Top 10 matches to watch out for in pre-season 2023-24

El Clasico is on the charts whereas All-Stars face the Gunners in Washington.

Before the start of the Football season in Europe, the teams from the top five leagues are involved in pre-season friendly football matches where they travel around the globe in order to promote their franchise and teams. This is also a great time for them to get their team formation and try to test new tactics which can be applied during their season football.

New signings get time to get introduced to a new culture of the team and clubs get to make some revenue from their travels abroad. This is also a good time for teams to face each – other without any repercussions and fans get to see their team’s preparations for the upcoming season. Let’s take a look at these juicy fixtures on the cards featuring your favourite teams.  

10. Barcelona vs Juventus (July 22) - Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, CA – 10:30 pm ET / 3:30 am BST

The Levi's Stadium is where the NFL's San Francisco 49ers play their home games but it has also been the venue the 2016 Super Bowl, games in the Centenary Copa América, also in 2016 and the final of the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2017. Furthermore, the stadium will be one of those used for the next World Cup in 2026. The two finalists from UEFA Champions League will meet each other.

The game will be Barça's fourth in San Francisco, and the third in the Levis Stadium in the area of Santa Clara. The Blaugranes’ first visit to San Francisco came in 2009 when Pep Guardiola's team played out a 1-1 draw against Mexican team Chivas at Candlestick Park. Barcelona have new signings such as Gundogan whom they will be excited to use in the midfield. Juventus also have their new signings and a point to prove against the Spanish champions.

9. Tottenham vs Roma (July 26) - Singapore National Stadium – 12:30 pm UK time

Supported by Global Principal Partner, AIA, this will be the Club’s third visit to Singapore and second in the past four years - the most recent of which in 2019 was made memorable by Harry Kane’s outrageous last-minute winner from the halfway line in a 3-2 victory over Juventus at the National Stadium. This year’s visit will give these clubs another opportunity to engage with its well-established and passionate fanbase in Singapore.

Roma on the other hand were Europa finalists last season and this season Mourinho will be looking to make a warm welcome against his former club. Harry Kane’s future still remains in the middle of negotiations as the player has no intent of signing a new contract and the club is reluctant to see their record goal scorer go. It will be an interesting match up to see if they can survive the resilient Roma.

8. Manchester United vs Wrexham (July 26) - Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego - 3:30am UK time

Red Devils will take on the newly promoted Wrexham this summer in the United States. The fixture was announced earlier, featuring a video with Sir Alex Ferguson and Wrexham co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. The game is the first confirmed by United for their tour of America and will take place in San Diego.

The Welsh club are top of the National League and won promotion to League Two for next season. Wrexham have been the subject of huge media attention since Reynolds and McElhenney took over the club in 2021, thanks in part to a Disney+ documentary following their time in charge. United will be charged up with signing Mason Mount in the midfield and will be excited to see Martinez and Varane join their ranks again after returning from the injury. Ten Hag will be expecting to make a few more signings before they leave for pre–season.

7. Manchester City vs Atletico Madrid (July 30) - World Cup Stadium, Seoul - 12pm UK time

Manchester City will head to Asia this summer as the men’s first team travel to South Korea as part of preseason preparations for the 2023-24 season. City will take on LaLiga’s Atletico Madrid in July as part of the ‘Coupang Play Series’ hosted by Korea’s streaming service Coupang Play, in conjunction with a London-based sports marketing agency. This is one of three fixtures set to take place in Asia this summer.

The two sides most recently came face to face in the 2021-22 Champions League Quarter-Finals. This preseason tour is the first time City have visited South Korea since 1976, when players such as Dennis Tueart, Alan Oakes, Glyn Pardoe and Willie Donnachie faced Korea XI in three fixtures played in Seoul, Busan and Deagu as part of a number of close season fixtures. The treble winners will be expecting a huge reception and Atletico Madrid will be looking to spoil the party of the Champions.

6. Chelsea vs Borussia Dortmund (August 3) - Soldier Field, Chicago - 12:30am UK time

Chelsea will be visiting five cities in the United States of America in the summer of 2023 with a trip to Chicago to face German side Borussia Dortmund confirmed for Wednesday 2 August. The Blues will be playing our first-ever game at Soldier Field, the 61,500-capacity home of the Chicago Bears NFL team and Chicago Fire of the MLS.

Blues have played in Chicago before, though, in August 2006, when Jose Mourinho’s Premier League champions were beaten 1-0 by the MLS All-Stars at what is now the SeatGeek Stadium on the city’s outskirts. This will be Chelsea’s final match in the USA before returning home ahead of the start of our 2022-23 Premier League campaign and will see us play against Dortmund for the second time this year, after goals by Raheem Sterling and Kai Havertz gave us a 2-1 aggregate win over the same opponents in the Champions League last 16.

5. Barcelona vs AC Milan (August 1) - Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas - 11:00pm ET / 4:00am BST

Although the Blaugrana have a league title to celebrate, all of the focus is on how they can scale the heights of European and global football again, especially after missing out on Lionel Messi. Amid a financial situation that hasn't improved much, a move to a smaller stadium while their current one is being renovated, and a squad that will need additions, it could be a pivotal summer in manager Xavi's tenure.

Get it right, and Barca could be set up for a new era of success. Get it wrong, and they could fall behind Real Madrid once again. AC Milan are the Champions League Semi-Finalist of last season and have completed the signing of Pulisic and Loftus Cheek in order to compete for Serie A. This friendly will be important for both teams to give a boost for the upcoming season.

4. MLS All-Stars vs Arsenal (July 20) - Audi Field, Washington DC - 1:30am UK time

We can confirm that we’ll play at Audi Field in Washington D.C. on July 19, against an MLS All-Stars team led by D.C. United Head Coach Wayne Rooney. Sporting Director Edu, said: “Our match against MLS All-Stars in July is a great opportunity for Mikel and the squad to prepare ahead of the new season, facing strong opposition.

We’re working on our pre-season plans and look forward to announcing further details soon." Last summer was good preparation for the season, and the Gunners are looking forward to once again visiting the US. The match against the MLS All-Stars will be a good test ahead of the 2023-24 season.

They will be looking to utilize Harvetz upfront along with Jesus and fans will get a glimpse into the playing pattern of this London team. MLS All stars also have some really fine players who will be making Gunners life tough with the home crowd to support them.

3. Liverpool vs Bayern Munich (August 2) - National Stadium, Singapore - 12:30pm UK time

Liverpool FC will return to Singapore for their pre-season tour this summer, after a hugely successful visit last year. The Reds will face Leicester City and Bayern Munich as part of the Singapore Festival of Football That will be followed three days later, on Wednesday August 2, with a clash with Bayern at the same venue.

The winner will walk away with the Singapore Trophy, presented by Audi and Standard Chartered Bank. Though it is an inaugural trophy that will have very less effect on how their season will negotiate but Mane will be featuring against his former club.

Bayern have had another turmoiled season but they managed to save it by winning the league on the last day. Liverpool failed to win anything last season and will be refreshed by the signings of Mac Allister to their unsteady midfield. Neutral football fans will be enjoying this fixture as both teams have attacking style of play and will be featuring some big names.

2. Manchester United vs Real Madrid (July 27) - NRG Stadium, Houston - 3:30am UK time

Two of the greatest names in European football will meet in Houston, Texas, this summer, when Manchester United take on Real Madrid. The match, to be played at the NRG stadium on 26 July, is part of the Soccer Champions Tour exhibition series featuring six of the world’s most iconic football clubs in nine matches across 12 days in major cities across the United States.

Manchester United and Real Madrid are the most successful teams in England and Spain, respectively, with 55 league titles between them. The last US meeting in 2014 was played in front of 109,318 fans at The Big House, Michigan – still the largest ever audience for a football match played on US soil.

1. Barcelona vs Real Madrid (July 29) - AT&T Stadium, Arlington - 5:00pm ET / 10:00pm BST

Yes, 2022-23 wasn't quite as memorable for Real Madrid as 2021-22 proved to be, but Los Blancos did at least escape the season with a few pieces of silverware. Carlo Ancelotti has been linked heavily with the Brazil job but remains in post at the Bernabeu where a number of familiar faces have moved on with fresher players brought in with an eye on the future. Jude Bellingham has arrived in a massive summer transfer and he'll be hopeful of donning the Blancos kit for the first time in pre-season.

A US-based Clasico against arch-rivals Real Madrid will be held on July 29 in Arlington, Texas, home of the Dallas Cowboys. It will be the fourth time that Barça have played in Dallas. In 2011 the Blaugranes faced Mexican team América in a 2-0 win at the Cowboys Stadium and in 2018 they beat AS Roma 4-2 at the AT&T Stadium. Last season the Cotton Bowl was the venue for a 2-2 draw against Juventus.