TLFG: 28 July - 3 August 2025

Wow - did that just happen?

Yes it really did!

England won a major tournament, for the second time in a row, on penalties and away from home!

I've heard the Lionesses' performances described as 'proper English' throughout this tournament and I can't quite understand why as England for most of my lifetime have never won anything, certainly not on penalties and never on foreign soil.

Anyway, who cares? We won and it feels great.

As regular readers know, I've become a devotee of the women's game since the last Euros and it's completely changed my football life.

QPR entertain Brentford on Saturday 

The months ahead look exciting for England and the WSL.

I'm hopeful of a good year for Actonians too - they've made some decent signings this summer and picked up a big one on Friday but that's all I'll say on that for now.

One of the worst things about the last few weeks has been the amount of people, usually men, queuing up to criticise and belittle Sarina Wiegman's team despite their ongoing success.

It's sad that they can't celebrate or feel the joy many of us are experiencing right now but that's their loss.

Anyway, aside from enjoying the Women's Euros, I haven't actually done much else this week as work has taken precedence.

I'm off this weekend so I'll hopefully get to a game then.

 

THE WEEK AHEAD 

This week sees League Two get underway as well as the opening round of the FA Cup and even a preliminary round in the EFL Cup . We've also got plenty of friendlies featuring Premier League, Championship and one or two foreign teams plus loads of non-league ones as well.

As always, please make sure you check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or the venue or kick-off time has changed - this is highly possible for some of the lower non-league clubs. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.

Details on all of this week's games can be found on the following match maps. If you've never used them before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the drop down menu at the top of the map page to make sure you get all the information. Games are listed from top to bottom in date order so Monday's games (yellow pin) will appear first and Sunday's (orange pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.

Donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund here

Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

It should also be noted that the top four levels are for fully professional teams. Level 5 has a mixture of professional and semi-professional teams, while Levels 6-10 will see most players paid but it will vary from no more than travel expenses at the bottom, right up to several hundred pounds a week at the top.

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP

Monday fixtures - yellow pin

Tuesday fixtures - green pin

Wednesday fixtures - turquoise pin

Thursday fixtures - purple pin

Friday fixtures - black pin

WEEKEND MATCH MAP

Saturday fixtures - blue pin

Sunday fixtures - orange pin

    

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

In the following section, I list what are in my opinion the most notable games of the week and give some brief reasons for my choice. Check the maps above for kick-off times, ticket info and directions.

Monday 28 July

CCL Division 1

RB Kensington v Chalfont St Peter @745pm - RBK should've gone down last season but received a reprieve to remain in this 10th-tier division. Playing at North Greenford United in 2024/25, they've switched to share with Northwood this season - even further away from their inner city roots. On Saturday they played their part in an entertaining 2-2 draw with Spelthorne Sports. CSP also drew 2-2 in their opening game with Colliers Wood and it could well be close again here

ECL Division 1 South

Lymore Gardens v Brimsdown @745pm - the hosts, who groundshare at Redbridge, are playing in the 10th tier for the first time in their history after stepping up from the Essex Alliance League. They played their opening game on Friday and smashed Hoddesdon Town 5-1 to go straight to the top of the division. Next up they play Brimsdown who finished in the lower half last season and lost game one

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Tuesday 29 July

EFL Cup Preliminary Round

Barnet v Newport County @745pm - with a whopping nine English teams qualifying for European competitions this season, delaying their entry into this cup, a rare Preliminary Round is required. The Bees and their Welsh opponents were two of the four teams who failed to get a bye to the First Round, meaning they'll have to get their seasons underway earlier than everyone else in League Two. The Bees topped the National League last season so they'll hope to carry that winning momentum into this tie. Tickets

Friendlies

Sutton United v Millwall @745pm - for many teams, it's still pre-season and the U's continue their build up to another year in the fifth tier with this challenging fixture against Championship opposition. The Lions have looked reasonable in pre-season and have beaten three EFL sides over the last couple of weeks. However, Sutton have won all four of their warm-up games with the highlights being wins over League One sides AFC Wimbledon and Wycombe Wanderers. Tickets

Wealdstone v QPR U21 @730pm - the fifth tier Stones began their pre-season programme with two solid wins over Northwood and MK Dons but have since lost twice to Charlton Athletic and St Albans City. The R's youngsters suffered their first defeat of the summer of Tuesday when they lost 3-2 at local non-league club Hanwell Town and this is another game with a derby feel. Tickets

Enfield Town v Arsenal U21 @745pm - the Towners had a rough time in the sixth tier last season but managed to stay up. Pre-season began in underwhelming fashion too as they suffered four straight defeats. However, back-to-back wins over Braintree Town and Wingate & Finchley should have raised spirits. They'll be hoping to boost their finances too as their final two friendlies are against young sides from Arsenal and Spurs. First up are the Gunners who have yet to win in July. Tickets

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Wednesday 30 July

Friendlies

Watford v Deportivo La Coruna @745pm - unbeaten in their three games so far this summer, the Hornets complete their pre-season programme against Spanish opposition. The Galician club won the La Liga title 25 years ago but they've had a terrible time since, dropping into the third tier in 2020. Now back in the second division, they had an almost identical campaign to Watford last year so this could be a pretty even game. Tickets

Essex Senior League

Buckhurst Hill v SOUL Tower Hamlets @745pm - a look at the early league table makes tonight's fixtures look like Super Tuesday as all of the top four are playing each other. The hosts finished ninth last season but were well adrift of the play-off pace. They started with a morale boosting 3-1 win over Ilford on Saturday. STH won promotion last season and took their great form into their opener, triumphing 5-2 at White Ensign, meaning they should be hopeful of getting something here

Romford v Saffron Walden Town @745pm - in the other match of the evening, it's third versus first. Both sides scored four in impressive first run-outs over the weekend and it will be interesting to see what happens here. SWT finished sixth last season and look like strong to contenders to at least make the play-offs this time

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Thursday 31 July

Friendly

Hashtag United v Soccer Elite @730pm - the only game within the M25 that I'm aware of is this women's match at Aveley's ground on the far east side of town. I'm afraid to say there's not a lot going for it. Apparently the Tags have cut spending to their impressive women's team, most of their stars have departed and a it's set to be a struggle in the third tier this year. Soccer Elite play way down in the sixth tier and this kind of shows the ambition, or lack of, which the Essex club now have

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Friday 1 August

Friendly

Welling United v Millwall U21 @745pm - there's only one option on Friday too but this should be a bit more interesting. Following their relegation to the Isthmian League, the Wings have been a real mixed bag in pre-season with Saturday's 3-2 win at local rivals VCD Athletic probably being the highlight. The Lions' youngsters have lost their two games so far, so Welling will hope to end their preparations on a high. Tickets will be available on the gate

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Saturday 2 August

Friendlies

QPR v Brentford @3pm - the most eye-catching game of the weekend would appear to be this west London derby at Loftus Road. For decades, the R's were the more senior team but now it's the Bees who are the Premier League side with the bigger names and bigger budget. Both sides are starting 2025/26 with new managers and both will have something to prove. I'm told the visitors have sold out their allocation so there should be a good atmosphere. Tickets

Millwall v GD Estoril Praia @3pm - the Lions conclude their pre-season by playing a European opponent. The Canaries finished eighth in Portugal's top flight in 2024/25 and should provide a different type of test for Alex Neil's side. Tickets

League Two

Barnet v Fleetwood Town @3pm - after the midweek cup game, the Bees properly begin their return to the fourth tier by playing the Fishermen who make the long journey down from Lancashire. Pete Wild took over at Highbury just after Christmas and guided them to a 14th-place finish. These sides haven't played since 2019 and on that occasion, Fleetwood won 2-0 at The Hive in the FA Cup. Tickets

FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round

There are lots of friendlies featuring the highest ranked non-league teams on Saturday but the most interesting matches at this level are those taking place in the opening round of the nation's favourite cup competition. Sides in the eighth and ninth tiers populate the draw at this early stage. The winners of each game earn £1,125 whilst the losers bank £375. Here are a few ties which catch my eye:

AFC Croydon Athletic v Roffey @3pm - it's quite hard to recommend games at this early point of the season but I'll give it a try. The Rams play a level above SCFL side Roffey so they should start as favourites. The most notable thing about these clubs is the famous names associated with them. The hosts are owned by rapper Stormzy and former Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha. Roffey, on the other hand, have Man Utd captain Bruno Fernandes' brother Ricardo playing for them MATCH SWITCHED TO ROFFEY

AFC Whyteleafe v Chipstead @3pm - there's a local derby in the deep south where the newly promoted Leafe entertain the Chips. Last season, the hosts made it all the way to Wembley before losing in the FA Vase final to Whitstable. The visitors play at the same level as Whyteleafe but they've lost in the opening round of the FA Cup for the last three seasons

Haringey Borough v Halstead Town @3pm - when I started this blog in 2011, Haringey were in the ninth tier and playing in front of tiny crowds. Then in 2013 things began to change. A second-place finish in the Essex Senior League was followed by them winning the title the following year. Three seasons later they found themselves in the seventh tier, entertaining hundreds of fans in the Isthmian Premier. While there, they famously made it to the First Round of the FA Cup where they narrowly lost 1-0 to AFC Wimbledon. Sadly that was their peak season and since Covid, it's been downhill all the way. Two relegations later and they're back in the ninth tier and hoping for a much better season. Here they play a fellow ninth-tier club from Essex

SSML Division 1

Everett Rovers v Rothwell Corinthians @3pm - in the 10th tier I've gone for this match as it's the first home game for Everett at this level following their promotion. It all began incredibly well for them on Saturday when they won 3-0 at Rushden & Higham United so there must be lots of optimism at this Watford-based club going into this

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Sunday 3 August

FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round

Stansfeld v Harrow Borough @1pm - the hosts groundshare with Cray Valley PM in south-east London and as they're at home on Saturday, this tie is being played on Sunday. Since moving up to the ninth tier, they've found things a struggle but they've stayed up. Still yet to make any real impact on the FA Cup, they face an Isthmian League club who've made a number of appearances in the First Round and even made the Second Round on one occasion. After a midtable finish last season, Boro come into this one with new boss Wayne Carter at the helm. He took Harefield United to the Combined Counties League play-offs last term and presided over their considerable cupset of Lewes in the First Qualifying Round

Hilltop v Deal Town @3pm - having spent some time outside the M25 at Beaconsfield Town, Hilltop are back in the capital this year groundsharing at Silver Jubilee Park alongside Hendon and Edgware & Kingsbury. A look at the records shows that the hosts, who have their roots in the Somali community, have never won an FA Cup tie and it's not going to be easy against Deal. The Kent club won the FA Vase back in 2000 and play a division above so will start as favourites

Friendly

AFC Wimbledon v Southampton @2pm - the pick of the women's friendlies sees the third-tier Dons welcome Championship opposition. After beating London Bees, from the division below last week, the south London club took on Loughborough Lightning from a parallel division on Sunday but lost 2-1. The Saints should be tough. This is being played at Tooting & Mitcham United

GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've  been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground in the London area for this blog then get in touch. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

NEED HELP?

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries. I do not charge for this advice like some other sites so don't hold back!

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below, via X/Twitter or even by good old email.

Has this blog been helpful? Donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund here 

TLFG: 21-27 July 2025

Greetings one and all and welcome to this week's TLFG.

It's a big few days for a lot of our local ninth and tenth tier non-league clubs as their seasons actually get underway - yes, you read that right, competitive football in July.

However, for the neutral, the most eye-catching fixtures will still be pre-season friendlies.

Over the last week I managed to get to one game - Actonians' first friendly of the summer at Dartford.

Famous for being the home town of the Rolling Stones' Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, I'd never been to this part of Kent before.

Actonians travelled to Dartford for a friendly

A straightforward train ride from Charing Cross, it took me a little over two hours to get from door-to-door from my home in Shepherds Bush, including a 20-minute or so walk from the station to the ground.

Princes Park is one of the finest non-league stadiums in the south-east and I'd always wanted to go so when this fixture came up, I thought it was finally my chance.

However, with this only being a women's pre-season friendly it was shunted onto the 4G pitch outside.

To be fair, it had a small stand of its own and wasn't a bad facility but it was still disappointing.

The game itself wasn't a classic with the only goal coming near the end of the first half for the hosts.

With most of last season's squad retained and a number of decent new recruits on show, the A's looked solid enough and they needed to be as it was a bruising and bad-tempered encounter.

However, there is still an obvious need for a striker, following the departure of Dior Knorr to AFC Wimbledon last season  (she's since gone to America and been called up by Ghana).

If you know anyone, let me know!

In other news, my own personal sporting achievement of the week saw me continue my A-Z of London football club runs.

Meeting up with TLFG reader Liam, we ran from Shepherds Bush to Millwall - a distance of just over 15km.

Liam and I ran to Millwall on Tuesday

My fitness hasn't been great recently but I was really pleased how this went as we cut through Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park, before passing Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament.

With Elephant & Castle behind us, we had less than 5km to go.

As The Den came into view, the police began pulling a 'Police Line Do Not Cross' tape right across our path, requiring a last-minute diversion - adding a really authentic touch to our visit to Millwall country!

So N is next and I think it'll be CCL Premier North side North Greenford United - it's not too far from here and Actonians will be playing home games there next season.

I think that's it from me - have a great week.

THE WEEK AHEAD 

This week's highlights include friendlies featuring several EFL teams and one from the Premier League. We've also got the opening weekend of fixtures in several non-league competitions.

As always, please make sure you check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or the venue or kick-off time has changed - this is highly possible for some of the lower non-league clubs. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.

Details on all of this week's games can be found on the following match maps. If you've never used them before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the drop down menu at the top of the map page to make sure you get all the information. Games are listed from top to bottom in date order so Monday's games (yellow pin) will appear first and Sunday's (orange pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.

Donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund here

Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

It should also be noted that the top four levels are for fully professional teams. Level 5 has a mixture of professional and semi-professional teams, while Levels 6-10 will see most players paid but it will vary from no more than travel expenses at the bottom, right up to several hundred pounds a week at the top.

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP

Monday fixtures - yellow pin

Tuesday fixtures - green pin

Wednesday fixtures - turquoise pin

Thursday fixtures - purple pin

Friday fixtures - black pin

WEEKEND MATCH MAP

Saturday fixtures - blue pin

Sunday fixtures - orange pin

    

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

In the following section, I list what are in my opinion the most notable games of the week and give some brief reasons for my choice. Check the maps above for kick-off times, ticket info and directions.

Monday 21 July

Friendly

Hashtag United v Chelmsford City @745pm - to my knowledge, this match on the east side of town is the only men's game taking place within the M25. It's an all-Essex affair with the seventh-tier Tags taking on a team from the division above. This is being played at Aveley's ground

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Tuesday 22 July

Friendlies

AFC Wimbledon v Millwall @730pm - the match of the night would appear to be this London derby at Plough Lane. Newly promoted to League One, the Dons will hope to impress against Championship opposition. Tickets

Leyton Orient v Tottenham Hotspur U21 @745pm - the O's have scored 19 goals in their four pre-season games so far as they've made an impressive start to their preparations. Spurs' youngsters have yet to win in July but you'd expect this to be a bit closer than some of Orient's games so far. Tickets

Barnet v Wycombe Wanderers @745pm - at The Hive, the Bees welcome the League One Chairboys. After seeing their match against a Leyton Orient XI rained off on Saturday, this will be their first match since losing 3-1 to a Crystal Palace side last week. Tickets

Bromley v Crystal Palace U21 @745pm - those Eagles youngsters are next in action here in what is a south-east London derby. The Ravens have won three of their four pre-season games and beat a Chelsea XI 2-1 on Saturday. Tickets

Dagenham & Redbridge v Colchester United @730pm - the Daggers suffered relegation last season and have been inconsistent in pre-season. Colchester are in League Two as are Crawley who thrashed them 5-1 last week. It could be another tough night. Tickets

A bit further afield

MK Dons v Peterborough United @730pm - about 50 miles north of London, these two EFL sides meet at Stadium MK. The hosts play a level below Posh so should be underdogs on paper. Tickets

Ebbsfleet United v Gillingham @745pm - head east along the Thames and you'll come to Ebbsfleet which hosts this Kent derby. Back down in the National League South for this campaign, Ebbsfleet are two divisions below the Gills. Tickets

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Wednesday 23 July

Friendlies

Wealdstone v Charlton Athletic @630pm - with wins over Northwood and MK Dons in their first two friendlies, the fifth-tier Stones head into this challenging game against Championship opposition in good nick. Note the earlier than normal kick-off time for this. Tickets

Dulwich Hamlet v Leyton Orient @745pm - in the build up to their second season in the women's fourth tier, the Hamlet welcome a hugely ambitious O's team. Although way down in the seventh tier, the east London club have recruited third tier Hashtag United's management team and captain plus a number of other players who should be way too good for the level. Many teams in the GLWFL Premier play on little more than park pitches and are entirely amateur so that division is going to be a massive non-event this season as they all get steamrollered! Tickets

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Thursday 24 July

Friendly

London Bees v Maidenhead United @745pm - there are a couple of non-league men's friendlies on Thursday (which are on the map) but if it was me, I'd choose this women's game every time. Being played at Barnet's Hive complex in north London, this match between sides in parallel fourth-tier divisions should be keenly contested

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Friday 25 July

Friendlies

Boreham Wood v West Ham United U21 @730pm - there are a decent selection of games on Friday night including this one at Meadow Park. Now back in the fifth tier, the Wood have failed to win any of their five pre-season games but they have managed a draw against young sides from Arsenal and Spurs. They'll be hoping to get their first breakthrough against the Hammers' youngsters. Tickets

CCL Premier South

Epsom & Ewell v Guildford City @745pm - it may well still be July but several ninth and tenth-tier leagues get underway this weekend. Being played at Cobham, both these sides will hope for better campaigns than last year as they made little headway in midtable. Tickets will be available on the gate

Essex Senior League

West Essex v Romford @745pm - groundsharing with Walthamstow at Wadham Lodge, the hosts play most of their home games on Fridays. These two had almost identical seasons last year, finishing in midtable alongside each other on 48 points. Tickets will be available on the gate

ECL Division 1 South

Cannons Wood v Brimsdown @745pm - the hosts were in play-off contention in this tenth-tier division last season but fell away towards the end. Playing at Aveley, they'd expect to start as favourites for this one. Tickets will be available on the gate

Lymore Gardens v Hoddesdon Town @745pm - after finishing as runners-up in the 11th tier Essex Alliance League, LG are stepping up to this level for what I believe is the first time in their history. They welcome a Hoddesdon side who finished eighth last season. This is being played at Redbridge. Tickets will be available on the gate 

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Saturday 26 July

Friendlies

QPR v Heerenveen @3pm - for my money, the top game in town is the R's encounter with De Superfriezen. The Dutch side finished ninth in the Eredivisie last season so this should be a pretty even contest. QPR have been very inconsistent in pre-season but they did beat French side Toulouse 2-1 on Friday. Tickets

Leyton Orient v Watford @3pm - although not quite as glamorous, this game is effectively a derby. The O's made it to the League One play-off final last season whilst the Hornets pottered along in Championship midtable - it's another one that's hard to call. Tickets

Bromley v Millwall @3pm - there's no doubt about the derby status of this game in south-east London. The Lions often keep their pre-season games pretty local and this match against the Ravens definitely fits that description. Preparing for their second season in League Two, the Ravens will expect a tough afternoon against their Championship opponents. Tickets

Sutton United v Crystal Palace U21 @3pm - there's another all-south London game at Gander Green Lane as the National League U's take on a side from one of their local Premier League clubs. Tickets

Dartford v Gillingham @3pm - the Darts made it to the Isthmian Premier play-offs last year but lost to remain in the seventh tier for another year. On Saturday they welcome their local League Two club for a derby. Tickets

A bit further afield

Luton Town v Tottenham Hotspur @3pm - Spurs began their pre-season with a 2-0 win at Reading last weekend and fielded pretty much all their main players at some stage. Next up they make the short journey north to play the Hatters in Bedfordshire. If you've never been to Kenilworth Road, it's unique and set to close at the end of 2027/28 season so get a visit in while you can. Tickets

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Sunday 27 July

Friendlies

AFC Wimbledon v Loughborough Lightning @2pm - it's all about women's football on Sunday. This match tops the bill and will be the Dons' first at Tooting & Mitcham United's stadium since announcing their new groundshare. They finished in midtable in the third tier in 2024/25, their first at this level. The visitors won their fourth-tier division to move up to this level so it should be a decent contest

Charlton Athletic U21 v Actonians @3pm - the A's played the Addicks' youngsters a couple of years ago in pre-season and I went to the game. It was played at the EFL club's training ground which I found to be quite an impressive facility. I'm not sure if it will be open to the public yet but I would recommend visiting if it is MATCH OFF

Dulwich Hamlet v Hashtag United @2pm - after playing Leyton Orient in midweek, it will be really interesting to see how good this Hashtag side now is. Shorn of the management team and most of the players which made them third-tier title contenders last season, many expect the Tags to really struggle

London Bees v Farnham Town @2pm - the visitors are a team to keep an eye on. With the men's team moving through the divisions quickly after having fortunes lavished on them, the women's side are making notable progress too. Still down in the sixth tier, a strong Bees side from two levels above them should provide a stern test MATCH OFF

GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've  been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground in the London area for this blog then get in touch. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

NEED HELP?

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries. I do not charge for this advice like some other sites so don't hold back!

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below, via X/Twitter or even by good old email.

Has this blog been helpful? Donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund here 

TLFG: 14-20 July 2025

Welcome one and all to TLFG's guide to the third week of pre-season.

Lots of clubs are in action this week at all levels so there's no reason to get bored.

After watching a couple of games last week, the last few days have been much quieter as work has taken over.

The main football event for me was the announcement of the date for this season's Non-League Day which seemed to be well received.

We're going for Saturday 28 March 2026 and hopefully we'll make it bigger and better than ever.

This weekend I'm hoping to go to Actonians' first pre-season game at Dartford.

I've always wanted to visit Princes Park as it's one of the best non-league grounds around but sadly, the game is being staged on the 3G pitch outside the stadium so my 'proper' visit will have to wait until another time.

Anyway, enough from me, enjoy your week.

 THE WEEK AHEAD 

This week's highlights include friendlies featuring several EFL teams and even our first one from the Premier League.

As always, please make sure you check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or the venue or kick-off time has changed - this is highly possible for some of the lower non-league clubs. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.

Details on all of this week's games can be found on the following match maps. If you've never used them before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the drop down menu at the top of the map page to make sure you get all the information. Games are listed from top to bottom in date order so Monday's games (yellow pin) will appear first and Sunday's (orange pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.

Donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund here

Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

It should also be noted that the top four levels are for fully professional teams. Level 5 has a mixture of professional and semi-professional teams, while Levels 6-10 will see most players paid but it will vary from no more than travel expenses at the bottom, right up to several hundred pounds a week at the top.

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP

Monday fixtures - yellow pin

Tuesday fixtures - green pin

Wednesday fixtures - turquoise pin

Thursday fixtures - purple pin

Friday fixtures - black pin

WEEKEND MATCH MAP

Saturday fixtures - blue pin

Sunday fixtures - orange pin

    

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

In the following section, I list what are in my opinion the most notable games of the week and give some brief reasons for my choice. Check the maps above for kick-off times, ticket info and directions.

Monday 14 July

Friendly

Harrow Borough v Northwood @8pm - the neutral venue of Rectory Park plays host to this Middlesex derby between clubs in parallel divisions of the eighth tier. Boro are still looking for their first win under new boss Wayne Carter whilst Northwood come into this on the back of a 4-1 loss to National League side Wealdstone

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Tuesday 15 July

Friendlies

Sutton United v Wycombe Wanderers @730pm - after a midtable finish in the National League, the U's will hope to challenge for the play-offs this time. The Chairboys made the League One play-offs last season so should provide tough opposition. Tickets

Dagenham & Redbridge v Crawley Town @730pm - the Daggers start this season in the sixth tier after a miserable 2024/25. Pre-season has begun in underwhelming fashion too and League Two Crawley will be the highest-ranked team they've faced so far. Tickets

A bit further afield

Woking v Portsmouth @7pm - the pick of the action just beyond the M25 sees the fifth-tier Cards welcome Championship Pompey. Both sides flirted with relegation from their respective divisions last year before digging themselves out of trouble. Tickets

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Wednesday 16 July

Friendlies

Welling United v Leyton Orient @745pm - like Dagenham, the Wings also suffered relegation last year and now find themselves in the seventh tier Isthmian League Premier. On Saturday they edged to a 4-3 victory at ninth-tier Fisher. The O's, who made the League One play-off final last season, won 5-0 at fellow Isthmian Premier club Brentwood Town last weekend so they'll expect to do well here too. Tickets are £10 on the gate

Dulwich Hamlet v London City Lionesses @745pm - in the build up to their second season in the women's fourth tier, the Hamlet welcome WSL newcomers LCL. With the Women's Euros in full swing, the visitors will be without their main stars so that should level things up a bit. Tickets

A bit further afield

Farnborough v Portsmouth @7pm - after playing Woking on Tuesday, Pompey make the short journey west to play NLS side Farnborough the following night. How strong a side they put out remains to be seen. Tickets

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Thursday 17 July

Friendly

Carshalton Athletic v Sutton Common Rovers @745pm - postponed from last week, the Colston Avenue groundshare derby takes place on Thursday. Following SCR's relegation, there's now two divisions between them

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Friday 18 July

Friendly

Cray Wanderers v Bromley XI @745pm - get your weekend underway with this match at Flamingo Park which is about to begin its second season after its grand opening last year. Prior to that, Cray used to groundshare with Bromley at Hayes Lane for many years

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Saturday 19 July

Friendlies

Barnet v Leyton Orient @1pm - the Hive plays host to this London derby at lunchtime. The Bees will be playing in League Two for the first time in several years and the O's are the first EFL side they've played this summer. At the time of writing, tickets don't appear to be on sale

Bromley v Chelsea XI @3pm - the Ravens continue their preparations for another year in League Two with a match against the Blues. Given the Stamford Bridge side have only just won the Club World Cup, this will be no more than a development side. Tickets

Boreham Wood v Tottenham Hotspur U21 @3pm - after drawing 2-2 with an Arsenal side on Saturday, the Wood next welcome a Spurs XI to Meadow Park. Tickets

Sutton United v AFC Wimbledon @3pm - Gander Green Lane plays host to a very decent looking south London derby. Known as the "Thameslink derby", two divisions now separate these teams following the Dons' promotion to League One. Tickets

Wealdstone v MK Dons @3pm - the Stones play their first home game of pre-season against League Two opponents from Buckinghamshire. The Ruislip-based club dramatically avoided relegation from the National League on the final day of the season and will hope to stay up with more ease this time. Tickets

A bit further afield

Reading v Tottenham Hotspur @3pm - the biggest game of pre-season so far takes place just beyond London's western border at the Select Car Leasing Stadium. The League One Royals welcome Premier League Spurs who have this listed as their opening first-team friendly of the summer. This will, therefore, also be Thomas Frank's first game in charge following his move from Brentford. Tickets

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Sunday 20 July

Friendly

London Bees v AFC Wimbledon @2pm - women's games take centre stage on Sunday with this match between the fourth-tier hosts and the third-tier Dons topping the bill. London Bees, who are Barnet's women's team, are one of a handful of teams to be hopeful of promotion this season. This is being played at The Hive complex near Canons Park station on the Jubilee Line

GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've  been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground in the London area for this blog then get in touch. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

NEED HELP?

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries. I do not charge for this advice like some other sites so don't hold back!

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below, via X/Twitter or even by good old email.

Has this blog been helpful? Donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund here 

TLFG: 7-13 July 2025

Greetings one and all and welcome to week two of pre-season in London.

Did you make it to any games last week? Were you at Walton & Hersham for the CONIFA Asia Cup? Congratulations to Tamil Eelam who seemed to canter to the title against East Turkistan and Tibet.

I actually had quite an active week which saw me do one stadium tour and go to two games.

Beginning on Wednesday morning, I flew to the Swiss city of Basel to watch the Women's Euros opening ceremony and the game between Switzerland and Norway.

Myself and Christoph at SC Freiburg

On arrival at the airport, which is actually in France, you're given the choice of leaving via the French or Swiss exit.

TLFG reader Christoph B was there to meet me and advised using the French one.

Out of the terminal it was scorching hot but he'd prepared an amazing welcome pack for me which included a Switzerland scarf, Kicker magazine's guide to the Women's Euros and tourist info booklets about Basel itself.

Although coming to pick me up, Christoph is neither French nor Swiss but actually German and we were soon crossing another border into south-west Deutschland. Although police were doing random passport checks on the bridge over the Rhine, we were waved through unlike the airport shuttle bus which was halted, delaying all on board.

Driving through some beautiful sun-baked villages, surrounded by farms and overlooked by the impressive mountains of the Black Forest, we headed to Freiburg.

We didn't quite make into the town centre but stopped instead at the Europa Park Stadion, home of SC Freiburg where Christoph is an official guide and he treated me to my own personal tour.

Opened in 2021, the stadium has played host to a side which has gone from strength-to-strength in the Bundesliga - they missed a top-four finish by only two points last season to qualify for the Europa League again.

I enjoyed a good look round the stands, went pitch side, popped into the away dressing room (the home one if off limits) and visited the media facilities, before adding to my mug collection in the gift shop - sorry Mrs TLFG!

After this top experience, we drove back to France and checked into our hotel before taking the train the two or three kilometres into Switzerland for the match in Basel - for this leg there were no border checks.

After a bit of food in the impressive Basel station, we headed out to have a nose around town as there was still two or three hours until the game.

Alisha Lehmann heads for the team bus

Only a few hundred metres into our expedition, we came across the Swiss team's hotel which was easily identifiable by their bus which was parked outside.

Seconds later, completely by chance, the players began to emerge with Alisha Lehmann causing the most excitement for the small group of waiting fans - she duly ran straight over to give some of them a hug which was a nice touch.

The whole thing was wonderfully low key - there were no security barriers, only one police officer that I could see and they just got into their bus and rolled off into a rush-hour traffic jam with everyone else.

During the London Olympics, whole expressways were created for athletes and security was massive.

After a wander around some of the old town, going to a fan zone and watching locals take part in the tradition of floating down the Rhine, which looks great, we got on a packed and absolutely boiling tram to St Jakob Park for the game.

I'm afraid to say that the stadium and events centre, which recently hosted the Eurovision Song Contest, which stand either side of the tram stop, are really uninspiring concrete buildings which are nothing to look at - at least not from any angle I managed to view from. 

The stadium is wrapped in a shopping centre and it all looks a bit like a 1960's Brutalist-style housing estate. 

Getting in was easy enough but our seats up in the gods in the north-east corner of the ground were reached by an incredibly steep climb but they were comfortable enough when we got there.

With the short opening ceremony out of the way, the game began but focusing on it was hard because it was so hot!

Most people were provided with fans and it was obvious how many were melting in their seats.

Switzerland deservedly took the lead midway through the first half and held it until the interval when Christoph and I headed to the concourse to top up our water bottles and get some air.

With a decent breeze down here and a clear view of the pitch, we and several others never returned to our seats and stood down here instead.

The view from the concourse was decent

The second half was more entertaining with an own goal, penalty miss and some big VAR moments which saw Norway come from behind to win 2-1.

After getting separated trying to board the train back into central Basel, Christoph and I finally became reunited in the central station.

He drove me back to the airport the next day and at around 0945 on Thursday morning I was back at Luton Airport and back in Shepherds Bush less than two hours later.

It was a whirlwind 24 hours of football fun but Christoph was a superb host and looked after everything - if you're ever in Freiburg, give one of his stadium tours a go.

My second match of the week took place on Sunday when I went to the far more mundane surroundings of Gunnersbury Park to watch an Actonians trialists' match.

With lots of big teams in their division this year, many of them with enhanced budgets, getting recruitment right is going to be absolutely essential and there were some good players on show.

This week looks like being a much quieter one for me as I'm working but it needn't be for you as lots of teams from Championship level down are in action.

THE WEEK AHEAD 

This week's highlights include friendlies featuring several EFL teams and a number of Premier League clubs' U21 teams.

As always, please make sure you check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or the venue or kick-off time has changed - this is highly possible for some of the lower non-league clubs. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.

Details on all of this week's games can be found on the following match maps. If you've never used them before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the drop down menu at the top of the map page to make sure you get all the information. Games are listed from top to bottom in date order so Monday's games (yellow pin) will appear first and Sunday's (orange pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.

Donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund here

Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

It should also be noted that the top four levels are for fully professional teams. Level 5 has a mixture of professional and semi-professional teams, while Levels 6-10 will see most players paid but it will vary from no more than travel expenses at the bottom, right up to several hundred pounds a week at the top.

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP

Monday fixtures - yellow pin

Tuesday fixtures - green pin

Wednesday fixtures - turquoise pin

Friday fixtures - black pin

WEEKEND MATCH MAP

Saturday fixtures - blue pin

Sunday fixtures - orange pin

    

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

In the following section, I list what are in my opinion the most notable games of the week and give some brief reasons for my choice. Check the maps above for kick-off times, ticket info and directions.

Monday 7 July

Friendlies

Aveley v Fisher @745pm - after suffering relegation from the NLS last season, the Millers will hope for a much more positive campaign back in the seventh tier. They enjoyed a solid 3-0 win over local rivals Dagenham & Redbridge on Friday night but only managed a draw and a loss to Walthamstow and hosts Barking in a three-team mini tournament 24 hours later. Fisher play two divisions below them but made the SCEFL Premier play-offs last season. Entry to Parkside is free

Redbridge v Newbury Forest @8pm - also on the east side of town, we've got this groundshare derby. The Motormen beat Buckhurst Hill 2-1 in another derby on Friday and should be confident of another victory against 10th-tier opposition. Entry on Friday was £5 so I presume it will be the same here

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Tuesday 8 July

Friendlies

Barnet v Crystal Palace U21 @745pm - after a win at Hitchin Town and draw at Hemel Hempstead, League Two returnees Barnet play their first home game of pre-season. In it they welcome a development side from FA Cup winners Crystal Palace who should give them a good workout. Tickets

Bromley v Tottenham Hotspur U21 @745pm - in south-east London, the Ravens are preparing for their second year in the fourth tier and, like Barnet, welcome a development team from one of the capital's biggest clubs. Tickets

Boreham Wood v Watford @730pm - arguably the biggest game of the day takes place at Meadow Park where The Wood, newly promoted to the National League, welcome Championship opposition. The Hornets have this listed as a first-team game on their website so they should bring a strong team. Tickets

A bit further afield

Three Bridges v Crawley Town @745pm - to south of London, close to Gatwick Airport, we've got this local derby between an Isthmian League club and one from League Two. Tickets

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Wednesday 9 July

Friendlies

Enfield Town v AFC Wimbledon @7pm - the Towners found their first season in the sixth tier really tough but a superb run of results towards the end of the campaign kept them in the NLS. On Wednesday they take on a Dons side who won promotion back to League One after beating Walsall in the play-off final at Wembley. This is listed as a first-team game on Wimbledon's website. Tickets

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Friday 11 July

Friendlies

Cobham v Hanworth Villa @745pm - both these sides had great seasons in the Combined Counties League and Isthmian League but ultimately fell short in the play-offs. With big sides leaving both of their divisions, their chances of going up this time seem improved. Villa have also managed to retain the services of prolific striker Sam Merson, son of Paul, who will spearhead their attack again. Entry for pre-season games here has been £5 so far, so I'm expecting the same

A bit further afield

Potters Bar Town v Watford U21 @730pm - Isthmian Premier side PBT are back in their ground after laying a new 3G pitch and will look forward to hosting a development side from a fellow Hertfordshire club. Tickets are £10 on the gate 

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Saturday 12 July

Friendlies

Watford v AFC Wimbledon @3pm - it's Championship versus League One in what must be the biggest match of the pre-season period in London so far, certainly in front of a crowd. To make things interesting, this is being played at Wealdstone's ground in Ruislip. Tickets

Boreham Wood v Arsenal U21 @3pm - the hosts have provided a home for the Gunners' youth and women's teams for several years now so a match against an Arsenal XI has become a pre-season tradition. Tickets

Cray Wanderers v Crystal Palace U21 @3pm - London's oldest club are into the second season at their new stadium. The seventh-tier side will hope for a good turnout as they welcome the Eagles' youngsters. Tickets

Dartford v Charlton Athletic @3pm - these sides experienced contrasting fortunes in the play-offs last season with the Darts losing to stay in the Isthmian Premier whilst the Addicks triumphed to return to the Championship. This is listed as a first-team game on Charlton's website. Tickets

A bit further afield

Gillingham v Reading @3pm - to the east of London, two EFL clubs meet at the Priestfield. Despite a decent final run of games, the Gills finished an uninspiring 17th in League Two last season. The Royals, on the other hand, only just missed a play-off place in League One which was quite an achievement given their off-field problems. Tickets

Eastleigh v Southampton @3pm - there's a local derby in Hampshire where the Spitfires welcome the Saints who are now back in the Championship following relegation from the Premier League. This is being listed as a first-team game on Southampton's website. Tickets

Bishop's Stortford v Stevenage @3pm - to the north of town we've got a Hertfordshire derby as the Southern League Blues welcome League One opposition. Tickets

East Grinstead Town v Crawley Town @3pm - Scott Lindsey's side continue their tour of local non-league clubs as they prepare for another year in League Two. Tickets for EGT games are usually £10 on the gate

Hitchin Town v MK Dons @3pm - after entertaining sides from Barnet and Luton Town, the Canaries next welcome further League Two opposition from MK Dons. Tickets

Maldon & Tiptree v Colchester United @3pm - fancy an Essex derby? Then check out the Isthmian League Jammers who take on their local League Two club. Tickets

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Sunday 13 July

Friendlies

London Bees v Ascot United @2pm - it's all about women's football today with the pick of the action involving Women's National League teams who play in the fourth tier. After finishing fourth in the Division 1 South East last season, the hosts are one of several teams to be spending significant sums to try and get up this season. Ascot won their fifth-tier division last season to move up to the parallel Division 1 South West so it will be interesting to see how they do. Tickets for London Bees' game last week were free but check on the day, it shouldn't be more than £5. London Bees are Barnet's women's team and they play at The Hive complex

QPR v Northampton Town @2pm - another one of the division's most ambitious clubs, the R's will be looking for a strong showing against the Cobblers who were runners-up in the Midlands Division last season. This is being played at QPR's training ground - the R's manager has confirmed to me that anyone wanting to go will have to pre-register for free

GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've  been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground in the London area for this blog then get in touch. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

NEED HELP?

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries. I do not charge for this advice like some other sites so don't hold back!

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below, via X/Twitter or even by good old email.

Has this blog been helpful? Donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund here