Arsenal will face Italian side Como at Emirates Stadium at 7.30pm on Wednesday, 12 August.
Confirmation of the friendly takes the Gunners’ pre-season schedule to five matches, with fixtures against Girona, Real Betis and Borussia Dortmund already confirmed, along with the Community Shield meeting with Manchester City in Cardiff.
It will be the first time Arsenal have faced Como in any competition and marks another reunion with former captain Cesc Fabregas, who has been in charge of the Serie A club for the past two seasons.
The 39-year-old guided Como to a 10th-place finish in their first season back in the top flight in 2024/25 before leading them to fourth last term, securing Champions League football for the first time in the club’s history.
As recently as 2018/19, the 1907-founded club were playing in Italy’s fourth tier after a series of bankruptcies. Since then, investment from Indonesian billionaires Robert and Michael Hartono, together with minority shareholders including Thierry Henry and Fabregas himself, has fuelled a remarkable rise.
On the pitch, Como have developed a possession-based style built around aggressive pressing, reflecting the influence of two of Fabregas’ former managers, Pep Guardiola and Arsene Wenger. It should make for an intriguing test just days before Arsenal begin the new campaign.