A behind-closed-doors friendly has been arranged for Saturday 18 July midday (BST), with a Liverpool XI set to host local non-league outfit Vauxhall Motors at the AXA Training Centre.
The fixture was officially confirmed by the eighth-tier Wirral-based club on Friday afternoon. While the exact makeup of the Liverpool squad has not been specified, it is anticipated by those close to the setup that the side will be predominantly formed of under-21 players, alongside a handful of first-team figures looking to build up initial sharpness.
Although fifteen established first-team players reported back to the club’s Kirkby base earlier this week, early returns were made by Harvey Elliott and young defender Jeremy Jacquet, both of whom commenced training seven days prior with the academy cohort.
First opportunity for Andoni Iraola
The midday encounter will not be broadcasted live on LFCTV, yet it remains a noteworthy exercise for new head coach Andoni Iraola. A first look at his fringe options and youth prospects in genuine match conditions will be afforded to the Basque manager, who has spent his opening days imprinting a high-intensity pressing style on the training pitches.
Tune in to 'Inside Training' for an exclusive look at our latest pre-season work under Andoni Iraola ?
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) July 16, 2026
Crucial minutes are expected to be handed to a lengthy list of hopefuls including Harvey Elliott, Jeremy Jacquet, Stefan Baj?eti?, James McConnell, and new centre-back signing Ifeanyi Ndukwe.
Further opportunities to impress are likely to be given to emerging talents such as Trey Nyoni, Rio Ngumoha, Kaide Gordon, Calvin Ramsay, and Luke Chambers. The matchday squad is expected to be filled out by a strong core of academy prospects, with Armin Pecsi, Lewis Koumas, Calum Scanlon, Kieran Morrison.
For the younger contingent, particularly highly-rated prospects like Nyoni and Ngumoha, the chance to perform directly under the gaze of the new first-team coaching staff is viewed as invaluable.
US Tour and Anfield dates looming
This weekend’s local fixture serves as the final domestic stepping stone before stateside preparations begin in earnest. On Monday, a flight to Chicago will be taken by the squad to kick off a crucial fortnight-long pre-season tour of the United States.
A trio of fixtures across America has been scheduled, with matches to be contested against Sunderland in Chicago, Wrexham at Yankee Stadium in New York, and Leeds United in Nashville.
Upon their return to Merseyside, the final touches will be put on the pre-season campaign with consecutive weekend friendlies at Anfield against Monaco and Como. All eyes will then turn to the true test on the horizon, which is the Premier League curtain-raiser away at Newcastle United.
For Vauxhall Motors, the trip to Kirkby represents a prestigious moment in the club’s summer schedule. The opportunity to test themselves against elite-level opposition, even within a secure training ground environment, is being relished by the Northern Premier League Division One West side.
A statement released by the Motormen confirmed the midday kick-off and noted that post-match reaction would be shared across their official social media channels.
While the ultimate outcome of the match will be viewed as secondary to physical conditioning, important tactical pointers are bound to be gathered by Iraola as he seeks to revitalise a Liverpool side determined to banish the memories of last year’s disappointing campaign.
A trip to the AXA awaits ? pic.twitter.com/4LnMAPajUa
— Vauxhall Motors FC (@vmfc_) July 17, 2026