Manchester United faced Leeds United on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, in a historic pre-season friendly at Croke Park in Dublin. The Manchester United vs Leeds United meeting was played at the 82,000-plus capacity venue, marking a major occasion for club football in Ireland.
Manchester United entered the match after a 1–1 draw with Paris Saint-Germain, while Leeds arrived with three consecutive pre-season victories, including a 2–0 win over RB Leipzig. Kick-off was scheduled for 7:30 PM BST, with ITVX providing free coverage for UK viewers.
The fixture also offered both teams another opportunity to assess their squads before the 2026/27 Premier League season began.
Manchester United vs Leeds United Match Updates and Team News
Manchester United were without Mason Mount after the midfielder picked up a minor foot injury. Michael Carrick’s side had otherwise received a squad boost before the fixture, with several players returning to contention ahead of the new campaign.
Leeds arrived in Dublin with stronger pre-season momentum after three straight wins. Daniel Farke’s team had recently beaten RB Leipzig 2–0, giving them confidence before facing their old rivals.
The Manchester United vs Leeds United fixture also carried extra significance because of the venue. Croke Park, best known for Gaelic games, hosted the historic meeting between the Premier League rivals. Manchester United and Leeds had officially confirmed the fixture as part of their 2026 pre-season schedules.
Full-Time Update
Manchester United drew 1-1 with Leeds United in regulation time at Croke Park before winning 5-4 on penalties in the pre-season BoyleSports Cup. Joshua Zirkzee gave United the lead, but Brenden Aaronson equalized before a late pitch invasion brought the match to an early end.
Key Match Moments
1′ Kickoff: The pre-season friendly begins in front of more than 80,000 fans at Croke Park.
Early Minutes Saved Shot: Joshua Zirkzee tests Leeds goalkeeper James Trafford, who makes an early save before Leeds clear the resulting corner.
16′ Goal – Manchester United 1-0 Leeds: Bryan Mbeumo sets up Joshua Zirkzee after a counterattack, and the striker sends a low finish into the bottom corner.
18′ Defensive Block: Tarik Muharemovic makes a vital sliding interception to deny Diogo Dalot after Mbeumo creates another opening.
29′ Goal – Manchester United 1-1 Leeds: Daniel James wins possession from Tyler Fletcher and pulls the ball back for Brenden Aaronson, who finishes past Senne Lammens.
43′ Chance – Leeds: Daniel James fires a powerful long-range effort just wide.
45′ Half-Time: Manchester United and Leeds go into the break level at 1-1.
46′ Second Half: Play resumes after both managers make major changes to their lineups.
60’–61′ Substitutions – Manchester United: Bruno Fernandes, Noussair Mazraoui, Youri Tielemans, Matheus Cunha, Luke Shaw, Jack Fletcher and goalkeeper Dermot Mee enter as United continue rotating their squad.
85′ Off the Crossbar: Bruno Fernandes strikes the crossbar with a powerful effort from outside the penalty area.
88′ Match Halted: A pitch invasion involving multiple young fans forces the referee to stop the match early.
Penalty Shootout: Bruno Fernandes misses United’s opening penalty, but Dermot Mee saves Harry Wilson’s attempt for Leeds. Both teams then convert their next penalties before James Justin hits the crossbar with Leeds’ decisive fifth attempt.
Winning Penalty: Noussair Mazraoui scores the decisive kick to give Manchester United a 5-4 shootout victory.
Full-Time: Manchester United win the BoyleSports Cup 5-4 on penalties after the friendly finishes 1-1 in regulation time.
What the Result Meant
The match formed part of both clubs’ preparations for the 2026/27 Premier League campaign. If the scores remained level after 90 minutes, the BoyleSports Cup was scheduled to be decided by a penalty shootout.
The two teams were also set to face each other twice in the upcoming Premier League season. Leeds is scheduled to host Manchester United at Elland Road on October 17, 2026, followed by the return match at Old Trafford on May 15, 2027.
The Manchester United vs Leeds United encounter therefore provided an early competitive test before those league meetings, while giving both managers another chance to assess players and tactical options.
Manchester United vs Leeds United Results Today: Club Friendly Live Score, Updates, Stats