There are only three available summer dates where Everton can host the third test event at Bramley Moore Stadium.
Assuming the club will hold the event on a Saturday or Sunday, there are just two weekends in July and one in August where Everton will be available to host a home friendly.
They would be the weekend of Saturday 12 July and Saturday 19 July, or the weekend of Saturday 9 August, according to the summer timeline we have put together.
The club will need a full capacity friendly as the third test event to secure a safety certificate for the new stadium for the new Premier League season and we have mapped out the key dates in the club’s pre season to narrow down when and where Everton fans can expect to see the team.
Let’s start with when players will be available.
Everton players returned to training on 9 July last season under Sean Dyche but that is actually quite late compared to David Moyes’ West Ham sides, who returned at the end of June and on the 2 July in his final two summers at the club.
Both times the squad then travelled to Scotland for a five-day pre-season training camp. In 2022, a summer not impacted by COVID regulations, Moyes then took his side to France where they faced Swiss side Servette in the club’s first friendly on 8 July.
As players will need to be assessed and tested, and as players involved in the next round of international fixtures will need a few extra days rest, it is unlikely Everton will play a friendly in the first week of July.
It leaves Saturday 12 July or week later on 19 July as the only two options that month as the team will be flying to the USA on 23 July.
The players will return around 5 August and the Premier League season kicks off on 16 August. That leaves just Saturday 9 August as an option if Everton want the third test event to take place on a Saturday before the season begins.
It is likely Everton will host the pre season friendly on one of the two available weekends in July or that single free weekend in August.
There are other key dates for the summer as Everton prepare for a major overhaul. You can see all of the key dates below:
1 June – Premier League transfer window opens
The first of two transfer windows this summer, the first opens in June to help clubs in the Club World Cup buy players in time for the tournament.
7-9 June – Possible Everton 2025/26 home shirt launch
We estimate the Everton 2025/26 home shirt will be revealed by Castore in the first week of June. You can see information about the new Everton home shirt here.
10 June (7pm) – Premier League transfer window closes
The first transfer window closes at 7pm.
16 June – Premier League transfer window reopens
The transfer window is closed for just six days before it reopens again.
18 June (9am) – Premier League 2025/26 fixture list announced
30 June – PSR deadline
Everton, according to Moyes, have ‘one bill left to pay’ to meet PSR for 2025. You can see our PSR situation here. Expect the bulk of Everton’s signings to begin after this key date.
30 June – Contract expiry date for players whose contract ends in 2025
The likes of Ashley Young, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Joao Virginia will leave the club when their contracts expire on this date. Youth contracts will also expire, as will some staff contracts including Kevin Thelwell.
30 June – Possible Everton 2025/26 away shirt launch
Castore traditionally launches its away kits late in June or early in July.
2 July (estimate) – Everton to announce first year academy scholars
Everton will confirm which young players will progress from u16s football into the u18s team. Scholars are signed on two-year contracts but can be offered professional terms as soon as they turn 17. Expect Jon Nsangou to be part of this year’s intake.
2 July (estimate) – Everton players return to training after summer break
23 July (estimate) – Everton players fly out to USA for Premier League Series friendlies
Everton will compete in a three-team tournament in the USA and will fly out on or around the 23 July.
26 July (9pm) – Everton vs Bournemouth
30 July (11.30pm) – West Ham vs Everton
3 August (11pm) – Manchester United vs Everton
4-5 August (estimate) – Everton players return to UK
It leaves one weekend before the season kicks off with the key date of Saturday 9 August an obvious choice for a pre season friendly.
16 August – 2025/26 Premier League season begins
1 September (7pm) Premier League transfer window closes