The summer training period for England's top‑flight clubs has finally drawn to a close, and with the first league fixtures set for August 21, fans can now review how each of the twenty Premier League sides fared in their pre‑season programmes. Below is a comprehensive recap of every match, tournament and friendly that took place over the past few weeks, along with a brief look at what the results might suggest for the upcoming campaign. Arsenal kicked off their preparations with a dominant 3‑0 win over MK Dons at their own training ground on July 25.
The Gunners then travelled to Girona for a 4‑1 defeat on August 1, before a 3‑1 loss to Real Betis in Dublin on August 5. A high‑profile clash against Borussia Dortmund at the Emirates Stadium ended in a 3‑2 defeat on August 9, and a tightly contested 1‑1 draw with Como (won 4‑3 on penalties) followed on August 12. The season‑opening Community Shield saw Arsenal finally break their pre‑season hoodoo, beating Manchester City 3‑0 in Cardiff on August 16. Aston Villa’s itinerary was equally globe‑trotting.
After a 5‑0 thrashing of Walsall at Bescot Stadium on July 21, the Villans travelled to Portugal for a 2‑1 win over Porto on July 25. Their next fixture, a 4‑2 loss to Real Sociedad on July 28, was followed by a 3‑1 victory against an Indonesia All‑Stars side in Jakarta on August 1. Villa then beat BG Pathum United 3‑1 in Thailand on August 4, before a narrow 2‑1 defeat to Bayern Munich in Hong Kong on August 7.
The UEFA Super Cup on August 12 saw them fall 2‑1 to Paris Saint‑Germain in Salzburg, and they wrapped up the month with a 2‑1 loss to Borussia Mönchengladbach at the Borussia‑Park on August 15. Bournemouth’s summer featured a mixture of domestic and continental opposition. They opened with a 4‑1 win over St Pauli in Saalfelden on July 24, then thrashed Augsburg 5‑2 on July 30. A behind‑closed‑doors 10‑1 rout of Genoa at their training ground on August 4 demonstrated their attacking depth, although a 2‑2 draw with Real Betis in Seville on August 8 and a 2‑1 loss to Mainz at the Mewa Arena on August 15 rounded off their schedule.
Brentford’s pre‑season was short but eventful. After a 3‑2 behind‑closed‑doors win over AFC Wimbledon on July 15, they travelled to France for a 4‑2 defeat by Rennes on August 8. The highlight came on August 15 when they demolished Eintracht Frankfurt 7‑0 at the Gtech Community Stadium, signalling a potent offensive unit ready for the new season.
Brighton & Hove Albion combined domestic friendlies with continental tours. They began with a 4‑1 win over Wycombe at their training ground on July 18, then faced Annecy in France on July 25.
A 4‑3 victory against Strasbourg in Austria on August 1 was followed by a 3‑0 win over Roma at the Amex on August 8, and a narrow 1‑0 triumph over Bologna at the same venue on August 15, leaving them in good shape defensively and offensively. Chelsea’s summer itinerary spanned three continents. They opened with a 6‑4 win over Western Sydney Wanderers in Sydney on July 28, then lost 2‑1 to Tottenham in the same city on August 1. A 1‑0 defeat to Juventus in Hong Kong on August 5 was followed by a 3‑0 victory over AC Milan in Jakarta on August 8.
After a 3‑3 draw with Johor Darul Ta'zim in Malaysia on August 9, they capped the tour with a 3‑1 win over Real Sociedad at Stamford Bridge on August 15. Coventry City’s pre‑season featured a series of low‑key fixtures. They beat AFC Wimbledon 3‑2 behind closed doors on July 11, drew 0‑0 with Northampton at Sixfields on July 18, then secured a 3‑1 win over Espanyol at the Coventry Building Society Arena on August 8. A 2‑0 victory over Monaco on August 14 completed their preparation.
Crystal Palace combined domestic matches with short‑form games. After a 5‑1 win over Swindon at their training ground on July 18, they suffered a 3‑0 loss to Lens in a 45‑minute match on July 28 and a goalless draw with Famalicão later that day. A 3‑1 win over Al Ula on July 31 and a 2‑0 loss to Freiburg on August 15 were the final results before the season starts. Everton’s itinerary took them across Europe.
They began with a 4‑0 win over Dundee at Dens Park on July 18, then drew 0‑0 with Bolton on July 25. A 1‑0 loss to Stoke on July 28 was followed by a 2‑1 defeat at Hamburg on August 1, a 3‑1 loss to Stuttgart on August 8, a 3‑1 victory over Newcastle at Murrayfield on August 12, and a 1‑1 draw with Lille on August 15. Fulham’s summer featured a 1‑1 draw with Al Ahli in Portugal on July 28, a 2‑1 loss to Crystal Palace at their training ground on August 7, and a 1‑0 win over Stuttgart at Craven Cottage on August 15. Hull City travelled through the Balkans, beating Konyaspor 3‑0 in Slovenia on July 25, then edging Çaykur Rizespor 2‑1 on July 28.
A 1‑1 draw with Kasımpaşa in Istanbul on August 1 was followed by a 2‑0 loss to Eintracht Frankfurt in Germany on August 8 and a goalless draw with Nice at the MKM Stadium on August 15. Ipswich Town enjoyed a busy schedule in England and Spain.
After a 2‑1 loss to Osasuna in Colchester on July 29, they beat Oxford 2‑0 at the Kassam Stadium on August 1, then lost 2‑1 to Wycombe at Adams Park the same day. Wins over Le Havre (1‑0) and Rayo Vallecano (3‑0) at Portman Road followed, and a 4‑2 away victory over Union Berlin on August 15 capped their preparation. Leeds United’s summer was a whirlwind of transatlantic fixtures. They started with a 3‑2 loss to Wrexham on July 26, then beat Sunderland 1‑0 in New Jersey on July 31.
A 4‑2 win over Liverpool in Chicago on August 2 was followed by a 2‑0 victory over RB Leipzig at Elland Road (120‑minute game) on August 8. After a dramatic 1‑1 draw with Manchester United (won 5‑4 on penalties) in Dublin on August 12, they finished with a 4‑0 thrashing of Augsburg at Elland Road on August 15.
Liverpool’s pre‑season spanned the United States and Europe. They opened with a 4‑2 win over Sunderland in Nashville on July 25, then beat Wrexham 1‑0 in New York on July 30.
A 4‑2 win over Leeds in Chicago on August 2 was followed by a 3‑2 loss to Monaco at Anfield on August 9 and a 2‑0 win over Como on August 16. Manchester City’s itinerary included a dramatic Community Shield loss to Arsenal (3‑0) on August 16, but earlier they drew 1‑1 with Inter Milan in Hong Kong on August 1 (lost 3‑1 on penalties), beat K‑League All‑Stars 3‑1 in Seoul on August 5, and defeated Atletico Madrid 3‑1 in Seoul on August 9. Manchester United’s summer featured a 1‑0 loss to Wrexham in Helsinki on July 18, a 5‑0 thrashing of Rosenborg in Trondheim on July 24, a 2‑1 win over Atletico Madrid in Stockholm on August 1, a 1‑1 draw with PSG in Gothenburg on August 8, a penalty shoot‑out defeat to Leeds on August 12, and a 4‑2 loss to AC Milan in Wroclaw on August 15.
Newcastle United combined domestic friendlies with European tours. After a 3‑0 win over Darlington at their training ground on July 18, they drew 1‑1 with Gateshead on July 25, beat Bristol City 4‑1 at Ashton Gate on July 29, lost 2‑1 to Valencia at Mestalla on August 8, beat Everton 3‑1 at Murrayfield on August 12, lost 2‑1 to Bayer Leverkusen at St James’ Park on August 15, and drew 1‑1 with Strasbourg on August 16.
Nottingham Forest’s schedule featured a 2‑0 win over Notts County on July 18, a 3‑0 victory over Blackburn in Portugal on July 22, a 1‑1 draw with Vitoria in Portugal on July 26, a 2‑1 win over Portimonense in the Algarve on July 31, a 4‑1 win over Sporting in the same region on July 31, a 1‑0 loss to Udinese in Italy on August 8, a 1‑0 defeat to Barcelona in Udine on the same day, a 2‑1 win over Bayer Leverkusen at the City Ground on August 12, and a 2‑0 victory over Brest on August 16. Sunderland’s summer was a mixture of domestic and overseas fixtures. After a 5‑1 loss to York City on July 18, they suffered a 4‑2 defeat to Liverpool in Nashville on July 25, lost 1‑0 to Leeds in New Jersey on July 31, beat Wrexham 1‑0 in Philadelphia on August 2, lost 4‑1 to Lens at their training ground on August 8, then won 2‑0 against Lens at Stade Bollaert‑Delelis later that day.
A 2‑1 win over Rennes at the Stadium of Light on August 15 concluded their preparation. Tottenham Hotspur travelled widely, beginning with a 1‑0 win over MK Dons at their training ground on July 22, then a 2‑0 victory over Auckland FC on July 26, a 1‑1 draw with Sydney FC (winning 4‑2 on penalties) on July 29, a 2‑1 win over Chelsea in Sydney on August 1, a 1‑1 draw with Getafe at their training ground on August 8 (70‑minute game), a 3‑0 win over Hoffenheim at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on August 15, and a 2‑2 draw with Hoffenheim behind closed doors on August 16.
Beyond the match results, Sky Sports highlighted its extensive coverage plans for the 2026/27 season, promising over 1,500 live domestic games across the Premier League, Women’s Super League, EFL and Scottish Premiership, with a minimum of 215 Premier League fixtures broadcast live. Subscribers will be able to stream every match via the Sky Sports app, while non‑subscribers can explore flexible NOW TV packages that offer day‑or‑month‑long memberships without long‑term contracts. Key dates to remember: the Premier League kicks off on August 21, the Champions League group stage draw follows on August 27, the group stage runs from September 8‑10, the FA Cup third round begins on January 9, the Champions League group phase concludes on January 27, the knockout phase starts on February 16, the Carabao Cup final is set for March 21, the Premier League season ends on May 30, and the Champions League final will be played at the Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid on June 5.
Fans are also encouraged to try the Super 6 competition for a chance to win a £1 million prize, with free entry available. All clubs now head into the new campaign armed with fresh match‑fit squads, tactical tweaks gleaned from their summer tours, and a clear picture of where they stand against both domestic rivals and European opposition. The stage is set for an exciting Premier League season, and supporters can look forward to a summer of high‑quality football, international travel, and the occasional surprise result that keeps the beautiful game unpredictable and thrilling.