Here is a look at absolutely everything that you need to know about Arsenal’s 2024 pre-season plans with manager Mikel Arteta taking the Gunners on tour in the USA.
The north London giants are returning to America, having jetted across the Atlantic Ocean in 2022 and 2023, as well. Arsenal have had fruitful trips in recent years which springboarded Premier League title challenges. Arteta’s side pushed for top honours in 2022/23 and ‘23/24.
Arsenal even went unbeaten on their travels over the pond in 2022, including a comfortable 4-0 win over Chelsea. While the Emirates Stadium outfit beat FC Barcelona 5-3 in 2023 after thrashing the MLS All-Stars 5-0. Arsenal also met Manchester United in 2023 and will again.
Where is Arsenal’s Pre-Season Tour 2024 taking place?
Arsenal have arranged their third consecutive pre-season tour to take place in America. The Gunners have also announced that Arteta’s team will travel to Los Angeles and Philadelphia.
When will Arsenal’s Pre-Season Tour 2024 start?
Arsenal truly started their 2024 first-team pre-season programme on Monday, July 15 as the baulk of their squad returned to London Colney. Arteta sought to have the Arsenal first-team squad report back before flying to the United States on July 21 to start their off-season tour.
But the July 15 return date did not mark the actual start of Arsenal’s pre-season programme in 2024. Instead, Arteta held a two-week mini-camp in Marbella from June 24 for the players not at Euro 2024 or the Copa America, including Ben White, Fabio Vieira and Jurrien Timber.
The Arsenal players who featured at Euro 2024 or the Copa America are not set to return for an additional few weeks. Bukayo Saka, Aaron Ramsdale, Declan Rice and David Raya will also not report back to Arsenal until August 5 after England and Spain met in the Euro 2024 final.
Brazil and Germany respectively getting to the quarter-finals of the Copa America and Euro 2024 also delayed the returns of Gabriel Magalhaes and Gabriel Martinelli plus Kai Havertz. The trio will only join Arsenal during their pre-season tour of the US no sooner than July 25.
Arsenal’s 2024 pre-season fixture list
As of July 20, Arsenal have arranged seven pre-season friendlies, including their 2024 tour. Just three of the friendlies also form part of the Gunners’ trip to the USA. Arsenal will start their pre-season plans in England, instead, with their regular friendly with Boreham Wood.
The Gunners head to Meadow Park on July 13 where an Arsenal XI will take on the National League outfit. Arsenal share a close relationship with Boreham Wood, whose Meadow Park stadium is also the home for the Arsenal academy side and occasionally their women’s side.
Only youth players would ultimately feature against Boreham Wood, however, before Arteta put his players through their paces against Leyton Orient. A Gunners XI featuring a blend of youth and experience played at London Colney, including Gabriel Jesus and Thomas Partey.
A plane to America and three games with Premier League sides then awaits Arsenal, starting with a pre-season friendly against AFC Bournemouth. The Cherries have agreed to meet the Gunners in Los Angeles amid the south coast club’s own pre-season tour of the US in 2024.
Arteta’s squad will feature in high-profile friendlies against Manchester United and Liverpool during their trip to America. It is the second straight year that they meet the Red Devils. The Gunners lost 2-0 in front of a sell-out 80,000 crowd at MetLife Stadium, New Jersey in 2023.
Arsenal and Manchester United’s meeting in 2023 also marked their first-ever encounter on American soil. Arsenal will also meet Liverpool for the first time on American soil in 2024. It gives fans the chance to watch the 2023/24 Premier League title rivals clash in Philadelphia.
Emirates Stadium will also host two pre-season friendlies before the start of Arsenal’s 24/25 Premier League fixture list. Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen, with Granit Xhaka, will visit N5 before Arsenal welcome Lyon for a one-fixture edition of their annual Emirates Cup.
- July 13: Boreham Wood vs Arsenal XI, KO 15:00 BST, Meadow Park, Borehamwood
- July 20: Arsenal XI vs Leyton Orient, behind-closed-doors, London Colney, Radlett
- July 24: Arsenal vs AFC Bournemouth, KO 19:30 PDT, Dignity Health Sports Park, LA
- July 27: Arsenal vs Manchester United, KO 17:00 PDT, SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles
- July 31: Liverpool vs Arsenal, KO 19:30 EDT, Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
- August 7: Arsenal vs Bayer Leverkusen, KO 18:00 BST, Emirates Stadium, London
- August 11: Arsenal vs Lyon, KO 14:00 BST, Emirates Stadium, London
Arsenal’s USA Pre-Season Tour 2024 squad
Arteta named an initial 26-man squad to fly to the United States from the start of Arsenal’s pre-season tour. The squad featured a mixture of academy prospects and first-team players – including the first senior stars to report back from their international duties at Euro 2024.
READ MORE: Arsenal 24/25 confirmed signings, transfers in and out, loan exits and releases
Arsenal even named Tommy Setford in their initial pre-season tour squad straight after his transfer from AFC Ajax. The goalkeeper has joined the Gunners initially as an Under-21 star but will regularly train with Arteta’s senior squad during his debut season in north London.
Goalkeepers: Karl Hein, Tommy Setford, Lucas Nygaard, Alexei Rojas
Defenders: Ben White, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jurrien Timber, Josh Nichols, Jakub Kiwior, Ayden Heaven, Omar Rekik
Midfielders: Thomas Partey, Jorginho, Michal Rosiak, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Martin Odegaard, Emile Smith Rowe, Fabio Vieira, Ethan Nwaneri, Salah-Eddine Oulad M’Hand, Jimi Gower
Forwards: Leandro Trossard, Reiss Nelson, Charles Sagoe Jr, Gabriel Jesus, Eddie Nketiah
How to watch Arsenal’s Pre-Season Tour 2024
Arsenal have confirmed that all five of their first-team friendlies in 2024 will be available for fans to watch live via the club’s official website – including their pre-season tour of the USA. The Gunners’ will not be showing a live stream of their opening match with Boreham Wood.
Fans can even buy a pre-season pass to watch four of Arsenal’s first-team friendlies in 2024 from £9.99. It does not include the Gunners’ friendly with Bournemouth in Los Angeles but does include their matches with Manchester United, Liverpool, Bayer Leverkusen and Lyon.
An individual game pass will be available to watch all five of Arsenal’s first-team friendlies in 2024, including against Bournemouth. The Emirates Stadium natives will make all individual game passes available closer to the relevant friendly subject to regional broadcasting rights.
Tickets for Arsenal’s Pre-Season Tour 2024
Fans can already buy tickets to attend Arsenal’s pre-season friendlies with Premier League rivals Manchester United and Liverpool through Ticketmaster. All tickets are available to buy through general sale with the Red Devils clash available, here, and the Reds encounter, here.
Tickets to attend Arsenal’s pre-season friendly against Bournemouth to kick off their tour of the USA will also go on sale on July 8, here. Fans can get tickets for the friendly through AXS with Dignity Health Sports Park selling access directly to supporters and via a re-sale option.
Arsenal will also sell tickets for their friendlies with Bayer Leverkusen and Lyon via the club’s unique Ticketmaster site, here, once available. Fans can also enjoy an early bird discount for the two friendlies, which will be sold via a staggered process for members and general sale.
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