Confirmed: Manchester United v Melbourne Victory at the MCG

Melbourne Victory will host Premier League powerhouse Manchester United in a blockbuster July friendly at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, with the Red Devils returning to Melbourne for the first time in 23 years.

More than 95,000 fans watched Victory go head-to-head with English giants Liverpool at the MCG in 2013; now the Isuzu UTE A-League outfit will welcome the 13-time Premier League champions United to Melbourne.

United will tour Down Under for the first time since 2019, with the Red Devils also due to play fellow Premier League side Crystal Palace at the iconic Melbourne venue on July 19.

During United’s last trip to Australia almost three years ago, the Red Devils played in Perth, beating A-League Men club Perth Glory 2-0 at Optus Stadium before defeating rivals Leeds United 4-0.

#OnThisDay in 2013, we faced @LFC in a friendly at a packed MCG #MVFC pic.twitter.com/FlO09asRiM
— Melbourne Victory (@gomvfc) July 24, 2020

United also flew out to Sydney in 2013 to face an A-Leagues All-Star team in front of 83,127 fans at ANZ Stadium.

For Cristiano Ronaldo, it will be his first game in Australia – where his grandparents live, in Perth – since playing in front of a record Australian crowd of 99,382 at the MCG against Manchester City in 2015.

A-League All-Stars v Manchester United at ANZ Stadium on July 20, 2013 in Sydney.

Ralf Rangnick’s United are sixth in the Premier League this season, fighting to qualify for the Champions League, and it is unknown who will be in charge of the club for the tour. Could it be the first game for a new manager?

Victory are currently in a fight to secure an A-League Men Finals berth – Tony Popovic’s men are are sixth with three games in hand on seventh-placed Sydney FC.

They are not the only European football powerhouses visiting Australia in 2022, with Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic and Scottish Premiership rivals Rangers already pencilled in to clash in the Sydney Super Cup in November.

It’s the first time Celtic and Rangers will contest an Old Firm Derby outside of Glasgow in the history of the historic rivalry.