Your guide to Welsh football's pre-season fixtures

The countdown to the new season is on for Wales' four EFL clubs, with three ready to do battle in the Championship and one hoping for a smoother ride in League Two.

Cardiff City are the one side preparing for life in a new division – even if they have not been away long – having bounced back from relegation in 2024-25 by winning promotion from League One last season.

The Bluebirds' return to the Championship means that for the first time since 1980-81, Wales will have three sides in the second tier of English football.

After their run of three successive promotions came to an end last season, Wrexham will begin the new campaign with ambitions to make the play-offs, at the very least, this time around.

The north Wales club ended up seventh back in May. If they repeat that feat next spring, their season will go into overtime given the new format which sees teams finishing between third and eighth heading into the play-offs.

Swansea City will also have an eye on the top eight as they look to maintain the momentum built under Vitor Matos after he took charge following the dismissal of Alan Sheehan last November.

The Swans finished 11th last season, which was a commendable effort given that a relegation scrap appeared to be on the cards in the early days of the Matos era.

For Newport County, meanwhile, the goal will be to avoid another battle to beat the drop.

Last season was a miserable one for the Exiles, who only secured their EFL status on the final day of the campaign, but their plans for progress in 2026-27 have not been helped by the disruption of another managerial change, with Christian Fuchs having departed.

Cardiff, Swansea and Wrexham will all go on their travels during pre-season, while Italian giants Roma and Spanish side Leganes are among those heading to Wales as all concerned prepare for the return of competitive football in August.

BBC Sport Wales runs through the friendly fixtures of the four Welsh clubs, with some games – most of which will be played behind closed doors - still to be confirmed.

Saturday, 4 July

Bristol Manor Farm 0-3 Newport County (The Creek Community Stadium) - Lewis Jamieson scored twice and Wales international Matt Smith was also on target as interim manager Chris Todd's Exiles side won their first pre-season fixture.

Wednesday, 8 July

Newport City 0-5 Newport County (Spytty Park) - Shaquille Gwengwe scored a second-half hat-trick on the Exiles' return to Spytty Park. They led 2-0 at the break against the Cymru South Steelmen thanks to goals by Yahya Bamba and Cole Jarvis.

Saturday, 11 July

Cardiff City 0-6 Midtjylland (Cardiff City Stadium) - Cardiff were well beaten by their Danish opponents as Brian Barry-Murphy fielded entirely different sides in each half of the Bluebirds' opening pre-season game.

Gloucester City 2-1 Newport County (Meadow Park) - Newport suffered their first defeat of pre-season as they were beaten by their Southern League Premier division hosts despite leading at the break through Lee Jenkins.

Wisla Krakow 0-0 Wrexham (Henryk Reyman Municipal Stadium, Krakow) - Arthur Okonkwo saved a second-half penalty as the Red Dragons began their pre-season campaign with a goalless draw against Wisla Krakow in Poland.

Tuesday, 14 July

Cork City 1-6 Cardiff City. The Bluebirds responded to their Midtjylland disappointment with a comprehensive win in the west of Ireland in a homecoming for boss Brian Barry-Murphy.

Callum Robinson's goal gave Cardiff a 1-0 lead at the break and the visitors changed their line-up for the second half at Turner's Cross Stadium.

Denzell Obenge equalised soon after the restart but the visitors then dominated with Isaak Davies and Rob Tankiewicz each scoring a brace before Yousef Salech added a sixth.

Saturday, 18 July

Holstein Kiel 2-2 Swansea City (Kufstein Arena, Austria) - Vitor Matos' men were twice pegged back as Swansea drew in Austria. Ronald and Adam Idah both gave the Swans the advantage, although goals from David Zec and Faride Alidou earned the German side a draw.

Manchester United 0-1 Wrexham (Olympic Stadium, Helsinki) - Sam Smith netted the only goal of the contest as Phil Parkinson's men earned an impressive victory over their Premier League opponents in Finland. The striker tapped Lewis O'Brien's cross into the net in the first-half as the Red Dragons maintained their unbeaten run in pre-season while keeping a second successive clean sheet.

Tuesday, 21 July

VFL Bochum 2-0 Swansea City - The German second-tier side triumphed in Austria in a fixture split into thirds. Alessandro Crimaldi and Berkan Taz scored the goals while the Swans ended with 10 academy players on the field.

Bristol City 0-0 Newport County - The Exiles travelled to the Championship side's training base and held on for a goalless draw in a fixture behind closed doors. Defender Cameron Evans made his first appearance of the season for County while former Newport loanee Scott Twine featured for the Robins.

Friday, 24 July

Udinese 0-2 Swansea City (Fussballplatz Mittersill, Austria) - The Swans enjoyed a morale-boosting win against Serie A opposition. Liam Cullen opened the scoring after six minutes with a calm finish and victory was secured by summer signing Elijah Just in the closing stages, the New Zealand international drilling in a left-footed shot from the edge of the area.

Saturday, 25 July

Bath City 2-2 Newport County - The Exiles led 1-0 at the break after Ged Garner's deflected strike. They responded swiftly to being pegged back with teenage defender Harrison Halpin heading in but conceded in the closing stages, with former County striker Alex Fisher the scorer of the Romans' second.

Forest Green 1-5 Cardiff City - The Bluebirds eased past their National League opponents and led 5-0 at half-time. Isaak Davies opened the scoring and Chris Willock scored a hat-trick, with Yousuf Salech getting the other goal.

Sunday, 26 July

Leeds United 2-3 Wrexham

Tuesday, 28 July

Newport County 0-4 Reading - The Exiles were comprehensively beaten by the League One Royals at Rodney Parade. Jacob Brown put the visitors 1-0 up at the break, Josh Stokes doubled the lead and then Jerae Jones scored a double.

Thursday, 30 July

Liverpool 1-0 Wrexham (Yankee Stadium, New York)

Saturday, 1 August

Cardiff City 4-1 AS Roma (Cardiff City Stadium)

Swansea City 1-0 CD Leganes (Swansea.com Stadium) - The Swans ended their pre-season preparations with a 1-0 home victory over Leganes courtesy of a long-range strike from new recruit Joseph Opoku. Ghana international Opoku, making just his second appearance since joining from Zulte Waregem, finished coolly from 35 yards after Leganes keeper Raul Fernandez had come out of his area.

Yeovil 1-2 Newport County (Huish Park) - The Exiles started the Hayden Mullins era with a victory against their hosts from the National League. The Glovers took an early lead but Shaquille Gwengwe levelled before the break and Lee Jenkins scored what turned out to be the winner soon after the restart.

Sunday, 2 August

Sunderland 1-0 Wrexham (Subaru Park, Pennsylvania)

Tuesday, 4 August

Newport County 1-4 AS Roma (Rodney Parade)

Monday, 10 August

Wrexham v Wigan (Racecourse - behind closed doors)