DHL EXPRESS AND MANCHESTER UNITED BRING THE 'THEATRE OF DREAMS' TO THE WORLD'S MOST RURAL COMMUNITY OF RED DEVIL FANS

• DHL Express' "Delivering Dreams" campaign provides professional-grade, all-weather football pitch to the isolated community of Mae Suek, Thailand
• Manchester United legend Patrice Evra was on hand to open the facility and led the first training session on the pitch with local children
• Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes sent an inspiring video message and provided club jerseys to the population who almost exclusively support the Red Devils
• Over 1,000 children will now have access to training facilities every day and throughout the year, overcoming the extreme weather, geographic hurdles and mountainous terrain

LONDON, March 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- DHL Express has partnered with Manchester United to provide a professional-grade, all-weather football pitch to one of the most geographically isolated communities in the world – Mae Suek, Thailand – a region where over 85% of the population are lifelong supporters of the Red Devils.

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DHL Express, the Official Logistics Partner of Manchester United, delivered a professional-grade, all-weather football pitch to Mae Suek, Thailand, for the 'Delivering Dreams' campaign. Find out more here: https://inmotion.dhl/en/staging/manchester-united/delivering-dreams jwplayer('myplayer1').setup({file: 'https://mma.prnasia.com/media2/2941414/DHL_Express.mp4', image: 'https://mma.prnasia.com/media2/2941414/DHL_Express.mp4?p=thumbnail', autostart:'false', stretching : 'uniform', width: '512', height: '288'});

DHL Express, the official logistics partner of Manchester United since 2011, delivered the pitch alongside club legend Patrice Evra, who led the first training session on the new surface to inspire a generation of players in a region where the "Theatre of Dreams" had previously only existed on television screens.

Located 140km and more than four hours from the nearest major city, Chiang Mai, and a 2.5-hour round trip from the closest functional football pitch, Mae Suek is home to 11 villages and 11,577 people who share a love for the beautiful game and Manchester United in particular.

However, extreme weather conditions that frequently renders the local fields unusable, combined with a mountainous terrain that offers very little flat ground, has meant that Mae Suek has long struggled with a lack of safe sporting facilities, which sidelines the community's passion for playing football.

So, as part of DHL Express' "Delivering Dreams" campaign, the global logistic experts, together with Manchester United, surprised the community by providing high-quality infrastructure on Jericho Farm. The 9x9 pitch is made to world-class standards, featuring premium FIFA Grade 4G turf, similar to what is found at Manchester United's Carrington training ground.

The new facility will ensure that over 1,000 students from two schools and three neighbouring villages can now access training facilities every day, regardless of the tropical climate, whilst also hosting regional tournaments throughout the year and applications for the Chiang Mai FC Academy.

Patrice Evra, Manchester United legend, said: "The 'Delivering Dreams' campaign with DHL Express is fantastic. When I saw the smiles on the kids' faces when they played on this beautiful football pitch for the first time, it was a moment I won't forget. When I was that age, I didn't have the opportunity or the luxury to play on that kind of pitch. It's an amazing campaign and an honour to be chosen to cut the cord and be the first one playing on the pitch with those kids."

Mr V, owner of Jericho Farm, said: "It is a privilege to use my farm as the location for the region's first ever football pitch which we can use all year round. We are a community of massive Manchester United fans, but until now, we didn't always have the opportunity to play the game that everyone loves so much. I am excited knowing that everyone can now play sport whenever they choose, and it brings me great joy to see children having so much fun."

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes also shared inspiring video messages and provided club jerseys, upon hearing from these avid fans, including Mr Som Chai, a referee for local grassroots clubs and his son, Man Yoo, who is named after his favourite team. Meanwhile, the president of the Khun Yuam Manchester United Supporters Club is nicknamed Aoddy Sherringham, celebrating his status as the area's best ever football player.

Delivered by DHL Express Thailand, five trucks drove 500 miles from Bangkok to Jericho Farm – almost the length of the entire country – over the course of two days. The installation of the pitch required land clearing, soil excavation and site-levellling to prepare the land, while 12 members of the local tribe as part of the Hmong Tribal communities were on hand to bless the pitch upon completion.

Bruno Fernandes, Manchester United captain, said: "It is projects like this that inspire young children from around the world to believe that they can one day play at the Theatre of Dreams. The enjoyment and the passion to play football is the same, whether it is on your local pitch or in front of 75,000 fans at Old Trafford. It's a great project and I know it will be enjoyed by the children and wider community of Mae Suek."

Mason Mount, Manchester United player, said: "It's an amazing project to be able to supply a pitch in such a remote area. It's magical for the kids in that local area to see a pitch like that. To see that quality of pitch and how lucky we are to be able to play on such pitches, you want everyone to be able to experience something like that. I know a lot of the planning that has gone into it has been very difficult and taken a lot of time to sort everything out, but what an amazing story and for the kids it will be so special."

Elliott Santon, Head of Global Sponsorships at DHL Express, said: "At DHL Express, we are always looking for opportunities to deliver on our mission to connect people and improve lives. It is a proud moment to work with our long-term partners at Manchester United to provide the people of Mae Suek, Thailand, with access to a professional grade football pitch. To hear the community's love for the game and how playing sport will benefit the region for generations to come was very rewarding."

The "Delivering Dreams" campaign brings to life DHL Express' purpose mission of 'Connecting People and Improving Lives', by using football and our legacy partnership with Manchester United as a platform to unite communites for a better world.

Video - https://mma.prnasia.com/media2/2941414/DHL_Express.mp4

LONDON, March 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- DHL Express has partnered with Manchester United to provide a professional-grade, all-weather football pitch to one of the most geographically isolated communities in the world – Mae Suek, Thailand – a region where over 85% of the population are lifelong supporters of the Red Devils.

DHL Express, the Official Logistics Partner of Manchester United, delivered a professional-grade, all-weather football pitch to Mae Suek, Thailand, for the 'Delivering Dreams' campaign. Find out more here: https://inmotion.dhl/en/staging/manchester-united/delivering-dreams jwplayer('myplayer1').setup({file: 'https://mma.prnasia.com/media2/2941414/DHL_Express.mp4', image: 'https://mma.prnasia.com/media2/2941414/DHL_Express.mp4?p=thumbnail', autostart:'false', stretching : 'uniform', width: '512', height: '288'});

DHL Express, the official logistics partner of Manchester United since 2011, delivered the pitch alongside club legend Patrice Evra, who led the first training session on the new surface to inspire a generation of players in a region where the "Theatre of Dreams" had previously only existed on television screens.

Located 140km and more than four hours from the nearest major city, Chiang Mai, and a 2.5-hour round trip from the closest functional football pitch, Mae Suek is home to 11 villages and 11,577 people who share a love for the beautiful game and Manchester United in particular.

However, extreme weather conditions that frequently renders the local fields unusable, combined with a mountainous terrain that offers very little flat ground, has meant that Mae Suek has long struggled with a lack of safe sporting facilities, which sidelines the community's passion for playing football.

So, as part of DHL Express' "Delivering Dreams" campaign, the global logistic experts, together with Manchester United, surprised the community by providing high-quality infrastructure on Jericho Farm. The 9x9 pitch is made to world-class standards, featuring premium FIFA Grade 4G turf, similar to what is found at Manchester United's Carrington training ground.

The new facility will ensure that over 1,000 students from two schools and three neighbouring villages can now access training facilities every day, regardless of the tropical climate, whilst also hosting regional tournaments throughout the year and applications for the Chiang Mai FC Academy.

Patrice Evra, Manchester United legend, said: "The 'Delivering Dreams' campaign with DHL Express is fantastic. When I saw the smiles on the kids' faces when they played on this beautiful football pitch for the first time, it was a moment I won't forget. When I was that age, I didn't have the opportunity or the luxury to play on that kind of pitch. It's an amazing campaign and an honour to be chosen to cut the cord and be the first one playing on the pitch with those kids."

Mr V, owner of Jericho Farm, said: "It is a privilege to use my farm as the location for the region's first ever football pitch which we can use all year round. We are a community of massive Manchester United fans, but until now, we didn't always have the opportunity to play the game that everyone loves so much. I am excited knowing that everyone can now play sport whenever they choose, and it brings me great joy to see children having so much fun."

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes also shared inspiring video messages and provided club jerseys, upon hearing from these avid fans, including Mr Som Chai, a referee for local grassroots clubs and his son, Man Yoo, who is named after his favourite team. Meanwhile, the president of the Khun Yuam Manchester United Supporters Club is nicknamed Aoddy Sherringham, celebrating his status as the area's best ever football player.

Delivered by DHL Express Thailand, five trucks drove 500 miles from Bangkok to Jericho Farm – almost the length of the entire country – over the course of two days. The installation of the pitch required land clearing, soil excavation and site-levellling to prepare the land, while 12 members of the local tribe as part of the Hmong Tribal communities were on hand to bless the pitch upon completion.

Bruno Fernandes, Manchester United captain, said: "It is projects like this that inspire young children from around the world to believe that they can one day play at the Theatre of Dreams. The enjoyment and the passion to play football is the same, whether it is on your local pitch or in front of 75,000 fans at Old Trafford. It's a great project and I know it will be enjoyed by the children and wider community of Mae Suek."

Mason Mount, Manchester United player, said: "It's an amazing project to be able to supply a pitch in such a remote area. It's magical for the kids in that local area to see a pitch like that. To see that quality of pitch and how lucky we are to be able to play on such pitches, you want everyone to be able to experience something like that. I know a lot of the planning that has gone into it has been very difficult and taken a lot of time to sort everything out, but what an amazing story and for the kids it will be so special."

Elliott Santon, Head of Global Sponsorships at DHL Express, said: "At DHL Express, we are always looking for opportunities to deliver on our mission to connect people and improve lives. It is a proud moment to work with our long-term partners at Manchester United to provide the people of Mae Suek, Thailand, with access to a professional grade football pitch. To hear the community's love for the game and how playing sport will benefit the region for generations to come was very rewarding."

The "Delivering Dreams" campaign brings to life DHL Express' purpose mission of 'Connecting People and Improving Lives', by using football and our legacy partnership with Manchester United as a platform to unite communites for a better world.

Video - https://mma.prnasia.com/media2/2941414/DHL_Express.mp4

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DHL EXPRESS AND MANCHESTER UNITED BRING THE 'THEATRE OF DREAMS' TO THE WORLD'S MOST RURAL COMMUNITY OF RED DEVIL FANS

• Resumes services to Fukuoka, Japan from September 2026 after nearly two decades
• Expands China footprint with new direct services to Shenzhen and Changsha, commencing July 2026
• "MAG Arena" showcases Asia's Largest Airline Pavilion at MATTA Fair 2026, featuring the region's premier sports partnership activation by an airline
• Increases frequencies across ASEAN, South Asia, Australia and New Zealand and Europe to further strengthen global connectivity

SINGAPORE, April 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Malaysia Airlines is significantly expanding its East Asia footprint with the return of direct flights to Fukuoka, Japan, and the launch of new services to Shenzhen and Changsha, China. Commencing between July and September 2026, these additions bring the airline's China network to nine key gateways and reinforce its commitment to providing greater travel flexibility across the region.

As part of this expansion, the airline will introduce new services between Kuala Lumpur and Shenzhen (SZX) and Changsha (CSX) in China, alongside the resumption of services to Fukuoka (FUK) in Japan, which the airline last operated in September 2006. With the launch of these destinations, Malaysia Airlines consolidates its presence across a total of nine strategic destinations in China, including Beijing (PKX), Shanghai (PVG), Guangzhou (CAN), Xiamen (XMN), Hong Kong (HKG), Taipei (TPE), and Chengdu Tianfu (TFU). Ticket sales for the new services commence today, supporting the growing travel demand and strengthening connectivity between Malaysia and these high-growth regional hubs.

Captain Nasaruddin A. Bakar, President and Group Chief Executive Officer of Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), said, "This expansion reflects our strategic focus on scaling our presence in key growth markets across East Asia while cementing Kuala Lumpur's position as a key strategic gateway. Both Shenzhen and Changsha align perfectly with our network strategy, driven by robust demand across both business and leisure segments. The return to Fukuoka further enhances our network depth. As the only carrier operating direct flights on this route, we are proud to offer passengers a seamless non-stop experience that eliminates the need for transit. These developments demonstrate our ongoing commitment to optimising our network and delivering a more integrated travel experience for our customers."

Beyond the East Asia expansion, Malaysia Airlines is increasing flight frequencies across key routes namely Brisbane, Australia; Manila, Philippines and Colombo, Sri Lanka to meet rising demand while supporting growing tourism and trade links. In addition, the airline will operate ad-hoc Kuala Lumpur–London flights on 18 and 22 April 2026 to accommodate passengers affected by recent Middle Eastern carrier disruptions.

As the returning Official Airline Partner and Premier Sponsor of MATTA Fair 2026, MAG unveiled its most ambitious presence yet with the launch of the MAG Arena, recognised by both the Asia Records and ASEAN Records as Asia's Largest Airline Trade Pavilion at a consumer travel fair.

Spanning approximately 46,000 square feet, nearly three times the scale of its participation in September last year, the expanded pavilion transforms the MATTA Fair experience into a fully immersive destination showcasing curated experiences and next-generation travel technology that brings journeys to life before travellers even board the aircraft. Visitors will be able to explore destinations, discover travel innovations and experience the warmth of Malaysian Hospitality through interactive engagements designed to inspire their next journey.

In addition, the pavilion will host Asia's largest sports partnership activation by an airline, celebrating Malaysia Airlines' collaborations with global clubs like Manchester United and national sporting icons Datuk Azizulhasni Awang and others. The dedicated sports experience zone will allow football fans and travellers to engage with legends and their favourite sports personalities — reinforcing how sport and travel connect people across borders and generations.

Through the expansion of its network and increased flight frequencies, the airline continues to strengthen Kuala Lumpur's position as a key gateway to Asia and beyond, while supporting Malaysia's tourism ambitions under Visit Malaysia 2026 and advancing its journey towards becoming one of the world's Top 10 global airlines by 2030.

-ENDS-

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