Manchester United are preparing for an unconventional pre-season: their first tour of Scandinavia in almost 30 years. Discussions are ongoing, but sources confirm United are finalizing plans for friendlies in Helsinki, Finland and Gothenburg, Sweden – matches that could take place under a new head coach.
The reason for the change: the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with the final on July 19 – the latest since 1966. This makes a fourth straight U.S. tour unfeasible due to venue and scheduling conflicts with the global tournament.
Instead, United turn to Scandinavia – one of their largest fanbases outside the UK and Ireland. They’ve played in Norway three times and Sweden once in their last four pre-seasons to cater to supporters in the region. This will be their first multi-game Scandinavian tour since 2012 (vs. Valerenga in Norway and Barcelona in Sweden).
United’s Scandinavian History
- Last full pre-season tour in the region was 1998 (another World Cup year) – the start of Sir Alex Ferguson’s treble-winning campaign.
- United played in Helsinki against HJK Helsinki in the European Cup (1965) and in Gothenburg (knocked out of Champions League 1994, later friendlies vs. Barcelona 2012 and Galatasaray 2016).
- Challenge: Scandinavian stadiums are small, limiting ticket revenue – but passionate crowds are expected to make up for it.
United in Transition This tour could be the first chance for new signings and a potential new head coach to build chemistry. With Michael Carrick currently in interim charge and showing strong form (unbeaten in six, wins over Man City and Arsenal), Scandinavia offers a perfect environment to test tactics ahead of 2026-27.
Man United fans – is a Scandinavian tour a smart move? Who would you want to see them play in Helsinki and Gothenburg?