AIG STADIUM
Salford City Complete Travel Guide – 2026-27 Season
ℹ️ 2026-27 Season Guide: Moor Lane is now known as AIG Stadium, after the global insurer became Salford’s largest shareholder and long-term commercial partner in 2025, succeeding previous sponsors Peninsula. Salford narrowly missed promotion after losing the 2026 League Two play-off final 3-0 to Notts County at Wembley, and remain in League Two for 2026-27 under the ownership group led by David Beckham and Gary Neville. Always check salfordcityfc.co.uk for the latest ticketing and matchday updates before you travel.
⚽ ABOUT THE AIG STADIUM
The AIG Stadium – still commonly known by its traditional name, Moor Lane – has been home to Salford City since 1978, though the ground looked very different back then. A major redevelopment beginning in 2016 transformed the stadium from a modest 1,600-capacity non-league venue into a fully enclosed, 5,108-capacity ground with 2,246 seats, reopened by Sir Alex Ferguson in October 2017.
The ground sits in the Kersal area, just north of Salford itself, in a quiet residential neighbourhood. One of its most distinctive features is the set of floodlights, shaped in the form of the Salford City club badge and outlined in red LED lighting – genuinely one of the more eye-catching sights in the EFL.
Away fans are housed in the East Terrace, a covered standing section of shallow steps that generates good acoustics even with a modest away following, with up to 200 additional seats sometimes made available in the South Stand.
Salford City – The Ammies – were founded in 1940 as Salford Central and spent decades in non-league football before a rapid rise began in 2014, when the “Class of ’92” – Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and Phil Neville – took ownership of the club.
Salford achieved four promotions in five years, reaching the Football League for the first time in 2019. In May 2025, a new ownership group led by David Beckham and Gary Neville completed a fresh takeover, with US businessman Declan Kelly and Lord Mervyn Davies joining as co-chairmen.
The club came agonisingly close to League One in 2025-26, finishing 4th and reaching the play-off final at Wembley, only to lose 3-0 to Notts County. The club’s anthem, The Pogues’ “Dirty Old Town,” is played as the teams walk out – a proper football moment at a genuinely modern, fast-rising club.
📊 STADIUM SPECIFICATIONS
| Capacity | 5,108 (2,246 seated, remainder standing terrace) |
| Opened | 1978 (major redevelopment completed 2017) |
| Address | Moor Lane, Kersal, Salford, M7 3PZ |
| Away Section | East Terrace (covered standing, behind the goal) |
| Away Allocation | Typically around 1,100, with up to 200 additional seats sometimes available in the South Stand |
| Record Attendance | 4,591 vs Wrexham (League Two, 3 February 2024) |
| Division | League Two (2026-27) |
ℹ️ The stadium is cashless – bring a card. Note the bar behind the Nevile Road Stand is for home supporters only.
🚗 GETTING TO THE AIG STADIUM
The AIG Stadium sits in Kersal, a residential area north of Salford, with no mainline station right by the ground. Salford Crescent is the nearest station at around a mile away, with Manchester Victoria and Piccadilly both a little further at around 2-3 miles.
Public transport or a taxi from one of these stations is the recommended approach, given the strict residents-only parking around the stadium.
🗺️ STADIUM LOCATION MAP
AIG Stadium Address: Moor Lane, Kersal, Salford, M7 3PZ
🚂 BY TRAIN
Why Trains Work: Salford Crescent, around a mile from the ground, and Manchester Victoria and Piccadilly, both around 2-3 miles away, are all viable arrival points, with direct services from across the North West and beyond.
Journey Times to Manchester Victoria / Piccadilly:
🔴 London Euston: Around 2 hours 10 minutes (direct)
🟠 Leeds: Around 1 hour (direct)
🟡 Liverpool Lime Street: Around 45 minutes (direct)
🟢 Sheffield: Around 1 hour (direct)
🔵 Birmingham New Street: Around 1 hour 20 minutes (direct)
Getting from the Stations to the Stadium
🚌 Bus (from Manchester city centre)
Local bus services run from Manchester city centre towards Kersal – the most straightforward public transport option for most away fans.
🚕 Taxi (from Salford Crescent or Manchester Victoria/Piccadilly)
A short taxi ride covers the remaining distance from any of the three stations – the simplest option if travelling in a small group.
🔗 Train Times & Tickets: nationalrail.co.uk | thetrainline.com
🔗 Salford City Official Site: salfordcityfc.co.uk
🚗 BY CAR
The stadium is around 2 miles from Junction 17 of the M60. From the motorway, take the A56 towards Manchester city centre, then follow local signs towards Moor Lane.
Parking Options:
- No Stadium Parking: There is no on-site parking, and the club does not offer any at the ground.
- Park & Ride (Recommended): A park and ride service operates on matchdays from the old IT Lab car park on Agecroft Industrial Estate (M27 8SJ), with a shuttle bus to the ground for around £2 per car.
- Residential Streets: Strict residents-only parking permits are enforced by wardens around the ground – do not attempt to park here.
💡 Top Tip: Use the Park & Ride – residents-only zones around the ground are actively patrolled, and there is no realistic alternative for drivers.
🍺 PUBS & DRINKS NEAR THE STADIUM
⚠️ Important Advice: The AIG Stadium is located in a quiet residential area, and there are genuinely very few pubs within easy walking distance. Some venues require colours to be covered and may not admit children.
🍺 Nearest to the Ground
🍺 The Star Inn on the Cliff (2 Back Hope Street, Salford, M7 2FR)
The closest proper pub to the ground and officially recommended as an away-fan-friendly venue. A community-owned pub – Britain’s first – with real ales, Guinness, lagers and a covered outdoor space. A genuinely warm welcome guaranteed.
Distance to Stadium: Around 20 minutes’ walk | Price: ££
🍺 Fairways Lodge & Leisure Club (George Street, Prestwich, M25 9WS)
A hotel with a pub-restaurant and leisure club, accessible via a pleasant footpath across Prestwich Golf Course and Kersal Moor – the closest option as the crow flies, though quiet and low-key rather than a traditional football pub.
Distance to Stadium: Around 10 minutes via footpath | Price: ££
🍺 Prestwich (A Little Further, Worth the Walk)
🍺 The Friendship Inn (Scholes Lane, Prestwich, M25 0PD)
A Joseph Holt pub with a genuinely friendly atmosphere, freshly cooked food and a decent cask ale selection – a popular post-match destination.
Distance to Stadium: Around 30 minutes’ walk | Price: ££
🍺 The Woodthorpe (Bury Old Road, Prestwich, M25 0EG)
A Joseph Holt gastropub a little further from the ground, set in the former family home of Sir Edward Holt next to Heaton Park, but well worth the walk for the food and drink quality.
Distance to Stadium: Further out, worth a taxi | Price: £££
💡 Local Tip: The bar behind the Nevile Road Stand is for home supporters only – don’t expect to use it as an away fan.
🍽️ FOOD OPTIONS
There’s little in the way of dedicated food right by the ground itself, but Prestwich village – a short walk or bus ride away, and handy for combining with the pubs above – has a genuinely good spread of options worth building into your trip.
Croma
Location: 30 Longfield Centre, Prestwich, M25 1AY
Why go: Popular stone-baked pizza restaurant with a loyal Prestwich following, plus pasta, salads and a solid gluten-free menu. Reliable, quick and good value before kick-off.
Anatolian Grill
Location: 459 Bury New Road, Prestwich, M25 1AF
Why go: Long-running Turkish restaurant and wine bar spread over two floors, serving mezze, grills and kebabs from across Turkey. A proper sit-down option if you’ve got time before the match.
Panama Hatty’s
Location: Unit 2, The Radius, Fairfax Road, Prestwich, M25 1AS
Why go: Independent grill restaurant serving steaks, burgers and ribs alongside an eclectic global menu, with a lively atmosphere and a well-regarded cocktail list.
Macca’s Bar and Grill
Location: 25-27 Longfield Centre, Prestwich, M25 1AY
Why go: A warm and welcoming Irish bar in the heart of Prestwich village, serving home-cooked pub food alongside sport on the big screens – handy for food and build-up together.
🏨 WHERE TO STAY IN SALFORD
Salford itself has limited accommodation right by the ground, but neighbouring Manchester offers a huge range of options within easy reach by tram or taxi.
💷 Budget (£45-70/night)
Premier Inn Manchester Salford Quays
Reliable budget chain comfort right by MediaCityUK and The Lowry, on the Metrolink and a short taxi ride from the ground.
Location: The Quays, Salford | Book: premierinn.com
Travelodge Manchester Central
A straightforward budget option in central Manchester, well connected to Salford by tram or taxi.
Location: Blackfriars Street, Manchester city centre | Book: travelodge.co.uk
💷💷 Mid-Range (£80-130/night)
Holiday Inn Manchester City Centre
Comfortable, reliable chain hotel near Piccadilly, with good access to the tram network out towards Salford.
Location: Aytoun Street, Manchester city centre | Book: ihg.com
Holiday Inn Express Manchester – Salford Quays
A waterside hotel right by MediaCityUK, within walking distance of The Lowry and Imperial War Museum North, and well connected by tram.
Location: Salford Quays | Book: ihg.com
💷💷💷 Luxury (£130+/night)
The Lowry Hotel
A genuinely five-star hotel right on the River Irwell in Salford, with a spa, riverside restaurant and stylish rooms – a proper treat if you’re making a weekend of the trip.
Location: Chapel Wharf, Salford | Book: thelowryhotel.com
⚽ Booking Tip: Salford Quays is a genuinely good base – MediaCityUK’s waterfront restaurants and easy tram links to both Manchester city centre and Kersal make it a smart choice if you’ve got time to spare.
🎯 THINGS TO DO IN SALFORD
Salford has genuinely transformed in recent decades, with the MediaCityUK development at Salford Quays sitting alongside the city’s older industrial heritage.
🎨 The Lowry (Must Visit!)
A striking arts centre at Salford Quays, home to the world’s largest collection of L.S. Lowry’s paintings and drawings, alongside theatre and gallery spaces. Genuinely one of the region’s best cultural attractions.
Cost: FREE gallery entry | Info: thelowry.com | Time: Allow 1.5-2 hours
📺 MediaCityUK
Home to BBC and ITV studios, with waterfront bars and restaurants around Salford Quays – a genuinely impressive modern development worth exploring before or after the match.
Cost: FREE to explore | Time: Allow 1-2 hours
🎬 Imperial War Museum North
A striking Daniel Libeskind-designed building at Salford Quays, telling the story of how war shapes people’s lives through powerful exhibits and displays.
Cost: FREE | Time: Allow 1.5-2 hours
🌳 Kersal Moor
A historic area of moorland right next to the stadium, once the site of significant Chartist rallies in the 19th century – a nice spot for a pre-match walk with genuine local history.
Cost: FREE | Time: Allow 30-45 minutes
Nearby Attractions
Manchester City Centre:
A short tram ride away, with the National Football Museum, the Northern Quarter and a huge range of restaurants and bars if you want to extend the trip.
🎬 THE SALFORD EXPERIENCE
🎬 Media City: Salford Quays’ MediaCityUK is genuinely one of the North West’s most impressive modern developments – well worth exploring.
🎨 Art on the Doorstep: The Lowry gallery, dedicated to the famous painter L.S. Lowry, is a genuine must-see and completely free.
🏟️ A Rapidly Rising Club: Salford’s journey from non-league to the brink of League One in barely a decade is one of English football’s most remarkable modern stories.
⚽ THE MATCHDAY EXPERIENCE
🎵 Dirty Old Town: The Pogues’ classic plays as the teams walk out – a proper matchday moment at AIG Stadium.
💡 Eye-Catching Floodlights: Look out for the club-badge-shaped floodlights outlined in red LED – a genuinely distinctive touch you won’t see anywhere else in the EFL.
💳 Cashless Ground: Bring a card – the stadium doesn’t accept cash.
📞 USEFUL CONTACTS
⚽ Salford City: salfordcityfc.co.uk
🎫 Ticket Office: salfordcityfc.co.uk/tickets
🚂 National Rail: 03457 48 49 50 | nationalrail.co.uk
🚋 Metrolink (Tram): tfgm.com
🎨 The Lowry: thelowry.com
ℹ️ Visit Salford: visitsalford.info
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⚽ Part of the Football Nonsense Away Days Collection
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John Herman is a Leeds-based, would-be football writer and founder of Football Nonsense. Blending fan passion with sharp opinion, attempting to tackle the game’s biggest debates, from the terraces to the boardroom, with honesty, (attempted) humour, and heart.