The MOBO Awards is moving to Manchester for its 2026 edition.
The celebration of Black music and culture is joining the BRITs in the switch to Co-op Live in the city. The MOBOs will take place on Thursday, March 26, 2026 – a month after the BRITs is scheduled to take place at the venue.
It will be the first time for the MOBOs in Manchester and the event will form part of the MOBO Organisation’s 30th anniversary celebrations. Tickets go on sale in December.
Since 2009, the MOBO Awards has headed to cities across the UK, shining a spotlight on Black music and culture while championing local talent and communities. Previous host cities have included London, Liverpool, Leeds, Glasgow, Coventry, Sheffield and Newcastle.
Ahead of the ceremony, MOBO is also collaborating with Manchester City Council to deliver the MOBO Fringe Festival, a week-long celebration of music, culture and creativity in the lead-up to the awards. The free programme will feature industry panels, talent showcases, live performances and creative workshops spanning music, tech, and the arts.
It builds on the success of MOBO Fringe 2025 in Newcastle, which drew thousands of attendees and delivered an estimated £1 million-plus in combined economic and social impact for the city and wider North East region.
Kanya King CBE, founder and CEO of MOBO Group, said: “For 30 years, MOBO has been more than an awards show – it has been a movement, shaping culture, championing creativity, and opening doors for generations of talent. This milestone is a reminder that when you celebrate culture, you don’t just preserve history – you shape the future. Three decades on, the MOBO Awards remain a powerful reminder of how music can inspire, unite and transform lives. Manchester has always been a city of music and movement, and now, together with MOBO, we will write the next chapter of cultural history.”
Manchester has always been a city of music and movement, and now, together with MOBO, we will write the next chapter of cultural history
Kanya King
Councillor Bev Craig, leader of Manchester City Council, said: "We’re honoured to have been chosen by MOBO to host their awards in what is such a special year for them as they mark an incredible 30 years of celebrating Black music and culture. As a proudly diverse city that is known the world over as a city of music, creativity and talent, the MOBOs and Manchester are made for each other.
"We have a lot of expertise as a city in delivering world-class events with a global reach, and together with our partners at Co-op Live and across the city we're determined to do everything we can to support MOBO in making sure next year's event hits all the right notes and is the very best one yet.
"Recognising and supporting emerging talent and our grassroots music scene in Manchester is also really important to us and we're looking forward to collaborating with MOBO on the MOBO Fringe Festival which is set to provide some amazing and unmissable opportunities for young musicians and others to gain experience, learn from, get involved in and enjoy."
Jessica Koravos, president, Oak View Group international and director of Co-op Live, said: “Collaborating with Manchester City Council to bring the renowned MOBO Awards to Manchester further honours Co-op Live’s ambition to champion the very best in the industry, to celebrate diversity, and to mirror our host city’s world-famous cultural vibrancy. With Co-op Live, we are delighted to offer a fitting backdrop for MOBO’s prestigious 30th year ceremony, and to further showcase our state of the art, purpose-built venue carefully designed for an event not just this scale, but significance.”
Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said: “For MOBO to choose to host its 30th anniversary in Manchester is a huge privilege. Greater Manchester has a rich and diverse musical heritage, and I know that the MOBO awards taking part in our region will mean so much to so many people. We will pull out all the stops to make sure this event is given the stage it deserves and it gives people an opportunity to celebrate everything that is great about MOBO.”
MOBO will welcome back both Prostate Cancer UK and got2b as returning partners for the 2026 ceremony.
Beyond the Awards, the MOBO Group operates initiatives such as MOBO UnSung, MOBO Help Musicians Amplified, and MOBOLISE, its career development platform connecting diverse talent to skills, opportunities and pathways into the workforce.
PHOTO: Nick Flynn
