TLFG: 20-26 July 2026

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

I've had a pretty busy week again so with it still being pre-season, I've decided not to do any previews again but have picked out a few headline games in the section below instead.

Aside from work, I had a pretty eventful football week.

Apart from all the England goings-on which we all experienced, I got up to quite a bit.

As previewed last time, I announced that this season's Non-League Day will now become a full weekend event at Easter with hundreds of extra games - it's going to be a huge increase in work but I think it should be well worth it.

Yours truly was honoured to win at the Middlesex FA awards

On Thursday I headed to Brentford's GTech Community Stadium for the Middlesex FA's annual awards.

I was shortlisted in the 'New Volunteer of the Year' category, primarily for my work on Actonians' programme and podcast, and won! 

Other members of the club also picked up gongs on what was a very successful night.

I ended the week down at Bedfont Sports, near Heathrow, for the first game of the A's new era under majority American ownership.

The friendly against last season's divisional champions Fulham was expected to be extremely challenging (they haven't lost a league game for two years) but they were inexplicably poor and the A's romped to a highly unexpected 4-0 win!

It was only a friendly and the squad still needs to be finalised with at least two of today's standout players mulling over offers elsewhere, but it was incredibly encouraging.

It was rather surreal to see former USA international Steph McCaffrey playing and scoring two for the A's but this is the position we now find ourselves in.

If my plans work out, I hope to be at QPR on Saturday and Barking on Sunday but let's see how the week pans out.

THE WEEK AHEAD

Probably the most eye-catching fixture of the week takes place in Shepherds Bush on Saturday where QPR entertain Italian club Fiorentina.

Crystal Palace are the first Premier League side to enter the fray as they travel to fellow south-east Londoners Bromley who are beginning their first season in League One. 

German club Hansa Rostock head to Vicarage Road to play Watford on Saturday.

AFC Wimbledon have a couple of decent home fixtures against Championship clubs Norwich City and Charlton Athletic.

League Two club Barnet are hosting a community day at The Hive. Women's side London Bees play Wycombe Wanderers at 1245pm before the men's side take on Oxford United at 3pm.

Of the many non-league clubs in action, Hornchurch host Leyton Orient in an east London derby on Tuesday, whilst fellow National Leaguers Wealdstone welcome MK Dons on Saturday.

It may still be July but some tenth-tier divisions are actually starting this weekend with the ECL Division 1 South kicking off on Friday night, before the Combined Counties League Division 1 starts on Saturday.

In the women's game, there are some decent friendlies featuring teams in the fourth and fifth tiers - personally I'm aiming to be at Mayesbrook Park to watch Actonians' next game at Barking.

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 and development matches. 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

    

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, Instagram or even by good old email.

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

TLFG: 13-19 July 2026

Greetings everyone and welcome to TLFG's guide to the third week of pre-season.

I worked all weekend, hence the late publication of this piece. Sadly it's also short of previews as I've simply run out of time - the headline games are in 'The Week Ahead' section below.

Aside from that, I announced to the date (27 March) for this season's Non-League Day last week. 

However, given its the Easter weekend, we're going to spread the event over four days.

It will be a huge undertaking but one which could be massive with most teams able to host a home game over the weekend - there'll probably be nearly 1,000 across the country!!! That's a TLFG exclusive as I haven't publicly announced that anywhere else yet.

Sutton United host AFC Wimbledon on Saturday

It was great to see England progress in the World Cup on Saturday but as a result there are now no matches in London on Wednesday with all sides understandably preferring to watch the semi-final rather than play.

On Thursday I'm heading to Brentford's GTech Stadium for the Middlesex FA awards night.

I'm lucky enough to have been shortlisted for 'New Volunteer of the Year' for my work with Actonians.

Although I've no idea who I'm up against, the other people are likely to be excellent so making the figurative podium is an achievement in itself. I'll let you know how I get on.

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

THE WEEK AHEAD

League Two side Barnet have a couple of decent friendlies at The Hive this week, with Championship club Watford and League One outfit Luton Town both paying a visit.

In south London, there's an eye-catching derby between Sutton United and AFC Wimbledon on Saturday.

Below that, a number of top U21 sides are heading to non-league clubs with Arsenal, Millwall and QPR among those in action.

In the women's game, there are some decent friendlies featuring teams in the third and fourth tiers - personally I'm aiming to be at Bedfont Sports' ground near Heathrow for a first glimpse of Actonians' new look side against what I'm expecting to be a strong Fulham team who won the division last year.

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 and development matches. 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

    

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, Instagram or even by good old email.

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

TLFG: 6-12 July 2026

Greetings one and all and welcome to TLFG's guide to the second week of pre-season.

How was week one for you?

I was all set to see a match over the weekend but work intervened so I spent most of it on trains.

However, with a day off today (Monday), that left me in a position to watch England's epic win over Mexico in the small hours.

And what a game it was! One for the ages and one we'll be talking about decades from now given all the adversity the team overcame.

Watford's trip to Meadow Park tops the bill this week 

I don't want to get ahead of myself but things are looking promising!

After today, I'll be working seven days straight so there won't be any football for me but hopefully I'll get to watch a bit on the telly.

One of the reasons I worked this weekend was to free up a Saturday later in the month when QPR play Italian club Fiorentina in an eye-catching friendly at Loftus Road, something I'm really looking forward to.

Anyway, I think that's it for me - have a great week.

THE WEEK AHEAD

Charlton Athletic drew a crowd of over 3,000 for their friendly at Dartford on Friday and hopefully fellow Championship club Watford will inspire a decent turnout at Boreham Wood on Saturday.

The best attendance on Friday should be at Enfield Town where League One club Leyton Orient pay a visit.

At non-league level, there are several notable derbies and women's pre-season gets going too.

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 and development matches. 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. I no longer write previews for sold out matches or ones where membership is a minimum requirement for tickets so Premier League matches will rarely appear here - they will still be on the match maps though. 

Monday 6 July

Friendly

Hashtag United v East Thurrock CFC @745pm - after a swift rise up to the seventh tier, the Tags ran into the buffers last season and took voluntary relegation back to level eight. After several years sharing at Aveley, this season will see them play their games at Redbridge which for non-drivers is way easier to get to. Talking of new eras, Essex club East Thurrock are back. Previously East Thurrock United, they were members of the National League South until as recently as 2019. Sadly things went really south in the intervening years and the club folded in 2023. Now reborn, they're in the 10th tier ECL Division 1 South this season. Tickets

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Tuesday 7 July

Friendlies

Hornchurch v Dagenham & Redbridge @745pm - it's derby day in east London and possibly for the first time ever, it's the Urchins who will be starting the game as the club in the higher division. Despite being one of the smaller clubs in the National League South (NLS), they managed to win the play-offs and move up to the fifth tier for the first time in their history. The Daggers went as high as League One in 2010-11 and were a mainstay of the fourth and fifth tiers in the years since. However, last season was their first alongside Hornchurch in the NLS. It will be fascinating to see how the hosts cope at this level and how D&R will fare with their new owners (including KSI). Tickets

Aveley v Folkestone Invicta @745pm - the Millers finished as runners-up to Folkestone in the Isthmian League last season. In the end there was a 12-point gap as the Kent club won the title and moved up to the NLS. Sadly for Aveley, they didn't make it through the play-offs and will have to have another go at winning the Isthmian crown this year. Tickets are available on the gate

Dartford v Ebbsfleet United @745pm - just across the river from Aveley in Kent, there's another derby taking place which should be well worth a watch. Both sides narrowly missed out on play-off places in their respective divisions last season and will hope to put that right this time round. NLS side Ebbsfleet play a level above the Darts so should start as favourites. Tickets

Ashford Town (Middlesex) v Farnborough @745pm - if you want a game in west London then CCL Premier North champions Ashford are hosting NLS side Farnborough. Now up to the Isthmian South Central, the hosts are still two divisions below their opponents so it could be a tough evening. The Hampshire club began their pre-season with a 3-1 win at CCL Premier South champions Cobham on Saturday, so they'll be looking to a double of sorts here. Tickets for Ashford's game against Farnham on Saturday were £5 on the gate so I expect something similar here

Corinthian Casuals v AFC Wimbledon U17 @745pm - one other game stands out for me on Tuesday and it features one of the capital's most historic clubs. CCs play in the ninth tier and will hope to get much closer to the play-offs than they managed last year. Tickets are £5 on the gate

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Wednesday 8 July

Friendly

Walthamstow v SOUL Tower Hamlets @8pm - there are a handful of games on Wednesday with this match the pick of them in my opinion. The Stow won the Essex Senior League in 2022 and followed it up with two consecutive top-six finishes in the eighth tier. However, they've started to go backwards, finishing 10th the last two years. STH came desperately close to joining them in the Isthmian League this year but fell short in the Essex Senior League play-offs. I haven't seen any ticket info but paying on the gate won't be a problem

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Thursday 9 July

Friendly

Northwood v Southall @8pm - the only match I know of on Thursday is taking place at the neutral venue of Rectory Park in Northolt. Northwood had their worst season for many years last year and slipped out of the eighth tier for the first time since 2007. Now in the Combined Counties League, they'll look to consolidate and bounce back as soon as possible. The 'All have finished in the top six twice in the last three years in their eighth-tier division but they shipped eight against Barnet in a behind closed doors game on Saturday. This could well be free admission but you can easily watch through fence if you your exceptionally tight and don't want to pay

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Friday 10 July

Friendly

Enfield Town v Leyton Orient @7pm - topping the bill on Friday is this match in the far north of London. The Towners suffered relegation from the NLS last season and are now back in the seventh tier Isthmian League. They drew 3-3 at near neighbours Haringey Borough on Saturday and should face an even tougher challenge here. The O's struggled in League One last season but managed to stay up. This match is listed as a first-team match on their website so a strong line-up should be expected. Tickets

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Saturday 11 July

Friendlies

Boreham Wood v Watford @3pm - possibly the biggest game of pre-season so far is being played at Meadow Park. The Wood were 2-0 up in the National League play-off final at Wembley in May but they let it slip and eventually lost on penalties to Rochdale. Here they welcome local Championship club Watford who finished 16th in the second tier last season, their lowest league finish since 2010. Tickets

Hanwell Town v Luton Town U21 @1pm - the race to avoid relegation from the Southern League Premier South was a tight one but the Geordies kept their heads above water to secure their place in the seventh tier for a fifth consecutive season. On Saturday they welcome a youthful Hatters side. It's hard to gauge how good they are as they don't compete in a league but they should provide a good test nonetheless

Carshalton Athletic v Hampton & Richmond Borough @3pm - after thrashing a young Bromley side 4-0, the Robins next welcome the sixth tier Beavers for what should be a tougher afternoon at the War Memorial Ground 

Hanworth Villa v St Albans City @3pm - the hosts won promotion last season to move up to the seventh tier for the first time in their history. Here they welcome a side from the parallel Isthmian Premier who should act as a good yardstick of what they can face this year

Hashtag United v SE Dons @4pm - two of the capital's more controversial teams meet at Redbridge's ground. Both sides have large online fanbases primarily on YouTube - nearly one million subscribers between them. As mentioned above, the Tags are in the eighth tier whilst the Dons are now up to the ninth after winning promotion last season. Tickets

Game Cam Cup from 6pm - if you want to see multiple games on Saturday then finish your day at Rayners Lane's Tithe Farm which plays host to this four-team mini tournament. Ninth tier Hilltop are the highest ranked side on show, whilst the rest of the field is made up of 10th-tier clubs London Fennecs, NW London and Shepherds Bush. As I understand it, there will be two semi-finals, a third-place play-off and a final with each game lasting 50 minutes. It could be a late night!

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Sunday 12 July 

Friendlies

London Bees v Real Bedford @2pm - women's friendlies take centre stage on Sunday with clubs in the third tier and below in action. The hosts finished fourth in their fourth-tier division last season, made a lot of money from their FA Cup run and should start as one of the favourites for the title this time. Real Bedford won this division in 2024/25 and managed a top-six finish in the third tier last season. They won 3-1 at Wycombe Wanderers on Sunday and should provide Dan McKimm's side with a decent workout. This match will be played at Barnet's Hive complex in north London

Hashtag United v Dartford @3pm - the Tags avoided relegation from the third tier on the final day of last season. It was a dramatic loss of form after their title challenge the previous year but that's what happens when your coaching staff and senior players all get better offers. Dartford excelled in the fifth tier last season to move up to the FAWNL for the first time. This is being played at Redbridge and admission is free

AFC Wimbledon v Dulwich Hamlet @1230pm - I've added this decent looking game between a couple of south London clubs as a bit of an afterthought as it's being played on the back pitch at Tooting & Mitcham United and not in a proper stadium, meaning there won't be much in the way of spectator facilities but it's free to attend. For reference, the Dons play in Tier 3 and the Hamlet in Tier 4

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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, Instagram or even by good old email.

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