Manchester is one of the world's most famous footballing cities. It is one of only two cities in the world to be home to two European Cup winners – Manchester United (1968, 1999 and 2008) and Manchester City (2023).
The other being Milan with AC Milan (1963, 1068, 1989. 1990, 1994, 2003, 2007) and Inter Milan (1964, 1965, 2010).
It is also the only city in Europe with two treble-winning clubs at its heart, following United's historic season in 1998/00 and City's in 2022/23.
The question of how many football clubs are in Manchester is a subject of debate, as the city's borders have been disputed for many years. The answer to that question often depends on which geographic area one considers part of Manchester.
In this post, we are focusing on the Greater Manchester area, which is home to several clubs with amazing histories. From Non-League to the Football League, we have delved deeper to help you discover more. To begin with, there are a total of eight Football League clubs in Greater Manchester, as well as several others in the lower divisions.
Premier League football clubs in Manchester
There are two clubs in the Premier League from Greater Manchester: Manchester United and Manchester City. These are two of the most talked-about teams in world football, but it wasn't always that way.
While Manchester United have always been a behemoth in the world of football, Manchester City have dipped in and out of relevance. However, over the past 15 years, they have stepped away from United's shadow and become one of the best and biggest clubs in the world in their own right.
Manchester United
Manchester United were founded as Newton Heath in 1878, before changing their name in 1902 to Manchester United. In the succeeding century and a bit, United became the city's biggest and most successful club, and at one stage, only Real Madrid could talk to them in terms of size, wealth and popularity on the world stage.
With 20 league titles, 12 FA Cups, and three European Cups in the bag, United are still a global sporting powerhouse, even if success on the pitch has slowed down since 2013, when Sir Alex Ferguson retired.
Speaking of Ferguson, there is a strong argument that he is the greatest manager in the sport's history given the dynasty he built at Old Trafford over a 26-year period. At the same time, they've also had their fair share of playing superstars throughout their history, including Sir Bobby Charlton, George Best, Roy Keane, David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney, amongst many others.
The club has played its football at Old Trafford since 1910. However, that is all set to change in the coming years, as at the beginning of 2025, the club announced that they were pushing forward with plans to build a new 100,000-seater stadium next to the site of the current stadium.
Manchester City
Founded in 1880 as St Mark's, the club changed its name to Manchester City in 1894 and won its first FA Cup in 1904 before a renewed period of success in the 1930s and 1960s.
City's 2010s-present dominance has catapulted them to global fame, and whilst they have a long way to go to catch up to their local rivals' trophy haul, they have won more than their fair share, with nine top-flight league titles, seven FA cups and one European Cup.
They have dominated English football over the past decade in a way similar to how their local rivals did in the 90s and 2000s, which has meant Manchester has been the home of the best English football club for nearly 40 years.
City's success is largely attributed to the tactical prowess of manager Pep Guardiola, financial muscle and the talent that has graced the Etihad in recent years. Pep joined the Cityzens in July 2016 and has remained a dominant force in the English Premier League.
The club used to play at Maine Road but moved to their current home, the Etihad Stadium, in 2003. They are currently expanding the North Stand of the stadium to boost the overall capacity of their home to more than 60,000.
EFL Championship football clubs from Greater Manchester
Surprisingly, there are no clubs in the Championship that come from the Greater Manchester area.
This hasn't always been the case. As you'll see below, several clubs have risen and fallen from League One to the Premier League and back over the last decade, stopping on their way to the Championship.
How many League One football teams are in Manchester?
Three League One clubs call Greater Manchester home. They are Bolton Wanderers, Wigan Athletic and Stockport County.
Bolton Wanderers FC, once a Premier League outfit, is one of English football's oldest clubs. Founded in 1874, as Christ Church Football Club, they changed to their current name three years later in 1877.
The club has never won a top-flight league, but they have lifted the FA Cup on four occasions, the latest of which came in 1958, against rivals Manchester United. They have also won three second-division titles, but they are currently a long way away from returning to the Premier League.
Bolton have been under huge financial pressure over recent years, but things are now starting to look up. In 2023, they won the EFL Trophy and promotion back to the Championship now on the agenda.
They currently play at the Toughsheet Community Stadium, which has had numerous name changes over the last few years due to naming rights and sponsorship changes.
Wigan Athletic, like Bolton, have also recently played in the Premier League but since tumbled down the English football pyramid.
The club was founded in 1932 and used to play at Springfield Park. That was until 1999, when they moved to their current home, the DW Stadium.
The Latics haven't enjoyed much silverware down the years but, like Bolton, their most recent FA Cup victory came against one of the Manchester big boys. Wigan shocked the world by lifting the Cup for the first time by beating Manchester City 1-0 at Wembley in 2013, the same year they were relegated to the Championship.
Who could forget the scenes when Ben Watson headed the Latics ahead in the 93rd minute to give the so-called smaller club from Greater Manchester the bragging rights over their bigger, more successful, local rivals?
The other club is Stockport County, founded in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers. They were renamed in 1890 to Stockport County.
Stockport have spent most of their time playing in the lower leagues. They gained promotion to the Football League in 2022 after winning the National League and nearly made it back-to-back promotions when they got to the League Two play-off final. Unfortunately, the Hatters lost the final at Wembley to Carlisle United.
They didn't waste any time in redeeming that loss, though, as the following season, they secured promotion back to League One.
The club currently plays its home matches at Edgeley Park.
League Two football teams in Manchester
There is one club from the Greater Manchester area in League Two, namely Salford City.
Salford City FC were founded back in 1940 and have mostly played in the lower tiers of English football. However, a takeover by the Class of '92, a group of former Manchester United players (Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs, Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes), has led to their rapid rise.
Significant investment has been rewarded with several promotions. Salford even made the 2022/23 League Two play-offs, only to lose to local rivals, Stockport County, on penalties. The club plays at Moor Lane and has done so since 1978. The stadium has undergone significant renovations in the last decade.
In recent times, further investment has come into the club, and David Beckham has jumped on board. Will this new investment see them finally escape League Two?
How many National League and non-League football teams are in Manchester?
Numerous clubs from Greater Manchester play in the lower tiers of English football. Three of them currently play in the National League, with Oldham Athletic easily one of the bigger clubs to play at this level.
Founded in 1895 as Pine Ville FC, they changed their name to Oldham Athletic in 1899. The club was one of the founding members of the Premier League and played at the top tier of English football for several years. Once they were relegated, however, they never recovered and tumbled down the league pyramid.
They are the first club to play in the Premier League and be relegated from the Football League, an unwanted bit of history that their fans try to forget. They play their home matches at Boundary Park.
Rochdale currently plays in the National League. Founded in 1907, the club was recently relegated after a 102-year stint in the Football League. They currently play their home matches at Spotland Stadium.
Altrincham FC is the other club from the area that plays in the National League. They were founded in 1891 and play their football at Moss Lane.
Other clubs from the Greater Manchester area who play in leagues lower than the National League are, Curzon Ashton, Ashton United, Atherton Collieries, United FC of Manchester, Hyde United, Radcliffe, Stalybridge Celtic, Mossley, Ramsbottom United, Bury FC and Trafford.
Greater Manchester is home to several clubs, some of which boast a rich history of success. At the same time, those in the lower tiers have looked promising in recent years, thanks to significant investments by owners.
A map of football clubs in Greater Manchester
Below, we have embedded a map showing all the football clubs' stadiums in Greater Manchester, England.