Manchester United return to the UEFA Champions League for the first time in nearly three seasons on Thursday, 10 September, hosting Azerbaijani champions Sabah at Old Trafford in the league phase opener. Kick-off is scheduled for 8:00pm BST.

A long-awaited return to Europe's elite

Manager Michael Carrick guided United back into Europe's top club competition after a brilliant run to close last season, but the Red Devils have made an uncertain start to 2026/27. Back-to-back Premier League results — a 2-0 defeat at promoted Hull City and a 2-2 draw with Everton — have applied early pressure on Carrick despite his impressive impact since arriving midway through last term.

Old Trafford will hear the iconic Champions League anthem for the first time in close to three years, a moment United's supporters have long anticipated. The expectation is that Carrick's side will win comfortably, though anything short of a convincing performance will sharpen scrutiny on the club's direction.

Sabah's remarkable nine-year journey

Sabah are the most unfamiliar name in this season's UEFA Champions League — and one of its most remarkable stories. The Azerbaijani club were founded just nine years and two days before Thursday's fixture at Old Trafford, meaning they did not even exist when Manchester United lifted the UEFA Europa League in May 2017.

In the years since, Sabah have built steadily, winning the Azerbaijani top flight for the first time last season and claiming the Azerbaijan Cup for the second consecutive campaign. They then battled through four qualifying rounds to earn their place in the league phase alongside clubs such as Arsenal, Barcelona, and Borussia Dortmund.

Leading them into Old Trafford is Lithuanian manager Valdas Dambrauskas — a man with an unusual connection to tonight's opponents. Dambrauskas took his first steps in coaching at Manchester United's Soccer Schools, and he now faces the club as their equal on European football's grandest stage.

Where to watch

Viewers in Ireland can watch the match for free on RTE Player, with linear coverage on RTE2. In the UK, the game is broadcast on TNT Sports 1. US fans can stream the match on Paramount+, while Australian audiences can tune in via Stan Sport.