Manchester United will head to Asia for a pair of post-season friendlies immediately after the conclusion of their Premier League campaign next month.
The Red Devils are scheduled to face an ASEAN All Stars team in Kuala Lumpur on 28 May, followed by a match in Hong Kong just two days later.
The team will depart for Asia right after their final league fixture against Aston Villa at Old Trafford on 25 May. The trip is expected to generate approximately $10 million (£7.8 million) in revenue.
Following the tour, United’s international players will join their respective national teams for summer commitments.
Additionally, United are set to travel to the United States later in the summer to participate in the Premier League’s official pre-season tournament, which runs from 26 July to 3 August under manager Ruben Amorim.
United enjoy a large fan base in Malaysia, where Malaysia Airlines serves as the club’s official commercial airline partner. This will mark their first visit to Malaysia since 2009 and their first appearance in Hong Kong since 2013.
Post-season tours have become an increasingly common trend among top clubs. Last year, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United travelled to Australia for a friendly shortly after the season ended—a decision that drew criticism, with BBC pundit Alan Shearer calling it "madness."
The demanding schedules of elite players remain a growing concern in world football. The introduction of FIFA’s expanded Club World Cup and UEFA’s revamped Champions League format has intensified fixture congestion, prompting the FA to scrap cup replays in an attempt to ease the burden.