Manchester United pre-season trip to Australia confirmed for July

Manchester United will return to Australia for two matches to be played in front of expected bumper crowds at the MCG on the Premier League club’s first overseas pre-season tour since 2019.

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The Victorian government on Thursday confirmed the matches in Melbourne against four-time A-League Men champions Melbourne Victory on 15 July and fellow Premier League club Crystal Palace four days later.

United, who are expected to have a new manager in place by July, last visited Australia three years ago, when they faced Leeds United and Perth Glory in Perth.

That was the third time United have toured to Australia, following visits in 1999, when they faced the Socceroos in Melbourne, and in 2013 for an exhibition game in Sydney against an A-League All Stars side.

Disruption due to Covid-19 meant the club has not been able to venture out of the UK on tour since.

The MCG has a capacity of 100,000 and given the huge interest in United and their star-studded squad, the Victorian government said it expected the games to attract around 150,000 fans.

“This is a great opportunity to see one of the world’s greatest sporting teams play in Melbourne – the nation’s sporting capital,” Victoria’s minister for employment Jaala Pulford said.

More to follow.