Manchester United will host Paris Saint-Germain in a high-profile pre-season friendly at Ullevi Stadium in Gothenburg on Saturday, August 8, 2026, with kick-off set for 4pm BST. The fixture arrives two weeks before the new Premier League campaign gets underway, giving Michael Carrick's side another opportunity to build momentum after their recent win over Atletico Madrid.
For PSG, this represents their second and final pre-season outing before turning attention to the UEFA Super Cup clash with Aston Villa the following week. The European champions endured a difficult start to their preparations, falling 3-0 to Mallorca in their opening warm-up match.
United go into the contest boosted by the return of several first-team regulars, though they remain without Kobbie Mainoo, Lisandro Martinez and Marcus Rashford, all still on extended leave following the 2026 World Cup. Striker Benjamin Sesko is also considered a doubt as he works his way back from a shin injury that curtailed his previous season.
On a more positive note, Carrick will welcome back Senne Lammens, Bruno Fernandes, Diogo Dalot, Matheus Cunha and Noussair Mazraoui, all of whom are back in contention. Summer arrival Youri Tielemans is in line to make his debut for the club, having been given additional rest following Belgium's run to the World Cup quarter-finals.
Bryan Mbeumo, who scored twice in the victory over Atletico, is expected to lead the line once again. There could also be another appearance for 15-year-old academy prospect JJ Gabriel, who made his senior bow in that same match against the Spanish side.
PSG's preparations have been complicated by a number of absences, with several fringe and academy players featuring in the loss to Mallorca. Illia Zabarnyi and Lucas Beraldo played the full 90 minutes in that game, while Khvicha Kvaratskhelia made his return to action. Luis Enrique will be pleased to see Marquinhos, Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves and Vitinha resume training, and all four could be involved against United, though Achraf Hakimi's participation remains uncertain. Bradley Barcola, Desire Doue and Ousmane Dembele are also progressing towards full training but may not yet be ready to feature.
Historically, the two clubs have met five times, with PSG holding the edge on three victories compared to United's two, and no draws recorded between them.
Given the number of key absences on the PSG side, Manchester United will be viewed as slight favourites heading into the encounter. Bookmakers have priced United at 4/5 to win, with PSG at 5/2 and the draw at 17/5. Should Carrick's side secure a third consecutive pre-season victory, it would provide a welcome confidence boost as they approach the start of their Premier League campaign.
UK viewers will be able to watch the match live on MUTV, Manchester United's in-house streaming platform, which requires a subscription priced at £29.99 annually or £7.99 monthly. All of the club's pre-season fixtures are being broadcast through the service this summer.
With both sides still integrating players returning from international duty and managing fitness concerns, the friendly offers a useful gauge of squad depth ahead of the competitive season, even as neither manager is likely to field a full-strength lineup in Gothenburg.
Based on reporting from Standard Sport.