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.
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!
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