THE jubilations (or commiserations, depending which way you sway) from last weekend's huge derby game are still palpable in Manchester. Red or Blue, the passion of the city's football fans can't be faulted. 

A great place then to host the Soccerex Football Festival (5-6 September) which aims to galvanize Manchester’s young, passionate and football mad population.

As well as bringing together the stars of the past, the Soccerex Football Festival will also be an opportunity to engage the future stars of the game

Old Granada Studios has been chosen as this year's venue for the urban-themed football festival, after first launching in the UK last year at Manchester City’s Etihad Campus.

The free to attend festival is growing in size and taking on a new concept for 2015. Spread across three distinct areas, covering 1,600 sq m, Soccerex say it's the UK’s largest ever football festival.

The new format will see Soccerex’s internationally acclaimed legends tournament revamped into a 3-on-3 skill match, with an emphasis on dribbling, quick feet and trickery. The skills theme will continue with the introduction of a ‘Panna Cage’ and freestyle competitions and tutorials by some of the world’s leading football technicians. 

.Old Granada Studios

As well as bringing together the stars of the past, the Soccerex Football Festival will also be an opportunity to engage the future stars of the game. A number of youth tournaments and training sessions will be delivered on the main stage by the country’s leading coaching and development organisations. Football activities such as Zorb football (players are all swallowed up in a bubble), 'empowerment' workshops and digital gaming will also feature in two fun packed days.

Old Granada Studios joins the list of distinguished Football Festival hosts including Jumeirah beach in Dubai, Nelson Mandela Square in Johannesburg and Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro.

Soccerex CEO Duncan Revie said: “The City of Manchester is home to some of the most passionate football fans in the world, which was demonstrated at last year’s Festival.

"I’d like to thank Manchester City for being fantastic hosts in 2014, but with the new concept and the growth of this year’s Festival, Old Granada Studios offer us a unique, authentic and central venue. With a new focus on skill, trickery and flare as well as host of international superstars in attendance, I think this is going to be our most exciting and popular Festival to date.”

For more information on the Soccerex Football Festival, visit www.soccerexff.com.