Manchester Airport is red: Man City come in second for number of shirts bought according to new data

Fans do so with pride, and those using Manchester Airport are no different. Research carried out by the airport has shown which club shirts are bought the most by passengers at the airport.

The airport regularly welcomes players from both Manchester United and Manchester City, as well as the likes of Liverpool when they travel abroad for European games and pre-season tours. But when it comes to fans, it is Man United that had the tills ringing more than their noisy neighbours, claiming top spot for the past three years, ahead of City in second place on each occasion.

As Euros fever gripped the nation this summer, England shirts took third spot, climbing ahead of Liverpool, which had occupied that position in the prior two years. Everton featured in the top five in 2022 and 2023, but were pipped by Arsenal this year.

Manchester Airport retail director Richard Jackson said: “The league table for Manchester in many ways reflects the cities we serve, with both United and City, Liverpool and Everton featuring prominently across the last three years. Given the excitement of the Euros, it’s perhaps no surprise to see England creep into the top five this year, while we know the airport is popular with a lot of Scottish passengers, which explains Celtic taking fifth spot in 2022.

“We are proud to serve all of the North and beyond – and whenever you walk around the terminals, you are sure to see a wide range of different shirts on display. So, it’s no surprise to see Liverpool and Everton challenging the two Manchester clubs – but you also see the likes of Leeds, Sunderland, Blackburn and Rangers shirts on a regular basis. People also love to bag a bargain and with kits typically cheaper than on the high street, fans who haven’t already queued up all night at their club shop will wait until their next holiday to buy one.”