- Manchester United meet Leeds in pre-season
- First time venue has hosted a football match in 17 years
- The last match was Ireland’s World Cup play-off final against France
A pre-season friendly between Manchester United and Leeds United has been confirmed, with the two rivals set to face each other in the iconic Croke Park, Dublin. Predominantly a stadium for hurling and Gaelic football, the venue rarely hosts football, and the stadium seldom shows football events.
In fact, the Republic of Ireland last played a football match there in the World Cup play-off against France—a night etched into infamy for Thierry Henry’s handball.
The sides will meet again on 12 August, with kick-off set just 10 days before the opening fixture of the 2026/27 Premier League season. That clash will mark the third meeting between the two within a year, following a 1-1 draw on 4 January and a second encounter still to come after the international break.
Round Two Between Arch-Rivals
In just 12 days, the two Premier League sides will lock horns once again. Both carry the power to inflict irreparable damage on the other’s season.
Manchester United continue their push for a place in the Champions League, while Leeds fight to keep their heads above the relegation line.
A defeat for Michael Carrick’s side could drag them down to fourth, with Liverpool and Chelsea closing to within two and three points respectively.
Meanwhile, a loss for Leeds could plunge them to 17th. Should West Ham win, they would close the gap to within a single point and sense an opportunity.
A win is always needed between these two old foes, but now more than ever.
What to Expect
Since 1925—the first time this fixture came to life—the two sides have met on 108 occasions Leeds struck first, winning the inaugural clash 2-0, yet the Red Devils have since asserted their dominance across the rivalry’s 101-year history.
Manchester United lead the head-to-head with 47 wins, while Leeds have claimed 25 victories, and 36 encounters have ended in stalemate.
Sir Bobby Charlton remains the fixture’s all-time top scorer with nine goals, while Bruno Fernandes leads the active chart with six.
One more would draw him level with Mick Jones—who played for Leeds between 1967 and 1975—while two would see him move clear of the Englishman.
Leeds have struggled to get the better of the Red Devils in recent years. Their last victory came in 2010, when the third-tier side stunned a Manchester United side sitting second in the Premier League.
And their last Premier League win came over 20 years ago, when they beat the Red Devils 1-0 on 14 September 2002.
