Manchester City have rejected suggestions that playing at Old Trafford would have been better for their youngsters than at the Joie Stadium
Manchester City's Joie Stadium will host the FA Youth Cup final against Manchester United
Manchester City's Joie Stadium will host the FA Youth Cup final against Manchester United(Image: Matt McNulty/Getty Images)
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Manchester City have hit back at complaints over their decision to host the FA Youth Cup final at the Joie Stadium. As the Under-18s coach and players have defended the use of the smaller ground, club officials have expressed surprised at the outrage over the call.
The rules of the prestigious youth competition state that it should be played at the main stadium of the home team, yet with the Etihad unavailable due to construction work City opted for the Joie. Going from a potential crowd of 60,000 to not much more than 6,000 is a huge reduction in the size of potential audience for a youth final and wasn't City's first choice, but having the new North Stand at the Etihad ready for the final Premier League game against Aston Villa next Sunday was prioritised.
That decision has prompted criticism, especially because City rejected United's request to switch the game to Old Trafford to give young players what could be the only opportunity in their careers to play in one of the biggest stadiums in the country. The last five finals have all been played at the main stadium of the home team, including when City hosted Leeds in 2024.
There has been surprise at City, however, over the level of outrage. This is the fifth time the Joie Stadium will have been used for an FA Cup final and the previous four did not attract anger.
Admittedly, this is the first one of those that United have been involved in but while the Reds did attract a capacity crowd of 67,000 when they hosted the final in 2022 attendances in youth football are generally a fraction of that. There were only 3,000 at Old Trafford this season for their semi-final and just 1,000 turned up last Friday at the Joie for a Manchester derby in the semi-finals of the Under-21 competition.
While United did request to switch the final to Old Trafford and the FA would have preferred that, City are confident in their ability to develop youngsters who are able to shine on the biggest stages. In April and May alone, they will have have 11 academy graduates across three clubs at Wembley for the FA Cup semi-finals, young goalkeeper Oliver Whatmuff starring there on loan for Rochdale in the National League play-off final and at least another two will be in the Championship play-off final after Hull booked their place.
Playing at Old Trafford would represent a bigger challenge for City's youngsters, but there are also questions over whether it would be an entirely positive one. Hostile atmospheres are something every player has to be prepared for, yet the disgusting abuse that homegrown star Phil Foden has had chanted in his direction in recent years when playing for the City first team at Old Trafford has not been forgotten - especially with an academy where everyone still looks up to Foden.
City Under-18s players Harrison Miles and Teddie Lamb batted off suggestions ahead of the final that there was any disappointment for them playing at the Joie, citing the Youth League and women's Champions League games that have been played there. Their coach, Oliver Reiss, spoke of the importance of winning as a development tool.
"I think our supporters deserved us to play in front of them at one of our venues. To have a little home advantage – we don’t want to give this away," he said. "I can’t say how important it will be. To have this experience, a challenge to prove your quality, is the most important thing.
"We want to win titles but you don’t really know what it means for you as an individual and your future. But to be part of a winning team, when everyone is talking… 'can you remember the Man City 2026 team who won the Youth Cup? Who was involved? Who were the special players?' That is better than the opposite."