Arsenal have already confirmed some pre-season fixtures ahead of the 2026/27 campaign
Arsenal’s pre-season plans are likely to be heavily impacted by this summer’s World Cup, with players returning at different stages depending on how their country does in North America.
The Gunners have 15 players competing at the tournament; David Raya (Spain), Gabriel (Brazil), William Saliba (France), Piero Hincapie (Ecuador), Martin Zubimendi (Spain), Declan Rice (England), Mikel Merino (Spain), Martin Odegaard (Norway), Eberechi Eze (England), Leandro Trossard (Belgium), Gabriel Martinelli (Brazil), Noni Madueke (England), Bukayo Saka (England), Kai Havertz (Germany) and Viktor Gyokeres (Sweden).
The players not taking part in the World Cup have already gone on their holidays and will be expected to report back to Sobha Realty Training Centre for pre-season at the start of July. These include; Kepa Arrizabalaga, Tommy Setford, Cristhian Mosquera, Ben White, Jurrien Timber, Riccardo Calafiori, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Christian Norgaard and Gabriel Jesus. Fabio Vieira, Reiss Nelson and Ethan Nwaneri are also expected to report for pre-season duty following their loan moves away from the club.
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Over the past two summers, some members of the squad have flown to Spain to take part in an optional training camp in Marbella and a similar trip may happen again this summer. Led by Mikel Arteta and his coaching staff, the trip in 2024 was laid on for players not competing at Euro 2024 or the Copa America.
football.london understands there are ongoing discussions about a potential trip to Spain, but whether this includes a pre-season friendly, a behind-closed-doors match or just a training excursion has not yet been decided. Given Arsenal’s current pre-season fixtures in the diary and the ongoing World Cup, it’s also possible this trip to Spain is delayed and instead happens at the end of July, rather than the start.
At the moment, Arsenal’s first pre-season fixture will take place on Wednesday, August 5 against Real Betis in Dublin. It will be the Gunners’ first pre-season trip to the Republic of Ireland since August 2018, with the match against the La Liga side being played at the Aviva Stadium.
After the fixture was announced in March, Chief Executive Officer, Richard Garlick, said: “We’re all excited to be coming back to Dublin in August. We have incredible support in the Republic of Ireland and we’re looking forward to playing a competitive pre-season match at the Aviva Stadium.
“Facing Real Betis will provide high-quality opposition and vital preparation ahead of the new season. It promises to be an exciting match and we’re really looking forward to connecting with our supporters in Dublin once again.”
The only other fixture Arsenal have pencilled in ahead of the Premier League 2026/27 season starting on August 22 is the Community Shield. The Gunners will face Manchester City on Sunday, August 16 at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium as the Premier League champions and FA Cup winners go head-to-head ahead of the new campaign.
More fixtures are expected to be announced by Arsenal in the coming weeks, although potential dates and opponents remain unknown at this stage. In a statement published last week, the club said: “Further details of our pre-season schedule for the 2026/27 campaign will be announced in due course.”
There’s currently no word on whether the Emirates Cup will return for 2026, although the 2025 Emirates Cup fixture against Athletic Club was not confirmed until early July last year. Looking ahead to August, it’s possible the club pencil in an additional fixture on either Saturday, August 8 or Sunday, August 9.
Confirmed Arsenal pre-season fixtures so far
Arsenal vs Real Betis on Wednesday, August 5 at Aviva Stadium (7:30pm UK time)
Arsenal vs Manchester City on Sunday, August 16 at Principality Stadium (3pm UK time)
