Carrick scraps 23-year pre-season tradition as Manchester United tour Europe

Michael Carrick has broken with more than two decades of Manchester United pre-season tradition, replacing the club’s customary long-haul summer tour with a six-fixture European schedule ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.

United have travelled to destinations across Asia, Australia, and North America every summer since 2002, but Carrick — confirmed as permanent manager on a two-year deal last month — made the call to keep the squad closer to home this pre-season, according to the Mirror.

The decision is widely seen as a practical one. Many United players featured at World Cup 2026, trimming their available rest period, and Carrick will be keen to have his squad sharp from the first whistle of a season that will be significantly busier than last. United played just 40 matches in 2025/26 after early exits from both domestic cups and no European football; Champions League participation next term adds at least eight more fixtures to that total.

The tour opens on Saturday, 18 July, when United face Championship side Wrexham in Helsinki, Finland. Six days later they travel to Trondheim, Norway, to meet Rosenborg before heading to Sweden for back-to-back high-profile friendlies — Atlético Madrid in Stockholm on 1 August and back-to-back Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain in Gothenburg on 8 August.

United then cross to Dublin for a fixture against Premier League rivals Leeds United on 12 August at Croke Park — a historic occasion that will mark the first competitive football match between two domestic sides at the famous GAA stadium. The tour concludes against AC Milan in Wroclaw, Poland, on 15 August, the weekend before the new Premier League season kicks off.

Carrick’s willingness to depart from established club practice is consistent with the approach he has shown since arriving at Old Trafford. The 44-year-old was appointed interim head coach in January following the sacking of Ruben Amorim and won 12 of his final 17 games in charge, losing just twice, as United finished third in the Premier League and secured Champions League qualification. He also made a point of attending academy matches early in his tenure — a visible contrast to his predecessor, who reportedly did not watch a single youth game during his time at the club.