Now official: HSV to face Austrian top club in friendly | OneFootball

What had recently already leaked through several media reports has now been officially confirmed: HSV will face Rapid Vienna in their summer preparations for the 2026/27 Bundesliga season.

As the Rothosen announced on Thursday, the clash with the Austrian traditional club will take place on July 18 at 7 p.m. at Rapid’s Allianz Stadium in Vienna.

This also confirms HSV’s first high-profile preseason opponent. Rapid finished last season in fifth place in Austria’s championship round and then secured a spot in the UEFA Conference League qualifiers via the European playoffs. That means the Hanseatic side will face a real early test at a relatively early stage.

The match also marks the start of an important phase in the summer preparations. Just one day after the game, head coach Merlin Polzin’s team will travel on to their training camp in Oberlängenfeld in the Ötztal. There, the club aims to lay the foundations for the new season through July 25. Another friendly is also planned during the stay.

Photo: IMAGO

HSV could also play Everton in a friendly

Before that, however, the Hamburg side will set up camp in Denmark. From July 8 to 11, HSV will hold a training camp in Helsingør before the professionals return to the Volkspark. The first public training session is scheduled for July 13.

For fans, the trip to Vienna also offers a small nostalgic side note. Rapid’s squad includes Louis Schaub, a former HSV player. The Austrian played for the northern Germans in the second half of the 2019/20 season and made 12 competitive appearances.

With the official confirmation of the Rapid friendly, the summer schedule is becoming increasingly concrete. It remains unclear which other opponents HSV will face before their competitive opener at the end of August. Most recently, there were rumors about a possible meeting with Premier League club Everton FC. The English side could appear as opponents during the season-opening event at the Volkspark.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.