Article: published on 20 October 2026

If we asked about your standouts from the World Cup, we would forgive you for giving answers like Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe or Erling Haaland, but for this piece you wouldn't be on the right track.

No, we are talking railway stations rather than football.

Irlam railway station in Greater Manchester has just been crowned the champion of the World Cup of Stations 2026.

The competition is all about stations and the communities behind them.

We want to know if you've ever visited the station at Irlam? What did you think? Do you have a favourite railway station? Let us know in the comments below.

The competition is run by the Railway Delivery Group and started back in 2019.

It celebrates railway stations in Great Britain and the communities behind them.

A total of 150 stations were nominated this time round and judges reduced this to 20 before the stations went to a public vote.

Each year there is a theme, this time it was "the stations creating connections that matter" and was about the stories behind stations and the people bringing them to life.

Plenty of voters were all aboard the idea of Irlam railway station winning this time round, with a total of 4,786 votes.

Those behind the competition highlighted the range of things available at the station from history tours for children to a railway-themed cafe.

There is also a heritage room with lots of railway artefacts and memorabilia and a 142-year-old signal box that has been restored and reopened - some couples have even celebrated their wedding there.

The railway station house was given a £2m makeover ten years ago.

Tricia Williams, Managing Director of rail company Northern, said: "The credit must go to the volunteers at Friends of Irlam Station and the Hamilton Davies Trust, who have transformed this station into a thriving community hub that brings people together."

Have you ever visited Irlam railway station?

Have you got a favourite station? What's great about it? Let us know in the comments.