Tottenham Hotspur

SPURSPLAY

We begin with a trip to Southampton on Wednesday 19 August and that will then be followed by our first home game of the season when we take on Arsenal on Sunday 30 August.

The competition is split into two phases throughout the season, starting with the first phase, which will run from August to September.

The top half teams from the Northern and Southern Divisions are then placed into Division One while the remaining sides will compete in Division Two in the second phase later in the year.

We will compete in the Southern Division alongside Southampton, Arsenal, London City Lionesses, Ipswich Town, Bristol City, Crystal Palace, Chelsea, Brighton & Hove Albion and West Ham United.

As previously announced, our youngsters will also compete in the FA Women’s National League (FAWNL) Cup and will enter the group phase from August to September.

Further pre-season friendlies announcements will also be made in due course alongside our fixture with Peterborough United on Sunday 9 August at Pims Parks (kick-off 2pm).

Home fixtures in bold

Cup fixtures in italic

August

Southampton (A) – Wednesday 19 August

London Bees (A) – Thursday 27 August (FAWNL Cup)

Arsenal (H) – Sunday 30 August

September

London City Lionesses (A) – Wednesday 2 September

Northampton Town (A) – Sunday 6 September

Ipswich Town (H) – Wednesday 9 September

Bristol City (A) – Wednesday 23 September

Real Bedford (A) - Sunday 27 September

It was another ideal test as we count down to the big kick-off in the Premier League – Brentford away, 22 August – with the hosts runners-up in last season’s A-League Grand Fina, a team with a possession-based philosophy confident of playing out from the back.

Mathys Tel, bright again on the left, gave us the lead with a fine free-kick into the top corner on 29 minutes at the Allianz Stadium. Sydney levelled somewhat fortuitously on 54 minutes when Kota Takia inadvertently diverted a pass into the path of Takahiro Sekine, who finished one-on-one.

Andy Robertson made his first appearance off the bench for the start of the second half alongside Sandro Tonali. However, it was another substitute, Luca Williams-Barnett, who caught the eye again with his direct running – he then stole the show in the penalty shoot-out with a ‘Panenka’ finish in the first penalty of the shoot-out, which we won 4-2.

Speaking afterwards, Roberto said: “I think we played well, especially in the first half. In the second half, we changed many players, but good quality of play, good performances today and I think we are working very well with the younger players.

“It's not so easy because we have to be focused, we don't take risks. We have to manage the minutes we give to the players, every player has a different plan, but I think we are working well. The young players are doing very well, they give us more solutions. This period of the season it's very important to improve the physical condition, the quality of the play but we can't take risks to lose any player.

“The physical condition is not the same for every player. Some players are ready to play 70 minutes, 80 minutes, naybe Archie Gray, Ben Davies, Mateus Fernandes, even (though) today he didn't play, and someone is going in the right direction, Gallagher is another player who is able to play 80 minutes, like Matys Tel, like Manor Solomon, like Richarlison.

“Other players, they are working to increase their condition, but I think all teams, also Chelsea, also Liverpool or other teams with a lot of players who played in the World Cup, I think they are spending the same time.”

On Robertson’s first appearance and Tonali’s return, he added: “Two big players for us, different players, special players. I think they are not ready yet to play (90 minutes) because normally we are working to improve their physical condition, I’m very happy to work with them.”

SPURSPLAY

SPURSPLAY

In our third pre-season game, we made it three wins from three with a 4-2 victory on penalties after a 1-1 draw in normal time.

Mathys Tel put us ahead just before the half-hour mark with a stunning free kick as he continued his bright start to pre-season before Takehiro Sekine levelled 10 minutes into the second half.

Still level after the 90 minutes, the game was settled with a penalty shootout and, thanks to a superb save from Martin Dubravka, we prevailed 4-2.

For the game, we were missing a number of senior players, including Kevin Danso, Micky van de Ven, Dominic Solanke, James Maddison, Jan Paul van Hecke, Destiny Udogie and Mateus Fernandes.

In his post-match press conference, Roberto De Zerbi was asked by a member of the media for an update on the players.

"Danso, van de Ven, Solanke, Jan Paul van Hecke, I thought today they were not ready yet to play without risk," Roberto responded. "Maybe some of them can play the next game, on Saturday against Chelsea. Maybe not in the beginning, maybe at the beginning (Andy) Robertson and Sandro Tonali. It is about managing the players, especially after the World Cup or after big injuries like Udogie or Solanke had. They suffered long injuries last season and after a long trip, after the jet lag, ahead the beginning of the season, I wouldn’t like to take any risks."

He was then asked specifically about Mateus Fernandes.

"Fernandes is just fatigue, in the calf, and also for him, we took the decision not to take any risks," He said. "And next week, when we return to London, he will be able to work."

SPURSPLAY

SPURSPLAY

With pre-season well underway at Hotspur Way over the last two weeks, Martin Ho’s side will return to Spain for 12 days of intense warm weather training.

Alongside a number of sessions across our trip scheduled for Friday 7 August to Wednesday 19 August, we will pick up minutes in friendlies while we are there.

We will face Granada on Sunday 9 August with kick-off at 11am (local time, 10am UK) at Pinatar Arena, Murcia in Spain.

The fixture will be open to the public to attend for free and will be streamed live on SPURSPLAY.

We will also play a second friendly during our performance camp, which will be announced in due course.

Upon returning home on Wednesday 19 August, our squad will take on further pre-season friendlies, with details to be announced shortly.

Signed from Manchester United in the summer of 2023, the 30-year-old Scotland international has provided some memorable moments in Lilywhite, including her winning goal to secure our first-ever Women’s Super League win over Arsenal in December, 2023.

Then in April, 2024, Martha headed home at late winner FA Cup in our semi-final tie with Leicester City, which saw us reach the final for the first time in our history.

Having spent the second half of the 2025/26 campaign on loan with Liverpool, she made 66 appearances for us in all competitions, scoring 13 goals, including a hat-trick in our 4-2 victory over Aston Villa in October, 2023.

We thank Martha for her contribution to the Club and wish her well for the future.