thisisanfield.com

A quick guide to Liverpool’s pre-season: Training return, dates & what to expect

Andoni Iraola has injected fresh energy into Liverpool’s fanbase, so there will be extra interest in the Reds’ pre-season plans this year.

Friendlies are often fairly dull affairs that simply act as placeholders before the real football gets back underway.

However, there will be much greater intrigue in pre-season this year as fans attempt to garner as much information as possible about Iraola and how his team will play.

Liverpool’s pre-season should span almost six weeks, with five matches currently scheduled across two continents.

*All dates and times are BST

When does Liverpool’s pre-season start?

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Monday, April 13, 2026: Liverpool's Rio Ngumoha during a training session at the AXA Training Centre ahead of the UEFA Champions League Quarter-Final 2nd Leg match between Liverpool FC and Paris Saint-Germain FC. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Liverpool’s academy players have come back earlier, but we expect Liverpool to begin senior pre-season training around July 13.

This will be over five weeks since Iraola was officially appointed and will have given him and his staff time to prepare for the first wave of players returning.

Who will be back for the start of pre-season?

|||

Position Players Reporting Back

Goalkeepers Giorgi Mamardashvili, Freddie Woodman, Armin Pecsi

Defenders Joe Gomez, Giovanni Leoni, Jeremy Jacquet, Milos Kerkez, Kostas Tsimikas, Jeremie Frimpong, Calvin Ramsay

Midfielders Dominik Szoboszlai, Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott, Trey Nyoni, Stefan Bajcetic, James McConnell

Forwards Federico Chiesa, Rio Ngumoha, Jayden Danns

Due to the World Cup, not all of Liverpool’s senior players will be back for the beginning of pre-season.

However, the likes of Dominik Szoboszlai, Curtis Jones, Milos Kerkez and Rio Ngumoha should all walk through the door on day one for training.

The first couple of sessions will mostly involve fitness tests and assessments, but Iraola will be keen to get the ball involved quickly as he looks to implement his ideas.

When are Liverpool’s pre-season matches?

NEW YORK, NEW YORK, USA - Wednesday, July 24, 2019: A general view of Yankee Stadium with a soccer pitch before a friendly match between Liverpool FC and Sporting Clube de Portugal on day nine of the club's pre-season tour of America. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

The Reds have five officially scheduled pre-season matches, but it is probable that they will play a game behind-closed-doors before flying to the US around July 21.

Liverpool’s pre-season tour, for which they will be primarily based in Chicago, kicks off in Nashville with a match against Sunderland on July 25.

That will be followed by a trip to New York to face Wrexham on July 30, before the Reds face Leeds in Chicago on August 2.

The team then head back to Merseyside, where they will play against Monaco and Como 1907 at Anfield.

Liverpool’s clash against the Ligue 1 side comes on August 9, while Cesc Fabregas’ Como visit the following Sunday, August 16.

All the games being played in front of spectators will be broadcast on LFC TV.

When will the others be back?

Virgil Van Dijk of Netherlands and team mates applaud the fans after the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group F match between Netherlands and Japan at Dallas Stadium (Credit: Craig Mercer/ Alamy Live News)

While the individuals themselves will have been very disappointed by their relatively early exits, the fact that five Liverpool players were knocked out at the last-32 stage of the World Cup was a significant boost for Iraola.

Each player should have three weeks off after leaving their national team, meaning those who exited at the first knockout hurdle will likely join up with Liverpool in the days leading up to the Wrexham friendly.

The players knocked out in the round of 32 were Virgil van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch, Cody Gakpo, Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak.

Alisson exited at the last-16 stage so won’t be long after the aforementioned names, while at the time of writing, Alexis Mac Allister and Victor Munoz are still in the competition.

When will we hear from Andoni Iraola?

BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND - Saturday, January 24, 2026: Bournemouth's manager Andoni Iraola during a post-match press conference after the FA Premier League match between Bournemouth AFC and Liverpool FC at Dean Court. Bournemouth won 3-2. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Iraola had an interview with LFC TV when he arrived at Liverpool, but we haven’t heard from him since.

While there is a chance that he speaks to the media at the beginning of pre-season, This Is Anfield understands the head coach’s first press conference is more likely to take place during the US tour.

This will be the first opportunity for the press to ask about his plans, rather than the comparatively timid questions that he was posed by internal club media.

And the first Premier League match of the season?

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, May 24, 2026: Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister ties his boot lace before the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Brentford FC at Anfield. The game ended in a 1-1 draw. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Liverpool will finally get the Iraola era properly underway when they face Newcastle at St James’ Park on Sunday, August 23.

By that point, barring injury problems, the head coach should have had his key players for nearly two weeks.

It may not be the complete team with which Liverpool attack the season, though, because the transfer window doesn’t close until 11pm on September 1.

Hugo Ekitike (2)

ROUNDUP COLLAGE

Read full news in source page