Liverpool Announce Pre-Season Friendly Ahead of 2025-26 Campaign | OneFootball

Liverpool Confirm Pre-Season Opener Against Preston North End at Deepdale

Liverpool will begin their pre-season preparations with a trip to Deepdale to face Preston North End on Sunday, July 13, in a 3pm kick-off. This match, their first outing of the summer, will come just five days after the squad reconvenes at the AXA Training Centre on July 8 under manager Arne Slot.

Slot, fresh off winning the Premier League title in his debut season at Anfield, will be keen to establish momentum early, and the Preston fixture offers a chance to fine-tune match fitness and assess the squad dynamics. Interestingly, this match will serve as a repeat of his very first encounter in charge of Liverpool, when a mixed squad lost 1-0 to Preston in a behind-closed-doors friendly last summer.

That particular outing featured 25 players across two halves, with heavy involvement from academy prospects and fringe senior figures. This time, however, Slot is expected to field a much stronger group, especially given the lack of major international tournaments impacting player availability.

Frimpong Debut Possible as New-Look Squad Forms

Jeremie Frimpong, already announced as Liverpool’s first signing of the summer, could feature for the first time at Deepdale. The club is also reportedly chasing Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz and Bournemouth full-back Milos Kerkez, both of whom may yet join before the match.

The Preston fixture will mark the beginning of a busy pre-season itinerary. After a week at Kirkby, the Reds will travel to Asia, taking on AC Milan in Hong Kong on July 26 and Yokohama F. Marinos in Japan four days later. Their schedule will then conclude with a return to Wembley for the Community Shield against Crystal Palace on August 10.

Tickets and Potential Home Friendly on Horizon

Tickets for the Preston North End friendly will go on sale to season-ticket holders and members from 10am on Monday, June 16, with general sale opening the following day. Meanwhile, plans are being explored for another friendly in early August, possibly at Anfield, to serve as a final tune-up before the competitive season gets underway.

There is also the potential for an additional local game between the Preston trip and the departure to Asia, though details remain unconfirmed.

Historical Ties and Shankly’s Deepdale Legacy

Liverpool’s shared history with Preston North End stretches back over a century, with 95 meetings to date, including 25 friendlies. Their most recent competitive clash came in the Carabao Cup fourth round in 2021, where goals from Takumi Minamino and Divock Origi secured a 2-0 win for the Reds.

Although the two clubs have rarely met in recent decades — just five times in the past 55 years — there is a strong historical connection. Bill Shankly, one of Liverpool’s most legendary managers, spent 16 years as a player at Preston and is commemorated at Deepdale with the Bill Shankly Kop stand.

As Liverpool prepare to open their summer schedule at a ground steeped in their own mythology, Slot’s focus will be on integrating his side swiftly and building the rhythm that defined their triumphant league campaign last season.