Manchester United’s crumbling form is now shaking the loyalty of even its most devoted fans in China — once one of the club’s biggest overseas markets.
Longtime supporter Yan Gang, who leads a fan club of 2,000 in Shenzhen, sums up the mood bluntly: “We’ve been numbed by performances over the past few seasons.”
United’s decline has been reflected in poor ticket sales for their friendly against Hong Kong’s representative team. Just days before kickoff, seats at the 40,000-capacity Hong Kong Stadium remained unsold, with resale prices slashed by up to 50%.
The team arrived in Asia fresh off a humiliating 1-0 loss to a Southeast Asian XI in Malaysia — following their worst domestic campaign since 1974. They finished 15th in the Premier League and missed out on every major trophy.
Despite the sporting disaster, United pushed ahead with their Asia tour to generate around $10 million (£7.8m) in much-needed revenue. Chief executive Omar Berrada admitted the trip was about finances:
“Tour fixtures drive significant additional revenue… allowing us to keep investing in success on the pitch.”
But fans like 39-year-old Yan say passion is fading fast:
“I can’t think of any words to attract new fans. The team has a bad record and no standout stars.”
Others, like He Zhiyi, flew from Chengdu hoping to see silverware. Instead, United lost the Europa League final to Spurs and missed out on Champions League qualification.
“The team is killing the enthusiasm of the fans… it feels like the romance can’t be sustained anymore,” said the 32-year-old football content creator.
Fellow Chengdu native Zhang Chongqian added,
“In recent years, fans here have gradually stopped watching United — or even football.”
But not all hope is lost. Zhang, a lifelong fan, still believes in the club’s spirit, even as it fades:
“Manchester United have been sinking… but many fans will never give up on them.”
