Opinion: Arsenal’s demanding schedule shows why pre-season needs rethinking

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·25 July 2026

Opinion: Arsenal’s demanding schedule shows why pre-season needs rethinking

As Arsenal prepare for another demanding campaign, the excitement of seeing the reigning Premier League champions back in action is already beginning to build.

However, I wish Arsenal could skip pre-season and start the 2026/27 Premier League campaign instead.

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The Gunners commence their pre-season schedule next Saturday, 1 August, away to Spanish side Girona before facing Real Betis four days later in Ireland’s fair city, Dublin.

Once Arsenal have faced both of those sides, they will host the Emirates Cup against Borussia Dortmund on Sunday, 9 August, before playing Como back in London and finally Manchester City in the Community Shield at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium.

Does Arsenal really need five pre-season games?

Arsenal already have to play at least 48 matches across all competitions in 2026/27, the Premier League, Champions League, League Cup and FA Cup, and that is only the bare minimum.

Last season, Mikel Arteta’s side played a club-record and mammoth 63-game campaign, something they had never had to endure before. If you include the 2025/26 pre-season matches, the grand total rises to an incredible 68 fixtures.

Overall, that equates to more than 6,000 minutes of football, without even adding stoppage time or extra time. That may not sound like a lot, but it was more football than any other team in Europe played during the 2025/26 season.

Does it really matter if Arsenal play an extra five games before the season starts?

I personally don’t think it hurts to play a couple of matches so that different tactics, team changes and new players can be experimented with to sharpen Arteta’s plans for the new season.

However, I don’t think it is healthy to squeeze five pre-season games into just 15 days. It is not fair on the players, especially those returning from the World Cup who have barely had a break since last summer, when the 2025/26 pre-season friendlies began.

(Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images For Premier League)

Arsenal’s World Cup stars need time to recover

Seven Arsenal players returned from the World Cup with medals.

Three members of Spain’s victorious squad were Gunners, while Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze earned bronze medals with England.

That is something for Arsenal supporters to celebrate, but it is also a concern for the players’ health and wellbeing. They are expected to perform at their utmost during every 90-minute football match, or longer, yet many have had very little opportunity to recover properly.

Despite earning massive wages, footballers are still human beings, not robots. They should not be treated like puppets on a string in the football show industry that the modern game is increasingly becoming.

We all want to see Arsenal back in action, but surely the players need a genuine break before another long season begins.

Do you agree with Liam, Gooners? Are five pre-season matches in 15 days excessive after such a demanding World Cup summer, or are they necessary preparation for the new campaign?

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