Manchester City stadium decision labelled a 'robbery' as club receive flak from rivals

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MAY 03: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) General view inside the stadium prior to the Barclays Women&apos;s Super League match between Manchester City and Liverpool at Joie Stadium on May 03, 2026 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images) — Manchester City's Joie Academy Stadium (Image credit: Getty Images)

Manchester City rejected an offer to play this season's FA Youth Cup Final at their opponents' Old Trafford home, after it was decided the Etihad Stadium would be unavailable to host the fixture.

Manchester United supporter groups and players' families are dismayed by the decision to play the fixture at such a small venue, with demand for tickets reportedly exceeding supply.

Manchester United parents 'struggling to get tickets' for Youth Cup Final

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - APRIL 14: A general view of the Joie Stadium during the Premier League 2 match between Manchester City U21 and Newcastle United U21 at Joie Stadium on April 14, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Harriet Massey/Newcastle United via Getty Images) — A general view of the Joie Stadium (Image credit: Getty Images)

Typically, the game is hosted at the stadium of whichever team is drawn as the home side, but Man City have instead chosen to contest the final at their much smaller academy venue.

Pep Guardiola's side still have two Premier League fixtures to play at the Etihad before the season finale in just under a fortnight, as well as a test event on May 20, however, those two matches are separated by an 11-day gap.

Since 2000, every other host club has played the FA Youth Cup Final at their primary stadium.

Manchester United youngster JJ Gabriel's father Joe took to social media to share his frustration at the decision, dubbing it a 'robbery of kids' dreams'.

"To not play it in a main stadium is ludicrous. I don't blame City, I blame the FA for allowing it to happen," he said.

According to the BBC, Manchester United academy staff are 'unhappy with the situation' and the decision has left many parents annoyed with some reportedly struggling to get tickets due to the reduced capacity.

An allocation just short of 1,000 has been made available to visiting supporters.

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Joe joined FourFourTwo as senior digital writer in July 2025 after five years covering Leeds United in the Championship and Premier League. Joe's 'Mastermind' specialist subject is 2000s-era Newcastle United having had a season ticket at St. James' Park for 10 years before relocating to Leeds and later London. Joe takes a keen interest in youth football, covering PL2, U21 Euros, as well as U20 and U17 World Cups in the past, in addition to hosting the industry-leading football recruitment-focused SCOUTED podcast. He is also one of the lucky few to have 'hit top bins' as a contestant on Soccer AM. It wasn't a shin-roller.