Manchester United Confirm Kit Change Ahead of Champions League Opener vs Sabah FK

Manchester United open their 2026/27 Champions League campaign this evening against Azerbaijani side Sabah FK at Old Trafford and it is the club's first appearance in the competition in its nine-year history.

Michael Carrick will be looking to get his side off to a winning start in what is arguably their most favourable matchup in the competition's league phase this season to help shake off some of the frustration at Everton stealing a point from them late on last weekend.

Manchester United Add Foundation Logo to Champions League Kits

For tonight's match, the Red Devils will have a new addition to their kits on the back, beneath the kit numbers.

The front kit sponsor of Snapdragon will stay as is, but on the back of the kits for tonight's clash, the club has confirmed that it will have the 'Manchester United Foundation' printed on the back of the kits, which they're set to do throughout the entirety of the competition.

The Foundation has been around since 2007 and works to provide educational and community engagement programmes for young people in the Greater Manchester area, using the power of football and Manchester United's platform.

Given the Premier League's restriction of sponsors on the back of the kits unlike other leagues across Europe, the Champions League offers a unique opportunity for the club to raise awareness and brand visibility for the foundation.

There are still local regulations in some UEFA countries that prohibit certain types of sponsorship relating to betting, gambling or gaming, but the Foundation's presence on the shirt would not fall into those categories.

Manchester United Foundation CEO Welcomes Champions League Exposure

Speaking on the back-of-kit sponsor for the Champions League matches, Manchester United Foundation CEO Ashley Hackett expressed her delight at having the opportunity to put the Foundation's name on one of football's biggest stages.

"This is a wonderful opportunity for us, offering unparalleled exposure on one of football’s biggest stages during Manchester United's famous European nights.

"We’re incredibly proud of the vital work we do to support young people from communities across Greater Manchester, where our impact is genuinely life changing."

https://x.com/MU_Foundation/status/2098032055346954632

Why Microsoft Surface Will Not Feature on United’s Champions League Kits

Manchester United still maintains a sponsorship deal with Microsoft Surface, however their brand will not be visible anywhere on the club's kits this season.

The Premier League does not allow sponsors to be printed on the back of kits, but United's kits during their preseason friendlies had the Microsoft Surface logo on the back beneath the numbers.

While there are Premier League restrictions, the club technically have the Microsoft Surface logo on their kits for the FA Cup of Carabao Cup, and it is also being used on the kits of Manchester United's women's and academy teams as a part of the club's partnership with Snapdragon.

About the author

Thomas Adams

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Tom has been a football writer for over 15 years, having mostly focused his coverage on the Premier League and Bundesliga as well as all major international tournaments. He's been a writer, editor, and social media manager for SB Nation's Bavarian Football Works for just under a decade, which is one of the world's leading English-language sites dedicated to Bayern Munich, the German national team, and the Bundesliga. He's made appearances on the CBS Sports Golazo Show, 433 Podcast, The What the Falk Sunderland podcast, and other major outlets. He's also been a regular personality on the Bavarian Podcast Works show, but has been on a bit of a hiatus from that for the time being as raising a new baby takes A LOT of time as it turns out! He's a lifelong Liverpool FC supporter having first seen them play in a 2004 friendly in Hartford, Connecticut, close to where he resides, but prides himself on his ability to remain entirely objective when he's covering his side in any way.