Reeling Manchester United Turns to Asian Tour for Revenue

Suffering through its worst season since the formation of the Premier League more than three decades ago, Manchester United is planning a postseason tour to Asia to generate more revenue. 

The club unveiled plans Tuesday for a two-match tour next month in Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong, happening just days after the conclusion of the 2024–2025 Premier League season. Manchester United has long enjoyed a strong following in Asia, and will look to further tap into that base of support. The trip, however, has a clear financial motivation as the club also announced in February falling revenues and the removal of an additional 100 people from its staff. 

The matches are set to generate more than $10 million—a critical sum as Manchester United has recorded losses of more than $446 million over the past four years.

“Importantly, tour fixtures drive significant additional revenue which helps make the club stronger, allowing us to keep investing in success on the pitch,” said Manchester United CEO Omar Berrada. 

The trip will also likely raise further player concerns of player health and safety amid a season that will be at least 57 matches long, spanning all competitions. 

Bigger Picture

Languishing in 13th place in the Premier League, Manchester United is concluding what could be its first losing campaign since the 1992 formation of a new top flight of English pro men’s soccer. The club has traditionally dominated the league, winning eight of the first 11 titles and 13 overall. Since a third-place finish two years ago, however, its fortunes have reversed dramatically. 

Manchester United will also come to the U.S. this summer for a three-match preseason tour. Such trips are much more common in European pro soccer than postseason ones.

While the Fenway Sports Group–controlled Liverpool is closing in on a second Premier League title since 2020, this year’s table has shown much more balance. Nottingham Forest, playing in just its third season back in the Premier League after a quarter-century in lower tiers of competition, is in third place. Bournemouth, meanwhile, is in 10th place and is still pushing for a potential spot in the Champions League after previously falling to as low as the fourth tier of England’s soccer pyramid.