The Imps have confirmed key fixtures in their 2025/26 pre-season programme, including a training camp in Portugal.
The calendar is also peppered with a friendly against Championship outfit West Brom and a Lincolnshire derby against Grimsby Town. With the countdown to the new campaign underway, supporters can start to map out their summer as City prepare for another push in League One.
Warm Weather Training and Local Friendlies
The headline from the club’s interim pre-season schedule is a week-long warm weather training camp in the Algarve, set for the week beginning Monday 14 July. The trip is expected to feature at least one friendly, following a cancelled fixture against Liga Portugal 2 opposition due to a change in their managerial set-up.
Before heading abroad, the Imps will take part in a number of behind-closed-doors matches against Sky Bet Championship opposition. These are expected to provide competitive early tests for the squad, although details will remain in-house, much as they did in previous seasons against Sheffield United and Leeds United in previous years.
Local Friendlies
Domestically, a City XI will visit familiar neighbours as part of the preparations. The pre-season action begins with a Friday night trip to Ashby Avenue to face Lincoln United on 4 July (7.45pm), before heading to the Northolme for a clash with Gainsborough Trinity on Wednesday 23 July (7.30pm).
The standout fixture for travelling fans will be the game at Blundell Park against Grimsby Town, scheduled for Tuesday 22 July (7pm). It marks the first confirmed opportunity for supporters to watch the senior squad in action following their return from Portugal.
There will also be an open training session at the LNER Stadium on the morning of Thursday 24 July, giving fans the chance to see the players up close and interact with the new faces in the squad.
Pre-season headliner
Pre-season concludes in front of the home faithful when West Bromwich Albion, led by newly appointed head coach Ryan Mason, visit the LNER Stadium on Saturday 26 July. That fixture comes just seven days before the 2025/26 League One season gets underway. In terms of any fixtures, West Brom haven’t visited the Bank since 1961, and they haven’t competed in a league fixture against us since 1948.
The club have stated that further announcements will follow in due course as the remaining elements of the summer schedule are confirmed.