For plenty of City supporters heading into the Estádio do Dragão tonight, this should be a new European away ground to tick off.
City have been here before, of course. They visited Porto in the Europa League in 2012, returned behind closed doors in the Champions League in 2020 and were back six months later for that painful Champions League final defeat to Chelsea.
There were City supporters at the final, but with an allocation of 5,850 under the Covid restrictions of the time. The previous visit supporters could attend had been nine years earlier.
So it’s probably fair to assume that plenty among tonight’s 2,516 travelling Blues will be watching City at the Dragão for the first time. And quite a ground awaits them.
What is the Estádio do Dragão like?
Opened in 2003, the Dragão holds just over 50,000 and is one of Portugal’s biggest.
The two large tiers along the sides are joined by lower stands behind each goal, with the curved roof and open corners giving the place a distinctive look. Porto’s European nights have a reputation for noise, and this is certainly not one of those grounds where the away support is likely to have things its own way.
The most vocal Porto support traditionally comes from the Super Dragões and Colectivo Ultras 95 groups behind the goals.
Where will City fans be?
Visiting supporters are normally housed high in the East Stand, around blocks 47 to 50. It means a good elevated view of the pitch, although anyone who doesn’t particularly enjoy heights might want to prepare themselves for the climb.
Recent visiting-supporter information for the Dragão has put the away entrance at Gates 19 and 20, with the away section in the upper tier. There can be ticket checks and searches before reaching the turnstiles.
City have warned that a limited number of matchday ticket checks will take place tonight, so supporters should make sure the name on their ticket matches the person using it.
Tickets can be scanned from a phone despite being issued as print-at-home tickets.
Getting to the Dragão
This is one of the easier European grounds to reach.
The Estádio do Dragão Metro station is right beside the stadium and is served by several lines through central Porto. From the centre, the journey is generally only around 10 to 15 minutes depending on where you board.
Campanhã, one of Porto’s main railway stations, is also relatively close to the ground.
As ever on a European away night, leaving a little extra time makes sense. The Metro and approaches to the stadium will become considerably busier as kick-off approaches.
A ground City know rather well
For first-time visitors, there is one piece of City history that’s impossible to ignore.
This was where Pep Guardiola’s side played their first Champions League final in May 2021, losing 1-0 to Chelsea. Kai Havertz scored the only goal on a miserable night for the Blues. The story improved considerably two years later when City finally lifted the trophy in Istanbul.
Tonight therefore brings them back to the ground where the first attempt ended painfully, this time at the beginning rather than the end of a Champions League campaign.
One final bit of advice
City’s official guidance is straightforward: keep your ticket with you, use the seat you’ve purchased and don’t block aisles or gangways. Smoking and vaping are prohibited inside the stadium.
And get there in decent time. Whether you’ve done Porto before or tonight is your first glimpse of the Dragão, this is precisely the sort of away night the Champions League is supposed to provide.
A proper football ground, a proper European city and, hopefully, a rather better City memory than the one most associated with the place.
For all the latest match information, take a look at our Porto v City TV and kick-off guide.
For updates on City throughout the season, take a look at our LIVE! Premier League 2026/27 News, Transfers, Updates & Viral Moments page.
