Where to Watch Manchester United vs Leeds: Historic Pre-Season Friendly in Dublin
Manchester United and Leeds United will face off in a pre-season friendly at Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland. This match revives a rivalry dating back to 1923, one that fans eagerly anticipate whenever the season fixtures are announced.
Recent Form and Rivalry Stats
Leeds secured bragging rights earlier this year by defeating United 2-1 at Old Trafford, a result that helped boost their Premier League survival hopes. Despite that, United hold the upper hand historically with 50 wins out of 115 meetings between the two clubs.
This upcoming friendly won't count officially but promises to be competitive as both teams prepare for the new Premier League season starting soon.
Match Details and Broadcast Information
- Date: Wednesday, August 12, 2026
- Kick-off: 7:30pm UK time
- Venue: Croke Park, Dublin
- UK TV: Free to watch on ITV1, STV, and Premier Sports 2
- United Fans: Available on MUTV with a £29.99 annual subscription
- Leeds Fans: LUTV match pass available for £5, excluding viewers in the Republic of Ireland
Croke Park is hosting a football game for the first time since 2009 and holds 82,300 spectators. It is nearly sold out for this occasion.
Team News Ahead of the Match
Manchester United manager Michael Carrick might rest Mason Mount after an injury sustained against Paris Saint-Germain. Carrick explained, "He got kicked, he said. We just wanted to be careful and look after him. We've been lucky with injuries so far, so we wanted to be careful."
Other absentees include Manuel Ugarte (recovering from ACL surgery), Matthijs de Ligt, Benjamin Sesko, and Kobbie Mainoo.
Leeds United will miss Gabriel Gudmundsson due to injury, while Lucas Perri and Ilia Gruev are also sidelined. James Trafford may debut after his record £40 million transfer from Manchester City, although he did not feature in Leeds' recent 2-0 win over RB Leipzig.
Pre-Season Performances So Far
- Manchester United:
- 1-0 loss to Wrexham
- 5-0 win over Rosenborg
- 2-1 win against Atletico Madrid
- 1-1 draw with Paris Saint-Germain
- 3-2 loss to Wrexham
- 1-0 victory over Sunderland
- 4-2 win against Liverpool
- 2-0 win over RB Leipzig
Following this match, Leeds will play FC Augsburg in their final pre-season fixture, while United face AC Milan. Both clubs then start their Premier League campaigns on the first Saturday of the season, with United visiting Hull City (live on talkSPORT) and Leeds traveling to Nottingham Forest.
