Arsenal preseason schedule, results 2026: Dates, times, more to know about Gunners plans

Arsenal preseason schedule, results 2026: Dates, times, more to know about Gunners plans originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Coming off a historic Premier League title last season, Arsenal will now look towards the future as they gear up for the start of the 2026/27 campaign.

The Gunners are hoping to return refreshed and reinvigorated, but they saw a strong collection of players serve their country faithfully this summer during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, meaning they have lots of moving parts throughout the squad as they convene for preseason training.

Last season was grueling, as Arsenal won the Premier League title alongside advancing to the Champions League final, and the number of minutes clearly took a toll on the players. They suffered injuries that bled into the World Cup, and some of those players did not get a chance to heal fully.

The Sporting News takes a look at Arsenal’s preseason slate, when their World Cup participants could return to the fold, and when the Gunners will begin the season in earnest as another lengthy campaign is right around the corner.

MORE:Tottenham preseason schedule for 2026 summer

Arsenal preseason schedule, results 2026

Opponent (result)DateLocationKO time (ET)GironaSat, Aug. 1Estadi Municipal de Montilivi (Girona, Spain)2 p.m.Real BetisWed, Aug. 5Aviva Stadium (Dublin, Ireland)2:30 p.m.Borussia DortmundSun, Aug. 9Emirates Stadium (London, England)9 a.m.ComoWed, Aug. 12Emirates Stadium (London, England)2:30 p.m.

Where are Arsenal playing preseason games?

Arsenal will begin their preseason slate on August 1 with a friendly against Spanish club Girona on the road in Catalonia. Girona were relegated last season to the Segunda Division, a sad state of affairs for a club that very recently secured Champions League qualification.

They will continue by facing another Spanish club, but this game will be played in Dublin, Ireland just a few short days later.

Then, they return home to face Borussia Dortmund and Como both at home. Como are traveling across England, playing Arsenal a few days before meeting Liverpool at Anfield as well.

When do World Cup players return to Arsenal?

Arsenal have a host of World Cup participants who will filter into the squad throughout preseason, some of whom are likely to miss some game time as they rest and recover before returning to action.

Some of these players are expected to miss significant time due to injuries that were either picked up or exacerbated during the World Cup. Defender William Saliba is expected to miss considerable time after exaggerating a back injury: he tried to play through it for multiple France games before it became too much to bear, and he was subbed off early in their semifinal defeat to Spain.

Another who is likely to miss time is Declan Rice, who played through a nerve issue during the tournament with England. The injury is located in his hamstring but does not come from structural damage; instead, it causes pain he has been managing for months dating back to last season. He is potentially set for a spell on the sidelines in the hopes that it subsides before he returns to play. Bukayo Saka may also require extra rest, as he seemed less than fit for England throughout the tournament, although he insisted he was not carrying any problems.

Every single Arsenal player participating at the World Cup reached at least the Round of 32 and so will be afforded at least the mandated 21 days of rest in the aftermath of their elimination. Kai Havertz, Viktor Gyokeres, and Piero Hincapie all went out earlier than expected, so they are believed to be returning soon, before the end of July. Gabriel and Gabriel Martinelli reached the Round of 16 with Brazil and could return in early August.

Martin Odegaard helped Norway reach the quarterfinals, so he would likely be back the second week of August, meaning he could be fit for Arsenal’s start to the season but also might require a bit of ramp-up before featuring. Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke reached the semifinals with England and thus could be given to the third week of August before they return, likely delaying their availability to begin the campaign.

David Raya, Martin Zubimendi, and Mikel Merino all secured the World Cup title with Spain and would be afforded the most time off, possibly out until the later stages of August or even early September, delaying their availability to begin the Premier League season. It’s possible that Raya could return sooner, since he only served as Unai Simon’s backup in goal for Spain, but that is up to the player to decide if he is ready.

When is Arsenal’s first Premier League game of 2026/27?

Arsenal’s campaign begins first with the annual curtain-raiser, the FA Community Shield on Sunday, August 16, which pits Arsenal as defending Premier League champions against Manchester City who won last season’s FA Cup.

The Gunners will then begin their league title defence on Friday, August 21 at home against newly promoted Coventry City, before hitting the road for the first time against Aston Villa 10 days later. They have an early meeting with a fellow London giant as they host Chelsea on September 6 in their third match of the campaign.

Arsenal first five Premier League fixtures 2026/27

DateOpponentHome/awayFri, Aug. 21Coventry CityHomeMon, Aug. 31Aston VillaAwaySun, Sep. 6ChelseaHomeSat, Sep. 12SunderlandAwaySat, Sep. 19BrightonAway