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 Calum Scott, Gladiators Live, Disney On Ice, Cirque Wicked Wizard Of Oz, Mika, Premier League Darts, Yungblud, Mo Gilligan and Ocean Colour Scene. 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 Calum Scott, Gladiators Live, Disney On Ice, Cirque Wicked Wizard Of Oz, Mika, Premier League Darts, Yungblud, Mo Gilligan and Ocean Colour Scene. 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
Disney On Ice - Find Your Hero
AO Arena
Saturday 13 - Sunday 14 December 2025
Disney On Ice presents Find Your Hero, an adventure filled with tales of heroism from your favorite Disney stories. Join fearless wayfinder Moana and demigod Maui as they bravely voyage into uncharted territories to return the stolen heart ...Jimmy Carr
AO Arena
Tuesday 16 December 2025
Star of the UK's most streamed Netflix comedy special of 2021, Jimmy is back on the road with a brand new show, Laughs Funny. Jimmy's show contains jokes about all kinds of terrible things. Terrible things that might have affected you or pe...Cirque Wicked Wizard of Oz
AO Arena
Tuesday 23 December 2025
Panto meets Cirque with a cast of 60 and spectacular aerial stunts and amazing special effects in this international class arena show as The World's Biggest Productions present a brand-new, breath-taking, Cirque staging... of the Wicked Wiz...Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live
AO Arena
Saturday 3 - Sunday 4 January 2026
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 Tru...The National Lottery's Big Night of Musicals
AO Arena
Monday 26 January 2026
The National Lottery's Big Night of Musicals will once again illuminate Manchester's AO Arena on 26 January 2026, delivering its most ambitious celebration of British theatre to date. Now in its fifth year, this unmissable event, once ag...Strictly Come Dancing - The Live Tour
AO Arena, Manchester
Saturday 31 January - Sunday 1 February 2026
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 ...Motionless in White
AO Arena, Manchester
Saturday 7 February 2026
With their unique combination of industrial metal dissonance, captivating gothic bombast and powerful, contemporary metalcore, Pennsylvania's Motionless In White have become one of the most important forces in modern US rock music. With ove...MIKA
AO Arena, Manchester
Wednesday 11 February 2026
Building upon the musical territory of his idol Freddie Mercury, and artists like Elton John and The Scissor Sisters, Beirut-born, Paris and London-raised classically trained pop singer-songwriter Mika experienced his breakthrough with his ...Alter Bridge
AO Arena, Manchester
Thursday 26 February 2026
Formed by Creed band members Mark Tremonti, Scott Phillips and Brian Marshall, and recruiting vocalist Myles Kennedy, Florida's Alter Bridge combine progressive metal and hard rock. It doesn't matter if you like to call it metal or hard r...Rockin'1000
AO Arena, Manchester
Saturday 7 March 2026
Rockin' 1000 brings the biggest rock band on earth to the UK. 300 Musicians Will Perform Together for an Epic Night of Rock Music. Rockin'1000, the global collective of more than 100.000 musicians who perform together in stadiums across the...Tyler Childers
AO Arena, Manchester
Sunday 8 March 2026
Kentucky bluegrass singer Tyler Childers is the finest songwriter to emerge from the Bluegrass State since Chris Knight and should be mentioned in the same breath as Fifth on the Floor, Sturgill Simpson, Chris Stapelton, and others who are ...The Big Festoon
AO Arena, Manchester
Wednesday 11 March 2026
Get READY! The UK's biggest business and life development event, The BIG Festoon, returns across the UK & the US in 2025 and 2026! Get ready to Show Up, Wise Up and Rise Up with awe-inspiring talks and performances from Dani Wallace, breakt...Ken Carson
AO Arena, Manchester
Sunday 15 March 2026
Closely affiliated with Playboi Carti's Opium labelmate and frequent collaborator Destroy Lonely, Atlanta, Georgia rapper Ken Carson gained popularity on TikTok with Southern hip-hop tracks "Rock N Roll" and "Run + Ran". ...Reneé Rapp
AO Arena, Manchester
Wednesday 18 March 2026
The Sex Lives of College Girls actress, Broadway performer and North Carolina singer emabrks on a world tour to promote her unfiltered and deeply vulnerable debut EP Everything to Everyone, which includes the hit "Too Well". ...GIVĒON
AO Arena
Friday 20 March 2026
With a Rat Pack-style vibe and elevated storytelling woven tightly through his music, Long Beach native and GRAMMY nominated singing sensation Giveon is here to give R&B the re-up it needs. After landing stardom in 2020, thanks to his voc...Super League Basketball Cup Finals
AO Arena
Sunday 22 March 2026
For the first time, the iconic AO Arena in Manchester will play host to both the Men's and Women's Cup Finals. The SLB Cup Final is one of the most anticipated events in the British basketball calendar, offering a second shot at silverwar...Gunna
AO Arena
Thursday 26 March 2026
Georgia rapper Gunna is best known in the UK for his chart-topping single "Lemonade" (with Internet Money and Don Toliver featuring Nav), plus the Top 30 Platinum-sellers "Drip Too Hard" (with Lil Baby) and "FukUMean" among other hits. H...Help I Sexted My Boss
AO Arena, Manchester
Saturday 28 March 2026
Life is full of personal calamities. Thankfully, William Hanson and Jordan North are here to help you navigate the daily struggles of modern life. Well, most of the time... William and Jordan's lives couldn't be more different. One's more B...Premier League Darts
AO Arena, Manchester
Thursday 2 April 2026
The BetMGM Premier League returns in 2026. The roadshow event will be staged on Thursday nights from February until May, as the top names in world darts compete for the coveted title and a record prize fund of £1.25m. In 2025, World nu...Gabby's Dollhouse Live
AO Arena, Manchester
Sunday 5 April 2026
Gabby's Dollhouse Live! is a brand-new stage show inspired by the magical world of the global preschool sensation from DreamWorks Animation. In this a-MEOW-zing musical show, Gabby unboxes a special acorn that needs the magical touch of a...Shreya Ghoshal
AO Arena, Manchester
Friday 10 April 2026
Bollywood superstar and "Queen of Melody" comes to the UK. Highly regarded as one of the most successful singers of all time, she has established herself as one of the leading singers in Hindi, Kannada, Telugu, Bengali, Tamil, Malayalam, ...Matt Rife
AO Arena, Manchester
Friday 24 April 2026
From Columbus Ohio, Matt Rife has exploded as one of the fastest growing comedians through his viral content and remarkable engagement on TikTok, where he has amassed over 5 Million followers, and more than 260 million views globally. One o...YUNGBLUD
AO Arena, Manchester
Saturday 25 April 2026
Doncaster-based Dominic Harrison anthemic alt-pop performer and songwriter whose releases include the 2017 radio-favourite King Charles and his 2018 debut album, "21st Century Liability". He finished 3rd in the BBC Sound of 2020 poll. ...Clubland
AO Arena
Saturday 2 May 2026
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 of compilation albums in 2002 an...Conan Gray
AO Arena, Manchester
Saturday 9 May 2026
Attracting unanimous applause of everyone from Sir Elton John to Taylor Swift, Texan indie pop singer-songwriter Conan Gray has quickly cemented himself as one of the freshest voices in music during his meteoric rise with over 9 billion ...Calum Scott
AO Arena, Manchester
Wednesday 27 May 2026
After rising to fame on the 2015 season of Britain's Got Talent, singer/songwriter Calum Scott was able to parlay his success into a recording career as a soulful pop artist. The Hull-bred musician's compelling version of Robyn's "Danci...Dermot Kennedy
AO Arena, Manchester
Saturday 30 May 2026
After reaching the #1 spot in the UK and Irish Official Album Charts with debut album 'Without Fear', which achieved multi-platinum status with hit top 10 single 'Outnumbered' as well as the top 20 with singles 'Power Over Me' and the hit '...UB40
AO Arena, Manchester
Saturday 6 June 2026
Formed in 1978, UB40 and named themselves after the unemployment benefit form. Their debut album, Signing Off, was released in 1980 and is considered by many to be one of the greatest reggae albums ever released by a British band. That coll...Foreigner
AO Arena
Thursday 18 June 2026
Hard-rocking hit makers, known for their power ballads and catchy anthems, Foreigner celebrate their 50th anniversary in 2026. The hybrid rock band got its start in 1976 when Portsmouth-born musician Mick Jones found himself stranded in New...Lily Allen
AO Arena, Manchester
Friday 19 - Saturday 20 June 2026
The remarkable multiple Brit, Grammy, Ivor Novello, Mercury, NME and Laurence Olivier Award winning autiobiographical pop star returns. From being a child actor in a 1998 episode of the Comic Strip Presents (her father is comedian Keith All...The B-52's + Devo
AO Arena, Manchester
Sunday 21 June 2026
A co-headline tour from the dance rock legends. Formed in 1976 in Athens, Georgia (the same town as R.E.M.), and drawing from 1950s and 1960s pop music, rock and roll, and camp/kitsch culture, The B-52's are best known for their 1989 intern...Sammy Hagar (Van Halen)
AO Arena
Saturday 4 July 2026
For almost forty years, Sammy Hagar has been one of rock music's most dynamic and prolific artists. From first bursting onto the scene in San Francisco as the lead singer of seminal hard rock band Montrose to his multiplatinum solo career ...Peter Kay
AO Arena
Saturday 8 August 2026
One of Britain's best loved comedians, Peter Kay is finally returning to stand-up comedy with his first live tour in twelve years - a tour which still officially ranks in the Guinness Book of World Records as the biggest selling comedy tour...Jane McDonald
AO Arena, Manchester
Thursday 10 September 2026
National treasure and singing sensation Jane McDonald is officially Living The Dream as she announces a brand-new UK tour and album for 2026. The star of stage and screen presents her nod to Country unveiling her passion for the music,...Mo Gilligan
AO Arena, Manchester
Saturday 17 October 2026
Mo Gilligan is a British stand-up comedian known for his observational comedy. After several years of uploading comedy clips to social media, he found global success in 2017. He hosted The Lateish Show with Mo Gilligan, which debuted in 201...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 anyt...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 words...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, ...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 20...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 a...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 LondonTheatres.com isn't the venue itself. We promote what's on at the AO Arena and all other venues in London and the local region. Feel free to contact us if you need more help though and we'll do our best to support you.
