THE Queensland Government will need to pay at least $5 million to entice English giants Manchester United to Brisbane next year.

The hugely popular Red Devils are planning to tour Australia next July to prepare for the 2013-14 English Premier League season.



Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson reportedly wants to play two matches, with Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne all in the running.



The preference is for both games to involve an A-League All-Star XI rather than Australian club sides.



Events Queensland officials have already met with Football Federation Australia and Manchester United delegates about hosting a match at Suncorp Stadium.



"FFA approached EQ to hear an overview of Manchester United's plans for Asia and potentially Australia in 2013," an EQ spokeswoman told The Courier-Mail yesterday.



"EQ is considering the opportunity and no decision has yet been made."



It's understood United, who are also planning to play two matches in Asia as part of the four-match pre-season tour, want to make a decision by Christmas at the latest.



With each game in Australia to reportedly attract more than $12 million in revenue, it would service as a massive boost for Queensland's ailing tourism industry.



The match would be an almost certain sellout at the 52,500-capacity Suncorp Stadium despite the cheapest ticket likely to cost $100.



A recent survey claimed that Manchester United had 659 million followers worldwide, 325 million of which hail from the Asia Pacific region.



But the sticking point could be the millions required to bring the 19-time English champions to Brisbane despite the prospect of the event returning more than double in profit.



The State Government is already refusing to pay to ensure Queensland hosts two State of Origin rugby league matches next year despite a Victorian $2.5 million bid to buy a Maroons-Blues clash.



Queensland Premier Campbell Newman last week said that paying extra for State of Origin matches would further hurt women's sport, which he considered was already a "poor cousin".



If an All-Stars A-League side was picked today, it would feature new Sydney FC recruit Alessandro Del Piero, as well as a sprinkling of Brisbane Roar players, including Johnny Warren medallist Thomas Broich and mercurial striker Besart Berisha.

Originally published as $5 million needed to get Man U