Tottenham Hotspur embarked on a unique and intensive start to their 2025/26 pre-season campaign, scheduling an unprecedented double-header of friendly matches on Saturday, July 26, 2025. The day saw Head Coach Thomas Frank split his squad to face League One opposition, aiming to maximize match fitness and assess a wide array of players ahead of the upcoming season.
The first fixture of the day saw Spurs take on Wycombe Wanderers in a behind-closed-doors encounter at the Hotspur Way Training Centre. The match, kicking off at 11:00 AM UK time (6:00 AM ET), concluded in a goalless draw, with both sides unable to break the deadlock. According to ESPN’s match report, Tottenham’s starting XI for this fixture featured Brandon Austin in goal, with a defensive line of Ben Davies, Cristian Romero, Luka Vuskovic, and Pedro Porro. The midfield comprised Lucas Bergvall, George Abbott, and Pape Matar Sarr, supporting an attacking trio of Son Heung-Min, Richarlison, and Wilson Odobert.
Following the morning’s action, a second Tottenham squad was set to travel to Kenilworth Road for a 3:00 PM BST (10:00 AM ET) kick-off against Luton Town, who were relegated to League One last season. This match was also available for streaming on SPURSPLAY, with the Luton fixture additionally accessible via the Fox Sports App in some regions, as reported by Cartilage Free Captain.
The strategic decision to play two matches on the same day was articulated by Head Coach Thomas Frank. Speaking to the club’s official website and reported by football.london, Frank stated, "We wanted an extra game in our schedule to give as many players as many match minutes as possible, in order to put them in the best position, physically." He further elaborated on the plan, confirming that Spurs would field "two even, strong teams" with players expected to play between 60 and 75 minutes, or potentially more. The objective is to ensure that by the end of Saturday, 22 players will have accumulated significant match minutes, placing them in optimal physical condition before the team embarks on their pre-season tour.
Regarding player availability, several key figures were noted. Manor Solomon was unlikely to feature due to a calf injury sustained in training, while Dejan Kulusevski, Radu Dragusin, and Bryan Gil remained sidelined following their respective knee injuries and subsequent surgeries. However, there was positive news with James Maddison returning to full training with the squad, and Kota Takai expected to rejoin training after a minor knock. Richarlison, who missed the previous weekend’s win at Reading, trained well and was expected to play, which he did against Wycombe. Additionally, Archie Gray, Mathys Tel, and Wilson Odobert were back in contention after being granted extended leave following their participation in the U21 European Championships.
The double-header serves as a crucial step in Tottenham’s pre-season preparations, allowing Thomas Frank to fine-tune his squad’s fitness and tactical understanding across a broader group of players before the competitive season commences.
