Manchester City officially kicks off their 2026 pre-season campaign today, August 1, 2026, with a high-profile friendly against Italian champions Inter Milan.
The highly anticipated encounter, marking the debut of new City manager Enzo Maresca, is set to electrify fans at the state-of-the-art Kai Tak Sports Park in Hong Kong. Inter Milan, under the guidance of Cristian Chivu, comes into the fixture having already participated in several warm-up matches and will look to challenge the Premier League giants.
Match Details: Date, Time, and Venue
The marquee friendly between Manchester City and Inter Milan is scheduled for Saturday, August 1, 2026. The match will kick off at 12:30 PM BST (UK time), which translates to 5:00 IST (Indian Standard Time). The magnificent Kai Tak Sports Park in Kowloon, Hong Kong, with its 50,000-capacity, will host the thrilling contest.
Where to Watch Manchester City vs Inter Milan
- India: FanCode is offering live streaming for select club friendlies 2026 on its app and website. Fans can catch club-wise friendlies (five) with a Match Pass for INR 99, or get full access with a Season Pass for INR 249.
Team News and Recent Form
Manchester City enters this pre-season friendly under new management, with Enzo Maresca taking the reins from the legendary Pep Guardiola. Guardiola concluded his decade-long tenure with an EFL Cup and FA Cup double in the 2025/26 season. However, Maresca will be without several key players, including Rodri, who is recovering from back surgery and is expected to miss the start of the 2026/27 campaign, alongside other senior figures away on FIFA World Cup duties. Marquee summer signing Elliot Anderson, a £116 million acquisition from Nottingham Forest, is among the new faces Maresca will integrate.
Inter Milan, fresh off regaining the Serie A Scudetto last season, are reportedly further along in their pre-season preparations. Under Cristian Chivu, they have already secured dominant victories against SV Aasen (16-0) and Karlsruher SC (2-1) in earlier friendlies.
Head-to-Head Record
Manchester City and Inter Milan have met twice in competitive fixtures. Their most notable recent encounter was the 2023 Champions League final, which Manchester City won 1-0. The two teams also played to a goalless stalemate in the 2024-25 Champions League campaign.
As Maresca begins his tenure and Chivu continues to build on Inter’s domestic success, this friendly promises to be an intriguing early test for both European powerhouses, offering fans a glimpse of their ambitions for the upcoming 2026/27 season.