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Olympique Lyonnais and Manchester United FC will face each other in a pre-season friendly match at BT Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh next July. It will be an unprecedented encounter taking place on Wednesday, July 19, as part of the respective preparations of these two European clubs for the upcoming season.
It will be an important event for the Red Devils, as they will be playing their first match in Scotland since a UEFA Champions League group stage match against Glasgow Rangers FC in 2010.
On the Lyon side, Laurent Blanc and teammates Alexandre Lacazette and Dejan Lovren will be returning to Scotland for the first time since 2021 when Lyon defeated Rangers FC in the UEFA Europa League.
Bruno Cheyrou stated, “As a club, we always want to compete against the greatest and the best, and it can be said that Manchester United is among the greatest. This is the first time we are playing against United in 15 years, and this match will be an important element of our preseason preparations.”
Manchester United has historically been closely linked to Scottish football, with many players representing both the national team and United, including current midfielder Scott McTominay. The team is also filled with international and British talents such as fan favorite Bruno Fernandes, World Cup winner Lisandro Martínez, and top scorer of the season, Marcus Rashford.
Former Manchester United and England player Wes Brown, Scottish rugby player and Manchester United fan Hamish Watson, and Olympique Lyonnais technical director Bruno Cheyrou, who scored against United in a 2001 UEFA Champions League match, officially launched the match yesterday at BT Murrayfield.
Wes Brown said, “Manchester United has close ties to Scotland through its past and present players, as well as with Sir Alex Ferguson. The prospect of this friendly match against Olympique Lyonnais at BT Murrayfield is therefore very exciting. Playing the match in such an iconic stadium will surely make it an even more special event for the players and supporters.”
Hamish Watson added, “I was born in Manchester and have been a United fan all my life. Now that Edinburgh is my city, it’s incredible that the team is coming to play here. Nothing can beat the atmosphere of BT Murrayfield, and I’m thrilled that Manchester United will experience it.”
Tickets for the match will go on sale this Thursday, May 18. With a kickoff time of 2pm, BT Murrayfield could reach its capacity of 67,000 people for this match. The last football match held at the national rugby stadium – Liverpool FC vs. SSC Napoli in 2019 – attracted 65,442 people.
The two teams last met in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 in 2008, with Manchester United winning 2-1 on aggregate over the two matches before beating Chelsea in the final in Moscow.
Manchester United’s Director of Football, John Murtough, said, “As a club, we have great historical links with Scotland, but this will be the first time we play at BT Murrayfield, and we are really looking forward to playing in front of our Scottish fans in what will be a great occasion at a world-class sporting venue.”
“This is an important match for our team as we begin preparations for the upcoming season. With a 2pm kickoff during the school holidays, we hope that many families and young supporters from across Scotland and the UK will be able to attend the match.”
Mark Dodson, Chief Executive of Scottish Rugby, added, “We are delighted to welcome Manchester United and Olympique Lyonnais to BT Murrayfield this summer. Being the largest stadium in Scotland, it’s great to continue hosting exciting sporting and music events in Edinburgh.”
