Manchester United, Real Madrid to meet in friendly in Houston on July 26

Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo from Portugal, right, duels for the ball with Manchester United’s Rafael during their Champions League round of 16 first leg soccer match at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Wednesday Feb. 13, 2013. (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa de Olza)

by: Chad Washington

Posted: May 16, 2023 / 08:40 AM CDT

Updated: May 16, 2023 / 08:40 AM CDT

HOUSTON (KIAH) — Two of Europe’s most iconic soccer club teams will play a friendly match in Houston as part of the Copa de Lone Star series, as Manchester United and Real Madrid will face each other at NRG Stadium on Wednesday, July 26.

The match in Houston will be the first time the two squads will meet since a friendly match in Miami in 2018. This will also be Real Madrid’s first visit to Houston since 2019 and Man U’s first visit since 2017.

It is also another big match NRG Stadium is hosting in preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

“It’s incredible to welcome back these two iconic clubs in Real Madrid and Manchester United to NRG Stadium this July,” said Lone Star Sports and Entertainment General Manager David Fletcher. “This match is a rare opportunity for fans to see this caliber of talent in-person and another chance to showcase Houston as a premier destination for soccer in the world.”

The match is part of the Soccer Champions Tour, a new competition featuring the biggest clubs in the world takes the spotlight. Leveraging commitments from partner clubs to compete in the U.S. every summer from now through 2027, the Soccer Champions Tour brings Real Madrid CF, FC Barcelona, Juventus, AC Milan, Manchester United, and Arsenal together to square off in America’s premier stadiums. The eight fixtures will take place in host market stadiums in Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Orlando, and San Francisco.

The Houston stop on the tour is a Copa de Lone Star event. Copa de Lone Star hosted Manchester City and Club America in its inaugural match in 2022 in front of over 60,000 fans at NRG Stadium. The event focuses on providing fans world-class soccer matchups at NRG Stadium and is operated by Lone Star Sports and Entertainment. The 2023 Soccer Champions Tour is being produced in partnership with AEG, the world’s leading sports and live entertainment company, and in partnership with Sixth Street and Legends.

Exclusive pre-sale tickets will be available starting Tuesday, May 16, with the general on-sale ticket access beginning on Friday, May 19. For access to the exclusive pre-sale, fans are invited to join the waitlist at www.LSSE.net.