F.C. United hosted a test event on 16 May 2015, staging a short match between their first team and an Invitational XI made up of past players. This event was organized to test the facilities and prove that the stadium can hold a large capacity crowd, and took place with 3,241 supporters in attendance. The official opening game was a friendly between F.C. United of Manchester and Benfica B on 29 May, the anniversary of Manchester United's victory over Benfica in the 1968 European Cup Final. The date also happened to be the anniversary of the death of Ronald Johnson. Benfica won the opening game 0–1 in front of a capacity crowd of 4,232. The ground's first league game was on 11 August 2015, the second match of the 2015–16 season for F.C. United, in a National League North local derby against Stockport County, a 1–2 loss.