Manchester City F.C. in international football

History

European club competitions began in the mid-1950s, but Manchester City did not play in Europe during that period. City were not invited to the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, and the European Cup Winners' Cup did not start until 1960. After eight players from neighbours Manchester United died in the Munich air disaster while returning from a European Cup match in February 1958, UEFA asked City to take United's place in the competition; City rejected the idea.

City's first European appearance came in the 1968–69 season, in the European Cup, after winning the 1967–68 league championship. Coach Malcolm Allison made grandiose statements, saying City would "terrify Europe" and "attack these people as they have not been attacked since the days of the old Real Madrid". The first-round opponent was Turkish club Fenerbahçe. City did not scout Fenerbahçe, relying instead on a report from Oscar Hold, an Englishman who had managed Fenerbahçe between 1965 and 1967.

The first leg at Maine Road ended 0–0, with Fenerbahçe goalkeeper Yavuz Şimşek denying City. In the return leg in Istanbul, City took an early lead through Tony Coleman but conceded two second-half goals and were eliminated. City won the 1969 FA Cup final to qualify for the 1969–70 European Cup Winners' Cup. City recovered from a two-goal deficit to draw 3–3 away, then won 3–0 at home.

Post-match reports alleged a half-time scuffle between Mike Doyle and José Ramón Betzuen; the referee spoke to both managers but took no further action.

Non-UEFA / FIFA competitions

As the 1970 League Cup winners, Manchester City faced Bologna, who had won the Coppa Italia, in the Anglo-Italian League Cup. This competition was created the year before so that Swindon Town, the 1969 League Cup winners, could compete against European sides. For the away leg in Bologna, the City squad stayed more than 100 kilometers away in the seaside town of Rimini and adopted a casual approach. They lost that match 1-0 and then drew 2-2 at home, losing the trophy.

After failing to qualify for European competition in 1971-72, City received an invitation to the Texaco Cup, which involved teams from England, Scotland, and Ireland. They put out a weakened lineup for the second leg against Airdrieonians. As a penalty, the club had its 1,000-pound prize money taken away and received a two-year ban from the event. When the ban ended in 1974, City entered again but were eliminated in the group stage.

Denis Law played his last professional games in that tournament. After Irish teams pulled out, the competition was renamed the Anglo-Scottish Cup, and City once more failed to get past the group stage.

Records

Manchester City have played against 75 different clubs internationally. Their record European home victory is 7–0, achieved against Schalke 04 in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg on 12 March 2019, and again against RB Leipzig in the same stage on 14 March 2023. The record European away victory is 5–0 against Sporting CP in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg on 15 February 2022. The record European home defeat is 1–3 against Bayern Munich in the Champions League group stage on 2 October 2013; the record away defeat is 0–4 against Barcelona in the Champions League group stage on 19 October 2016.

In the FIFA Club World Cup, the record victory is 6–0 against Al Ain in the group stage on 22 June 2025, and the record defeat is 3–4 against Al-Hilal in the round of 16 on 30 June 2025. City hold the national record for the longest winning run in UEFA competitions: 10 matches from 17 May 2023 to 6 March 2024. They also hold the national record for most Champions League wins in a single season (11 in 2020–21) and the longest unbeaten run in the Champions League (26 matches from 6 September 2022 to 23 October 2024).

The longest unbeaten home run in the Champions League is 35 matches (7 November 2018 to 29 January 2025), also a national record. The most points amassed in a Champions League group is 18 (2023–24); the fewest is 3 (2012–13). In the Champions League league phase, the most points are 16 (2025–26) and the fewest 11 (2024–25); the highest final position is 8th (2025–26) and the lowest 22nd (2024–25). The most goals scored in a single season is 32 (2022–23); the fewest conceded is 5 (2020–21 and 2022–23).

The highest home attendance is 53,461 against Liverpool in the Champions League quarter-finals second leg on 10 April 2018.