Strolling through the heart of Manchester is one of my favourite things to do, namely because a few lefts and rights take you right to the door of the iconic National Football Museum.
Which, if you’ve never heard of it, is as deliberately names as it is clearly focused.
Located in the distinctive Urbis building in Manchester city centre, the National Football Museum isn’t dedicated to Manchester United, Manchester City or even the England national team. Or Salford City – much to the assumed chagrin of their owners. Instead, it attempts something considerably bigger: telling the story of football itself.
And 2026 is a particularly good year to visit. Sixty years have passed since England won the 1966 World Cup, while new exhibitions, the Hall of Fame Gallery and an enormous collection of shirts, trophies, boots and football ephemera make this as much a destination for collectors as it is for casual supporters.
Here’s some of the many things to look out for…
NB: Please bear in mind that this article, while updated as regularly as we can, does not include seasonal or one-off / limited-time-only exhibitions. For that, you’d better keep your eyes peeled on the official National Football Museum website.
The Ball From the 1966 World Cup Final
Let’s start with arguably the most important football collectible in England.
The museum displays the actual Slazenger Challenge 4 Star ball used in the 1966 World Cup Final.
Not one from the tournament. The ball from the actual final.
Only one ball was used throughout England’s 4-2 victory over West Germany, meaning this is the football Geoff Hurst struck while becoming the first man to score a World Cup Final hat-trick. Whether it crossed the line for the 3rd goal is immaterial here…
Though it may be something we cover over on the Hobby FC Stories section.
Alongside it is another remarkable piece: the FA’s 1966 Jules Rimet Trophy replica.
The original trophy eventually disappeared after being stolen in Brazil in 1983. The museum’s version was secretly produced by silversmith George Bird ahead of the 1966 tournament and was used during England’s celebrations while the genuine trophy was protected. It is now displayed on loan from FIFA. Don’t tell Gianni…
The History of the English Game
The National Football Museum collection contains an extraordinary range of football history.
Among the museum highlights are the original 1863 Laws of the Game, the oldest surviving FA Cup trophy and the First Division trophy. Then things become particularly interesting for Hobby FC readers and general collectible lovers.
The wider collection includes Geoff Hurst’s 1966 England shirt, Denis Irwin’s Manchester United shirt from 1999, Stanley Matthews’ 1953 Blackpool shirt, Trent Alexander-Arnold’s boots, Mary Earps’ goalkeeper gloves, Billy Wright’s England cap and even World Cup sticker collections.
There are programmes, medals, scarves, pennants and Subbuteo figures too. What a time that was, ey?
Study the Shirts, Boots and Memorabilia
If you collect football shirts, give yourself plenty of time. Oh, and remember that Classic Football Shirts (CFS) is located not too far away, either – here’s a writeup I did on their London store, if you want a flavour of what you’d be getting into!
The museum’s Play Gallery currently includes shirts worn by Wayne Rooney, Ian Wright and Peter Schmeichel, alongside exhibits exploring the development of football equipment.
You can study how genuine period shirts were constructed. Look at badges, manufacturers’ logos, shirt materials, numbering and sponsors. Compare match-worn examples with the replicas you remember owning.
Boot collectors can do exactly the same thing.
The museum’s archive includes Trent Alexander-Arnold’s boots from 2020 and Jimmy Glass’ famous boots, while previous exhibitions have featured boots connected to Pelé and the 1966 World Cup.
It’s effectively reference material for collectors presented as an exhibition.
The National Football Museum in 2026
The timing matters.
2026 marks the 60th anniversary of England’s World Cup victory, giving the museum’s extraordinary 1966 objects even greater relevance.
There’s plenty happening beyond nostalgia, too.
The new Hall of Fame Gallery opened in June 2026 and celebrates the players, managers and pioneers who have shaped English football.
Until 1 November 2026, visitors can also explore Head, Shoulders, Knees & Goals, an exhibition examining the relationship between football and the human body. It covers movement, sports science, nutrition and clothing, but also ventures onto the terraces to explore the sights, sounds and even smells associated with football fandom.
There’s also NFM x Yard Ball, which transforms part of the museum into a nostalgic street-football experience inspired by playing outside during the 1990s.
There’s also a Sir Alex Ferguson activation coming soon in aid of his new book. More on that later…
So what do you say? Are you on your way to the National Football Museum this year?