedy - Cedric the Entertainer + Tiffany Haddish + Mo'nique + more
AO Arena, Manchester
Tuesday 8 December 2026
Three of America's biggest comedy stars are joining forces this December as Cedric the Entertainer, Grammy Award winner Tiffany Haddish and Academy Award winner Mo'Nique come together for You Me & Comedy. UK comedy favourites Slim, ...Manchester Storm vs Dundee Stars
AO Arena, Manchester
Wednesday 9 December 2026 - Sunday 7 March 2027
Doors: 18:00 Face Off: 19:30...Manchester Storm vs Dundee Stars - Venue Premium Tickets
Culture Club
AO Arena, Manchester
Thursday 10 December 2026
Music icons Boy George and Culture Club are thrilled to bring their tour to celebrate their first two monumental albums, 'Kissing to Be Clever' and 'Colour by Numbers'. The prolific band will perform these landmark albums in their entirety...The Darkness
AO Arena, Manchester
Friday 11 December 2026
Delivering immeasurable rock and roll extravagance, Lowestoft's favourite rock icons (consisting of brothers Justin and Dan Hawkins, and Queen legend Roger Taylor's equally brilliant drumming son Rufus Tiger Taylor) first shot to fame in 2...Disney On Ice - Discover the Magic
AO Arena, Manchester
Wednesday 16 - Sunday 20 December 2026
Celebrate Disney magic at Disney On Ice presents Discover the Magic, a fast-paced, family-friendly production that follows the search for Tinker Bell through stunning worlds. Explore the colourful spirit realm of Coco with Miguel, brave...Christmas Musical Spectacular
AO Arena
Tuesday 22 - Wednesday 23 December 2026
This December, Manchester steps into the spotlight. A breathtaking Christmas Musical Spectacular arrives at the iconic AO Arena, transforming one of Europe's greatest live venues into a powerful celebration of music, emotion and festive ma...Manchester Storm vs Guildford Flames
AO Arena, Manchester
Saturday 26 December 2026 - Saturday 3 April 2027
Doors: 17:30 Face Off: 19:00...Baller League UK
AO Arena, Manchester
Monday 28 December 2026
A New Era Of Football Baller League Returns! Baller League brings you six-a-side football at a furious pace. Matches are just 30 minutes long (two 15-minute halves), and you can witness 6 (six!) matches on both days - back-to-back - en...Manchester Storm vs Sheffield Steelers
Manchester Storm vs Coventry Blaze
Manchester Storm vs Belfast Giants
aespa
AO Arena
Thursday 14 January 2027
Global K-Pop force AESPA bring their acclaimed live production and immersive performance experience to arenas across Asia, North America, Latin America, the UK, and Europe. The upcoming tour reflects the next chapter of aespa's universe ...Five Finger Death Punch
AO Arena
Saturday 16 January 2027
One of the most explosive live acts on the planet, multi-platinum Las Vegas hard rock powerhouse Five Finger Death Punch boast a massive catalogue of platinum certified releases, standing them out as one of the dominating forces in rock. I...Two Door Cinema Club
AO Arena, Manchester
Wednesday 27 January 2027
Bangor, Northern Ireland indie pop rock trio Two Door Cinema Club have gone from recording their Platinum-selling 2010 debut album in their garage, to performing their era-defining indie-electronic sound on the main stages of festivals aro...Strictly Come Dancing - The Live Tour
AO Arena, Manchester
Saturday 6 - Sunday 7 February 2027
Get your score cards ready, your dancing shoes on and prepare for the return of the Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour! Get ready for an electrifying spectacle full of glitz, glamour, and pure entertainment as your favourite stars take to the...Disney Descendants, ZOMBIES & Camp Rock - Worlds Collide Concert
AO Arena
Wednesday 10 February 2027
The all-new Disney Worlds Collide Concert Tour brings together the worlds of Descendants, ZOMBIES, and for the very first time, Camp Rock, in an unforgettable new arena spectacular. A pop concert of the highest calibre, the cast features a...Scouting for Girls
AO Arena, Manchester
Friday 12 February 2027
Friends since they were five, London indie pop three-piece Scouting For Girls have never changed to chase success. Success came to them; their 2007 self-titled debut went on to become triple platinum and birthed the generation-bridging ant...Kacey Musgraves
AO Arena, Manchester
Wednesday 24 February 2027
30-something Texan country pop songstress Kacey Musgraves has enjoyed success across the globe, including UK Top 10 albums and hit single "I Remember Everything" with Zach Bryan. Rolling acoustic guitars, puffy clouds of strings and synt...Morgan Jay
AO Arena, Manchester
Thursday 25 February 2027
A musician and comedian based in Los Angeles, Morgan Jay has made appearances on MTV's Wild'N'Out, NBC, and Comedy Central. He has carved out his own genre of performance art and comedy creating a show built on imperfection, authenticity, ...Bullet For My Valentine
AO Arena
Saturday 27 February 2027
Welsh quartet Bullet For My Valentine straddle metal, punk and emo in a manner not hugely dissimilar to their Bridgend brethren Funeral For A Friend. The band formed out of the ashes of Jeff Killed John, who were on the verge of recording ...Role Model
AO Arena, Manchester
Sunday 28 February 2027
Tucker Pillsbury, known professionally as ROLE MODEL, is an American singer-songwriter and former rapper who performs bedroom pop with an acoustic guitar. Influenced by Mac Miller and Elvis Presley, his relatable lyrics cover topics such ...Role Model Manchester Tickets
C2C - Country To Country
AO Arena, Manchester
Friday 12 - Sunday 14 March 2027
 Country to Country, Europe's biggest country music festival has become a staple in the UK festival calendar and has brought country music to the masses, with tens of thousands of fans attending each year. The festival continuously hosts...Country to Country 2027 - Sunday Manchester Tickets
The Wiggles
AO Arena, Manchester
Friday 2 April 2027
Australia's favourite family entertainment group is hitting the road in 2026 with The Wiggles' Sparkle! BIG SHOW, a spectacular live experience packed with music, dancing, dazzling costumes, immersive visual effects and all the Wiggly fun ...Premier League Darts
AO Arena, Manchester
Thursday 8 April 2027
 BetMGM Premier League returns in 2027 with the biggest names in world darts. Luke Littler, Luke Humphries and Gian van Veen will be among the headline stars competing in the Premier League, which will take place across 17 nights in the...Soul Town in Concert
AO Arena
Friday 9 April 2027
To mark 10 years of Soultown, the UK's biggest soul celebration delivers one unforgettable night with some of the most iconic and celebrated names in soul music, on one of the country's greatest stages. Headlined by the legendary Kool & Th...Romesh Ranganathan
AO Arena
Saturday 10 April 2027
 The return of deadpan and often self-deprecating Sri Lankan-British stand-up comedian Romesh Ranganathan, famous for his frequent appearances on A League of Their Own, The Apprentice: You're Fired!, Play to the Whistle, Mock the Week ...Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live
AO Arena
Saturday 17 - Sunday 18 April 2027
Fans of all ages will be dazzled as they watch the iconic Hot Wheels Monster Trucks light up the floor in this newly launched one-of-a-kind, high-energy Glow experience when the huge rip-roaring trucks roll into town. Hot Wheels Monster Tr...Thomas Rhett
AO Arena
Thursday 22 April 2027
Arena-packing Nashville superstar Thomas Rhett has been dubbed 'the most reliable maker of No. 1 singles in country music'. The oldest son of singer Rhett Akins, his in-the-moment mix of tempo, transcendent romance and tip-of-the-spearson...Gabrielle
AO Arena, Manchester
Saturday 24 April 2027
 One of the UK's most successful singer-songwriters, multi-Platinum selling London R&B star Gabrielle spent three weeks at no.1 with her debut single "Dreams" in 1993. Her distinctive vocal gift - one that flourishes with equal measures ...Clubland
AO Arena
Friday 30 April 2027
Celebrating 25 Years of Clubland! In a spectacular 3-hour action-packed show, re-live the classic tunes in a party atmosphere and enjoy the Clubland experience which is set to bring all those amazing times back. Clubland began as a series ...
How to get to the AO Arena, Manchester
AO Arena Frequently Asked Questions
Victoria Station Approach, Hunts Bank, Manchester, M3 1AR
There are a number of car parks close to the AO Arena. Their official parking partners are citipark and operate the onsite carpark.
Manchester Victoria Station is the nearest train station to AO Arena Manchester. It is located directly opposite the arena. It also hosts a tram stop. Manchester Piccadilly train station is approximately a 1 mile walk, taking around 20 minutes.
The AO Arena in Manchester has a seating capacity of around 21'000. Seating plans can vary for each event. Click here for a map of the venue.
AO Arena tickets are mostly e-tickets so simply go into your account to retrieve. For further help, please contact the AO Arena directly. Click here for more details.
If you would like to buy a ticket in person at the AO Arena box office, they are at Resolution Points across the AO Arena (Trinity Way Tunnel, Hunts Bank Entrance and City Rooms Entrance.)
Resolution Points are only open on event days and will open one hour before each event, closing 15 minutes after the main act has gone on stage. Alternatively, you can see what's on and book online here.
AO Arena do not list show-end times both for security reasons and due to the nature of live events as running times can vary. As a guide, the venue curfew for evening events is 11pm, unless otherwise stated.
Door times are published on each event page.
Please click here for more information regarding the AO Arena's accessibility information.
Whether you have positive or negative feedback you would like to feedback to the AO Arena, please click here for more information.
If you have lost an item during a visit to the AO Arena Manchester, click here and fill out their form with as much information as possible.
With loads of great places to eat in Manchester and decent pre-theatre menus, you should check out our Manchester Restaurant site here!
Manchester is full of great bars and pubs and some decent ones close to the venue. Check out our Manchester Bar site here!
Either use the map at the side of the FAQ section as it has all types of accomodation or click here for hotels in Manchester
If you need the AO Arena customer services for more help, click here
Please note that ManchesterTheatres.com isn't the venue itself. We promote what's on at the AO Arena and all other venues in Manchester and the local region. Feel free to contact us if you need more help though and we'll do our best to support you.
Most Popular Shows and Events at AO Arena, Manchester
