Manchester United’s complete 70-year Champions League and European Cup history

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Manchester United will be back in the Champions League for the 2026/27 season.

For the first time since 2023/24, Manchester United have qualified for the Champions League, the biggest competition in Europe. It was made official via the 3-2 win over Liverpool on May 2, 2026.

The Champions League is the remodelled and renamed European Cup, and Manchester United have a history in the tournament dating back 70 years.

Going back to the Sir Matt Busby era, extending into the Sir Alex Ferguson era and the post-Fergie whirlwind, United have an eventful history in the competition.

It’s OFFICIAL – Man Utd will be in the Champions League in 2026/27 – Give us your reaction!

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1956/57

• Semi-finals

Manchester United’s first ever venture into the European Cup almost delivered instant success. Sir Matt Busby‘s side reached the semi-finals.

On the way, United recorded the club’s biggest ever win, defeating Anderlecht 10-0. The Red Devils were eventually knocked out by the all-conquering Real Madrid.

1957/58

• Semi-finals

1957/58 was a season overshadowed by tragedy, with eight players losing their lives travelling back from the quarter-finals. A total of 23 passengers were killed in the Munich Disaster.

United incredibly won the first leg of the semi-final, before falling in the away against AC Milan. The tragedy likely denied a dream final between United and Real Madrid.

The Busby Babes reached the European Cup semi-finals in 1957 and 1958

Were the Busby Babes destined to go all the way in the European Cup before the Munich air disaster?

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1965/66

• Semi-finals

After miraculously bouncing back from tragedy to win the 1964/65 league title, Sir Matt Busby’s side entered the European Cup again. United continued to perform impressively, reaching the sem-finals.

Before the eventual defeat to Partizan Belgrade, a young George Best really announced himself on the European stage with a sensational performance in a 5-1 win away at Benfica.

1967/68

• Winners!

After reaching the semi-finals three times, Manchester United finally went on and won the competition, becoming the first English club to win the European Cup.

After overcoming Real Madrid in the semi-finals, United beat Benfica 4-1 in the final, which went to extra-time. Despite being without injured striker Denis Law for the final, Bobby Charlton and George Best stepped up to clinch the trophy.

The win was Busby’s crowning achievement, capping the most remarkable sporting story in history after the tragedy a decade earlier.

1968/69

• Semi-finals

A more difficult follow-up season saw United stretched in all competitions and end up trophyless. Part of that agony came in the European Cup semi-finals.

Despite a strong start in the competition, United were knocked out in the semi-finals by AC Milan, who beat Ajax in the final.

1993/94

• Second round

United did not qualify for the competition until winning the Premier League in 1992/93 under Sir Alex Ferguson. He had already won the Cup Winners’ Cup by this point, and hopes were high for the club’s return to the European Cup.

Unfortunately, there was an abrupt ending, with the team knocked out after a bad-tempered clash with Galatasaray, marred by chaotic scenes off the pitch.

1994/95

• Group stage

Manchester United took part in the first season of the new-look Champions League, and kicked off with a memorable 4-2 win at home to Gothenburg.

However, the team would only win one of the next five games and were eliminated. United were hamstrung by the limits on foreigners, which stopped Ferguson from fielding his strongest side.

1996/97

• Semi-finals

1996/97 was both a success and mixed opportunity, with United reaching the semi-finals for the first time since the 1960s.

United were knocked out by Borussia Dortmund, disappointingly beaten without scoring a goal in either game, thanks to some great defending from the German side. Eric Cantona retired weeks later, leaving United stunned.

1997/98

• Quarter-finals

A disappointing domestic season in 1997/98 was matched by a frustrating result in the Champions League, with United upset by Monaco.

United were eliminated in the quarter-finals on away goals, a big disappointment after a strong group stage campaign.

1998/99

• Winners!

United took advantage of the expanded competition, permitted to enter after finishing second in the Premier League. This was a decision that changed history.

United pulled off the greatest stoppage time comeback in the Final to defeat Bayern Munich, and complete the third leg of the Treble. Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scored the two injury time goals to break Bayern hearts.

This was the second time United had won the competition, and a first time for Sir Alex Ferguson.

1999/00

• Quarter-finals

As defending champions, Manchester United were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Real Madrid, due to a frustrating home defeat at Old Trafford.

This competition had taken on a new bloated format, with a second group stage added in place of the second round.

2000/01

• Quarter-finals

United were dominant in both group stages in 2000/01, before coming up against a highly motivated Bayern Munich team.

Bayern were out for revenge after 1999, and knocked United out on their way to eventually winning the competition.

2001/02

• Semi-finals

Sir Alex Ferguson had eyed a dream final at Hampden Park, Scotland in 2002, and came so agonisingly close to setting up a showdown with Real Madrid.

Instead the team were defeat on away goals by Bayern Leverkusen, and were left to rue missed opportunities. David Beckham missed the semi-final after an injury in the quarters against Deportivo.

2002/03

• Quarter-finals

United were largely dominant in 2002/03, before coming up against a spectacular Real Madrid team boasting Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo and Luis Figo.

After Raul played a key role in inflicting a 3-1 first leg loss, not even a frenetic 4-3 win was not enough in the second leg. Ronaldo scored a hat-trick for Real, earning the rare applause of the Old Trafford crowd as a visiting player.

2003/04

• Second round

The 2003/04 season was one of the biggest missed opportunities for Manchester United. The team were eliminated by Porto, with a suspended Roy Keane badly missed in the second leg.

Porto went on to win the competition, defeating Monaco in the final.

Was this the worst XI Sir Alex Ferguson ever selected for a European knockout tie?

What are your memories of the defeat to Porto in 2004?

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2004/05

• Second round

2004/05 was a time of transition for United. Despite superb individual performances from debutant Wayne Rooney and Ruud van Nistelrooy in the group stages, this team was not good enough to go much further.

United were eliminated by an experienced AC Milan team, who were able to shut the Red Devils out in both legs.

2005/06

• Group stages

The worst Champions League group stage campaign under Sir Alex Ferguson saw United embarrassingly finish bottom of the group.

United failed to score in four out of the six games, and only managed to win one match in total. A campaign to forget.

2006/07

• Semi-finals

This was more like it. Manchester United reached the semi-finals for the first time since 2001/02, thanks to a new look side inspired by Michael Carrick in midfield, and the partnership of Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo hitting new heights.

The highlight was a stunning 7-1 demolition of Roma at Old Trafford, an unstoppable display. But for the second time in three seasons, United were eliminated by an experienced AC Milan team, blending the brutality of Gennaro Gattuso with the silky skills of Kaka.

United won the first leg thanks to a late Wayne Rooney winner, but were beaten away from home in the return leg.

2007/08

• Winners!

The near miss of the previous season was a valuable learning curve for 2007/08, with Manchester United going on to win the Champions League/European Cup for the third time.

Rooney and Ronaldo were brilliant again all season, while United had added Carlos Tevez and Owen Hargreaves into the tem. United won every match in the group stages and looked untroubled through the knockouts, until a tense pair of games against Barcelona. Paul Scholes netted a memorable winner to see United through at Old Trafford.

It was an all-Premier League final, with United defeating Chelsea on penalties, partly thanks to a John Terry slip. Edwin van der Sar saved the decisive spot kick from Nicolas Anelka.

*United won 6–5 on penalties.

2008/09

• Runners-up

Manchester United put together an impressive unbeaten run in the Champions League across 2007/08 and 2008/09, all the way to the final.

United’s route to the final featured spectacular Ronaldo goal against Porto, and a stunning brace away at Arsenal in the semi-finals.

The final was a letdown, with United beaten by Barcelona. The game should have been winnable as the La Liga side had only just got past Chelsea in the semis. But after United conceded an early goal, it was an uphill battle the side could not recover from.

2009/10

• Quarter-finals

United’s side was strong in 2009/10, far too good for AC Milan, with Wayne Rooney inspiring a 4-0 win the second round at Old Trafford.

In the quarters, United took a 1-0 lead away from home, before conceding two late goals.

United surged back into life in the second leg, taking a 3-0 lead. Bayern pulled a goal back just before half-time, and a red card to Rafael da Silva turned the tie, while Wayne Rooney was withdrawn due to an injury sustained in the first leg. A second half strike from Arjen Robben knocked United out on away goals.

2010/11

• Runners-up

Manchester United reached the final for the second time in three seasons, only to suffer heartbreak against Barcelona again.

United knocked Chelsea out in the quarters, and thrashed Ralf Rangnick’s Schalke to reach the final. This was an odd campaign where Bebe scored a Champions League goal, and Darron Gibson netted in the semi-finals.

Barcelona were a class apart in the final. While United were level at half-time, Pep Guardiola’s side were rampant in the second half and were fully deserving 3-1 victors at Wembley.

2011/12

• Group stages

United were too casual in the group stages, and were made to pay for early draws against Benfica and Basel.

Ferguson’s side were knocked out in the group stages with a defeat in Switzerland to Basel, and sent into the Europa League, and a later elimination by Athletic Bilbao.

2012/13

• Second round

United won the first four games in the group and still finished top, despite losing the last two. Unfortunately the reward was a Last 16 tie with Real Madrid, who had finished second in their group behind Borussia Dortmund.

Ferguson’s United drew the away leg, and were in the ascendancy at Old Trafford when Nani was shown a harsh red card for a high boot.

The manager was incandescent with rage, while Cristiano Ronaldo did the damage for Real to knock 10-man United out. This was Ferguson’s final Champions League game.

Sir Alex Ferguson won TWO Champions League titles in 1999 and 2008, but had several near-misses…

… which Champions League run under Fergie was the ONE THAT GOT AWAY for you?

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2013/14

• Quarter-finals

A dismal Premier League campaign under David Moyes was offset for a while by a respectable Champions League campaign. United were unbeaten in the group stage and topped the group.

United wobbled with a 2-0 loss to Olympiakos in the Last 16, before a Robin van Persie hat-trick sent the team through in the home leg.

A tougher draw in the quarter-finals saw Bayern Munich eliminate United for the third time since the 1999 Final. We still wouldn’t swap it.

2015/16

• Group stages

Louis van Gaal’s United entered the group stages via the qualifiers, with a convincing 7-1 aggregate win over Club Brugge.

That was as good as it got. A disastrous 2-1 loss away at PSV was overshadowed by Luke Shaw’s injury. United only won one game out of six, and exited with an away defeat to Wolfsburg, often remembered for a bizarre Nick Powell substitution.

2017/18

• Second round

Jose Mourinho won the Europa League in 2016/17, and his 2017/18 Champions league group stages were impressive, recording five wins out of six.

The knockouts were a different story, with United defeated by Sevilla after a 2-1 home loss. It was this game that spelt the beginning the of the end for Mourinho at United. He was sacked midway through the following season.

2018/19

• Quarter-final

Mourinho did help United get through the group stages in 2018/19, famously cupping his ear to the Juventus fans after a late winner.

Interim boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took over, losing the first leg of the Last 16 2-0 against PSG, with Paul Pogba sent off. United then shocked the world with a 3-1 away win in the second leg, with Marcus Rashford scoring a last gasp penalty to send us through on away goals.

Solskjaer was then handed the job full-time, before United were outclassed by Barcelona over two legs, beaten 4-0 on aggregate.

2020/21

• Group stage

United kicked off the 2020/21 group stages top of the group after back-to-back wins against PSG and RB Leipzig. Then disaster struck.

A defensive calamity saw United beaten 2-1 away at Turkish side Istanbul Basaksehir, who featured Rafael da Silva. This was a critical three points dropped.

United lost the final two group games at home to PSG and away at RB Leipzig, and were eliminated in third place.

2021/22

• Second round

The Cristiano Ronaldo return campaign kicked off with a shambolic late collapse at Young Boys, immediately showing the cracks in the project.

You could not fault Ronaldo’s contribution, he netted two late winners at Old Trafford against Villarreal and Atalanta, before another brace in Italy.

By time we faced Atletico Madrid in the group stages, Ralf Rangnick was in charge. Anthony Elanga scored an impressive equaliser away from home, but a turgid performance at Old Trafford saw the Red Devils eliminated.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s 2021/22 season was CRAZY – What went wrong for the team?

What was your favourite Cristiano Ronaldo moment in his second spell?

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2023/24

• Group stage

Erik ten Hag’s one and only Champions League season at Manchester United was wrecked by goalkeeping errors from Andre Onana.

United only won one game out of six and were deservedly eliminated. A harsh red card to Marcus Rashford away at Copenhagen contributed to the collapse.

The only positive was a teenage Kobbie Mainoo making his Champions League debut away at Galatasarary.

• A new look Champions League awaits Manchester United in 2026/27…