Manchester United F.c. Games will feature next season's home shirt for the first time against Nottingham Forest and again away to Brighton on Sunday, May 24. The move breaks with the usual practice of waiting until a new campaign begins, and it lands while United are still finishing this season.
Nottingham Forest and Brighton
United will wear the 2026-27 home kit in its first outing against Nottingham Forest next weekend, then use it again at Brighton on Sunday, May 24. That makes the two remaining fixtures the launchpad for a shirt that is already ready, even though the current season has not ended.
The club's final home game is also against Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford, though the date has not been set yet. For supporters following the final stretch, the shirt change is the clearest visible sign that planning for next season is already running alongside the current run-in.
Adidas and the 1970s design
The new shirt comes from Adidas, whose deal with United is worth £900million and runs until 2035. The home design includes a collar, draws on the club's kits of the 1970s and carries Adidas' classic three stripes on the sleeves.
United's wider kit line keeps the same historical thread. The away shirt is set to be blue with white and red trim, with a look said to echo the third kit used between 1986 and 1988. Leaks also point to an off-white third shirt with the devil symbol in the centre of the chest instead of the club crest.
Carrick's unresolved future
The timing sits alongside an unresolved managerial situation. Michael Carrick, the 44-year-old manager, said on Sunday: "It's not about what I like or what I do not like. It's not in my control." He added: "Everything has gone so well, we know the situation and where we are. I am happy with where we are at the moment and we still want to get better. Let's see what happens next. At this moment in time, it's not something I am thinking about."
Formal talks between Carrick and the club's hierarchy had not yet taken place. United, meanwhile, secured their place in next season's Champions League with a 3-2 victory over Liverpool last Sunday, and the shirt debut now lands in the middle of that run of results rather than after the campaign has ended.
