Bayer Leverkusen will travel to England this August for two high-profile pre-season friendlies against Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United as they finalise preparations for the 2026/27 campaign.
The Bundesliga outfit confirmed on Thursday that they will face Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on 12 August, with kick-off set for 20:45 CET. The squad will then head north to Tyneside for a meeting with Newcastle United at St James’ Park on 15 August, starting at 16:00 CET. These matches conclude a carefully structured summer programme designed to optimise fitness levels ahead of competitive action.
Progressive summer schedule
Leverkusen have organised a six-match itinerary that gradually increases in intensity. The schedule begins with a fixture against Oberliga side Sportfreunde Baumberg on 18 July, providing opportunities for extended minutes across the entire squad.
The programme continues with Regionalliga tests against Kickers Offenbach on 25 July and FC Carl Zeiss Jena on 1 August. These matches allow tactical experimentation against organised lower-league opposition before the step up in quality.
A demanding encounter with La Liga club Sevilla FC follows on 8 August, offering a continental benchmark and differing stylistic challenge before the team departs for England.
Tactical examination
The fixtures against Forest and Newcastle represent the sternest tests of Leverkusen’s pre-season. Matches against Premier League opposition provide manager Xabi Alonso with valuable data regarding tactical systems, pressing structures and squad depth under high-intensity conditions.
The City Ground and St James’ Park venues will expose Leverkusen players to the physical tempo and technical demands of English football. These encounters traditionally prove crucial for integrating new signings and determining starting line-ups ahead of the Bundesliga curtain-raiser.