Arsenal are set to conclude their 2025-26 pre-season preparations this Saturday, August 9, when they host Spanish side Athletic Club in the annual Emirates Cup. The match, kicking off at 5 p.m. BST at the Emirates Stadium, represents manager Mikel Arteta’s final opportunity to assess his squad before their challenging Premier League opener against Manchester United.
The Gunners enter the fixture aiming to bounce back from a 3-2 defeat to another La Liga team, Villarreal, in a friendly on Wednesday. Despite a debut goal at the Emirates from new signing Christian Nørgaard, Arsenal were undone by first-half strikes from Pepe and E. Eyong. The match against Villarreal was the first home appearance for many of Arsenal’s summer acquisitions, including the Danish goalscorer Nørgaard and high-profile striker Viktor Gyökeres, who made his first start for the club following a reported £64 million move from Sporting CP.
After consecutive second-place finishes in the Premier League, Arsenal has invested heavily to strengthen the team for another title push. The club’s aggressive summer transfer window has seen the arrival of several new players, including defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Riccardo Calafiori, winger Noni Madueke, and midfielders Martín Zubimendi and Mikel Merino. Integrating this new talent has been the primary focus of a pre-season tour that has produced mixed results. Before the loss to Villarreal, Arsenal secured a 3-2 win against Newcastle United and a 1-0 victory over AC Milan, but also suffered a 1-0 defeat to rivals Tottenham Hotspur in a historic overseas derby in Hong Kong.
Arteta will be looking for a more cohesive performance against Athletic Club, who are also preparing for their domestic season and a Champions League campaign. There is positive news on the injury front, as Arteta expressed hope that Kai Havertz, Riccardo Calafiori, and Leandro Trossard could be available for selection after missing the Villarreal match. Their potential return would provide a significant boost and allow the manager to field a side closer to what fans might expect to see at Old Trafford on August 17.
The Emirates Cup, an invitational tournament hosted by Arsenal since 2007, offers a chance to end the pre-season with silverware. The Gunners have a dominant history in the competition, having won eight of the 13 previous editions, including the last three consecutively. A victory would provide a valuable morale boost ahead of a daunting start to the league season. Following their trip to Manchester United, Arsenal are scheduled to face Liverpool on August 31 and Manchester City on September 21, making a strong start imperative.
For fans unable to attend, the match will be available to stream worldwide (excluding Spain) via a Match Pass on Arsenal.com. As the final dress rehearsal, Saturday’s game is more than just a friendly; it is a critical test of readiness for a new-look Arsenal squad carrying high expectations for the season ahead.
