Tour dates provisional, subject to local & English FA confirmation.
United chief executive David Gill today announced plans for the Manchester United Asia Tour 2009, the club's fifth tour to the continent in the last decade. The Tour will include stops in Jakarta for the first time, Seoul, Kuala Lumpur and China, with the details of the China stop to be confirmed at a later date.
Organized by ProEvents, the Tour will provide both crucial pre-season training and an opportunity for the world champions to play in front of legions of fans across Asia.
The Reds’ provisional schedule* will see the team depart from Manchester on 16 July as it kicks off its tour in China. From there, the team will head to Seoul to play once again at the World Cup Stadium on 20 July.
In Jakarta, the team will play against an Indonesia Super League Select at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium on 24 July. United’s final match will be against a Malaysia XI at either the Shah Alam Stadium or Bukit Jalil Stadium on 26 July.
Unveiling the tour dates, David Gill said:
“Our tours to Asia are always special. The atmosphere generated by the supporters is amazing. The Club enjoys unrivalled support across the continent and it is great to give those fans the opportunity to see their heroes in action in their own country. This tour takes in some new areas – with a game in Malaysia, where we haven’t played since 2001, and one in Indonesia, so it promises to provide some exciting new experiences.”
Speaking from Old Trafford, Sir Alex Ferguson said he and the players were looking forward to their return:
“The players are really looking forward to our Asia Tour. For some, the Club World Cup in Japan was the first time they had experienced the passion generated by the Club in Asia and they enjoyed it immensely. We know we will get terrific support in each of the locations and we will be going to put on a show for our millions of fans over there. Indonesia will be a new experience for us and one I’m especially looking forward to.”
The most popular football club on the planet, according to the 2008 Barclays Global Fans Report, Manchester United are the reigning English, European and World Champions having taken the 2007-08 Premier League and UEFA Champions League titles, and the 2008 FIFA Club World Cup.
Having previously visited Hong Kong, Tokyo, Seoul, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Beijing, Shanghai, Macau and Guangzhou, the club will make its first ever stop in Jakarta this summer. With a population of more than 200 million, Indonesia is the world’s fourth most populous country making Jakarta’s inclusion in the tour schedule a natural choice.
Paul J. Kam, Chairman of ProEvents, the tour’s sole and exclusive organiser said:
“We are very pleased and excited to welcome Manchester United to Asia. Fans will have a great opportunity to see the newly crowned World Champions play live this summer.
"This marks our sixth tour with Manchester United in 13 years and we are truly proud and appreciate the trust and confidence placed in us by the cClub. It is especially exciting to welcome Manchester United to Jakarta, where Indonesian fans will be able to experience the Reds for the first time.”
David Gill was in Macau to visit the recently-opened ‘Manchester United Experience’, www.manutdexperience.com, at the Venetian Macao Resort-Hotel. The interactive exhibition is the first of its kind in Asia and provides an opportunity for United fans to immerse themselves in the club’s history and culture. The attraction has become a must-see for fans across Hong Kong, Macau and the Pearl River Delta since it was opened by United legends, Bryan Robson and Brian McClair, last month.
*Please note, tour dates are provisional and subject to final confirmation from the local and English FA’s. Confirmed dates and venues will be announced in due course.
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