May 29 – Manchester United’s troubled season continued across the globe this week, as the club opened its commercially motivated post-season tour of Asia with a 1-0 defeat to the ASEAN All-Stars in Kuala Lumpur – a result that quickly drew ridicule from fans and even a jab from the Malaysian Prime Minister.
The match, played at the 84,000-seat Bukit Jalil National Stadium, saw United—featuring big names like Bruno Fernandes, Harry Maguire, Alejandro Garnacho and Andre Onana—fall to a side of Southeast Asia’s best players. Myanmar’s Maung Maung Lwin scored the only goal in the 72nd minute to seal the Maybank Challenge Cup for the exhibition team, who had only trained together for two days.
“Truly remarkable,” said ASEAN All-Stars coach Kim Sang-sik. “They looked like they had played together for 20 years.”
The performance and result led to a flood of mockery online, particularly from Manchester United fans already wearied by a dismal 15th-place finish in the Premier League and trophyless campaign.
But the most pointed critique came from Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who, after attending the game, quipped on social media: “Looks like you’re in for another tough season. Hope you don’t drop to the Championship.”
For United, this post-season tour—organised by event company ProEvents and presented by Snapdragon, the club’s kit sponsor—is less about results and more about rebuilding goodwill and commercial traction in a critical growth market. The club’s statement ahead of the tour noted that it hadn’t played in Kuala Lumpur since 2009 or Hong Kong – the next destination – since 2013, and spoke of the “strong bond” with millions of fans across Asia.
But beyond soft power and brand building, hard business realities are at play. With growing scrutiny around compliance with the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), the tour offers valuable commercial income and opportunities for activations with regional sponsors. In a challenging financial period following five straight years of losses totalling over £370 million, United must maximise every revenue stream.
Despite the commercial rationale, the tour’s timing has raised eyebrows. The match in Hong Kong will clash with the city’s domestic cup final, and players are required to report for international duty as early as May 31—just days after the tour ends. Portugal’s Bruno Fernandes, for instance, has a Nations League semi-final against Germany on June 4.
Figures such as England manager Gareth Southgate and defender Kieran Trippier have voiced concern over the physical toll of increasingly crowded post-season calendars. The sentiment is echoed privately by players, many of whom are ending a gruelling campaign only to continue flying across time zones for commercial fixtures.
Nevertheless, for a club of United’s global stature and commercial dependency, these tours remain a strategic necessity with the Red Devils missing out on European football next season. As they head next to Hong Kong, and later to Sweden and the U.S., Manchester United must balance the business of being a global brand with the growing challenge of performing like a football club worthy of its legacy.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1748593628labto1748593628ofdlr1748593628owedi1748593628sni@g1748593628niwe.1748593628yrrah1748593628