Birmingham City will begin their pre-season campaign for the 2026/27 Championship season with a series of six confirmed friendlies, culminating in a high-profile match against Barcelona at St Andrew's.
Portugal Training Camp and First Friendly
Blues will open their pre-season against Huddersfield Town on Friday, July 10 at 11am at the Estadio da Nora in Albufeira, Portugal. The match takes place at the end of their training camp in Lagos, a short drive from the venue. Last year, Blues ended their Portugal camp with a 3-1 victory over La Liga side Sevilla at the Estadio Algarve.
Arthur Cup Match Against Solihull Moors
The first domestic friendly is the Arthur Cup match against Solihull Moors on Wednesday, July 15 at 7:45pm at Damson Park. The fixture, played in memory of Blues fan Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, has been held three times previously. Last year's match was postponed due to pitch quality at Damson Park and was later staged at St Andrew's, where Blues won 1-0.
Burton Albion Friendly
Blues will travel to the Pirelli Stadium to face League One side Burton Albion on Wednesday, July 22 at 7:30pm. Last year's friendly ended in a 1-0 defeat for Blues, with Fabio Tavares scoring the only goal for Burton.
Double-Header Against Crewe Alexandra and Northampton Town
On Saturday, July 25 at 3pm, Blues will play a double-header against League Two sides Crewe Alexandra and Northampton Town. Manager Chris Davies plans to split his squad to give all players minutes, provided the squad is healthy. The matches will take place at Crewe's Mornflake Stadium and Northampton's Sixfields, both kicking off at 3pm.
Barcelona Visit St Andrew's
The showpiece friendly of the summer will see Barcelona visit St Andrew's on Friday, July 31 at 7:45pm. Barcelona are in England for a training camp at St George's Park. While several of their World Cup stars may be absent, a number of their highly talented youngsters are expected to feature.
