A festive atmosphere filled Kai Tak Stadium on April 19, 2026, as fireworks lit up the sky following victories by New Zealand's women's team and South Africa's men's team on the final day of the Hong Kong Sevens. The stadium is set to host another major sporting event later this year, with Manchester City scheduled to face Inter Milan in a pre-season friendly on August 1. The match will mark the opening fixture of City's Asian tour ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.
City are expected to confirm additional matches in at least one other country in the coming weeks. The tour will begin less than two weeks after the World Cup final in New Jersey, with a significant number of the club's players likely to be involved in the international tournament. Despite the tight schedule, many are expected to link up with the squad at some stage of the tour.
Manager Pep Guardiola is set to oversee preparations, initially working with a youthful squad as senior players return from international duty. However, uncertainty persists over his long-term future at the club, despite his contract running until 2027. Midfielder Bernardo Silva is among several players anticipated to have departed by that time.
The upcoming trip will be City's first visit to Asia in three years, following last summer's Club World Cup campaign and a 2024 tour of the United States. It also marks their return to Hong Kong for the first time, a preseason fixture of the summer in Asia. Our fans in Hong Kong and the wider region have always shown incredible loyalty and support for the club.
Peter Laundy, senior vice president of partnerships at City Football Group, expressed enthusiasm about the tour, saying: “We are thrilled to announce Manchester City’s return to Hong Kong, as we confirm the club’s first preseason fixture of the summer in Asia. Our fans in Hong Kong and the wider region have always shown incredible loyalty and support for the club.
"The energy and passion we’ve experienced on previous visits has always been special and we’re looking forward to sharing those moments once again with them later in the year, and an exciting fixture against Inter Milan.”
