The route is part of the CyanLines initiative, an ambitious scheme to build a 100-mile network of walkways, cycling paths and green corridors across the Greater Manchester region over the next decade.
The Etihad Campus will be connected to Piccadilly Station via Ashton Canal, New Islington and Holt Town, opening up a new active travel corridor between the city's central transport hub and one of its most significant sporting and commercial districts.
The announcement represents a significant step in the long-term development of the area surrounding the Etihad Stadium, which has undergone substantial change since Manchester City's arrival there from Maine Road in 2003 and is now one of the most visited destinations in the north of England on matchdays.
The walkway would create a direct, traffic-free link between Piccadilly Station and the stadium for the first time, offering fans, workers and residents a route that bypasses the roads that currently separate the campus from the city's rail infrastructure.
Two further CyanLines routes are in development in Newton Heath and Rusholme, extending the network across a broader area of Greater Manchester and reinforcing the project's ambition to function as a region-wide asset rather than a single point-to-point connection.
The backing for the scheme spans public and private sectors. Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Manchester and Trafford councils, the Canal and River Trust, the National Trust, and property developers Renaker and Urban Splash are among those supporting the project alongside Manchester City.
Greater Manchester mayor Bev Craig said: "It's not just about travel, the whole point of CyanLines is 100 miles of nature connected together, and yes it's about how you move, cycle and walk, but it's something more fundamental."
As quoted by the [BBC](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd79y0pwe3po), Manchester City's director of sustainability Pete Bradshaw said: "The plans for the CyanLines route add a new layer of nature-rich, innovative and imaginative active travel and community experiences for fans, visitors and those living and working in the neighbourhood."
Alongside the CyanLines announcement, funding for the next phase of the Castlefield Viaduct sky park project was also confirmed.
The first phase of the old railway line's transformation into a public park opened in 2022, and the second phase will extend it to the structure's full 330-metre length. The project is being supported by the Bupa Foundation's Healthy Cities programme.
Hilary McGrady, director-general at the National Trust, said: "Bupa's funding will help the Trust extend the sky park project in Manchester, meaning more people will experience and benefit from this green space that sits in the heart of the city."
The CyanLines connection between Piccadilly Station and the Etihad Campus addresses a gap in active travel infrastructure that has long been apparent around one of the country's most heavily attended sports venues.
On a normal matchday, the roads between the city centre and the stadium carry a volume of pedestrian traffic that a direct, nature-rich walkway would significantly ease, while also improving the experience of those arriving from the national rail network.
For Manchester City's broader community and sustainability commitments, which have become an increasingly significant part of how the club presents itself alongside its footballing operations, the walkway offers a tangible, physical representation of those commitments embedded into the city's infrastructure.
The ten-year timeline for the full 100-mile CyanLines network means the Etihad route is among the first to be revealed rather than the last to be completed.
How quickly the floating walkway itself moves from announcement to construction will depend on the planning and funding milestones still ahead; but with Manchester City, Greater Manchester Combined Authority and a broad coalition of private backers already aligned, the political and commercial conditions for delivery appear more favourable than most infrastructure projects of this scale at this stage.
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