Champions League: Why Manchester United’s Return vs Sabah FK Is on Thursday

• Manchester United's first Champions League fixture back at Old Trafford is scheduled for an unusual Thursday night slot
• UEFA made a deliberate scheduling decision that explains why the Sabah FK match falls outside the competition's traditional nights
• United are not the only club affected, with several other big sides also playing on Thursday in the opening matchday

Manchester United's return to the Champions League this season comes with a scheduling quirk that has caught the attention of long-time followers of the competition: their opening home game against Sabah FK at Old Trafford is set for a Thursday night.

Tuesday and Wednesday evenings have defined Champions League football for decades, so a Thursday fixture feels immediately out of place to anyone familiar with the competition's rhythms.

UCL: Why Manchester United play on Thursday

As noted by Tuko, the decision is deliberate. UEFA wanted to give the Champions League's first matchday an exclusive window, with no overlap from the Europa League or the Conference League.

To fit all 18 first-matchday fixtures into that standalone week, the governing body spread the games across three consecutive nights: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

This is a one-off arrangement specific to the opening round. From matchday two onwards, the Champions League returns to its traditional Tuesday and Wednesday schedule.

The Europa League follows a similar arrangement. It receives its own exclusive opening week a week later, with fixtures on Wednesday, September 17 and Thursday, September 17. After that, it settles back into its regular Thursday night programme for the remainder of the season.

As noted by Metro UK, the Red Devils are not the only team playing on Thursday, there are other matches across Europe.

Other matches on Thursday

Fenerbahce vs Roma

PSV vs Shakhtar Donetsk

Bayern vs Bodo/Glimt

Slavia Praha vs Lens

Como vs RB Leipzig

Why Mainoo was excluded from PL squad

Legit.ng previously explained why Kobbie Mainoo was excluded from the Premier League squad list after Michael Carrick confirmed his team.

The England international is classified as an U21 player for the 2026/27 season, and hence do not have to feature on the A list to play.

Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.