Leeds United is getting back to work. With the 2026-27 Premier League season about six weeks out, the Whites have locked in a six-match preseason slate. And it starts with a trip to the States.
The first test comes Sunday, July 25, against Wrexham at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. That’s a 12:30 a.m. BST kickoff, which for anyone watching stateside means late Saturday night. It’s a clash that’ll draw eyes — not just because Wrexham’s Hollywood-fueled rise keeps people curious, but because it’s Leeds’ first real look at where this squad stands after securing safety last season with three games left to play.
Three games in the U.S., then back to England
After Tampa, the tour moves north. On Friday, July 30, Leeds faces Sunderland at the Sports Illustrated Stadium in New Jersey. Same late-night BST start. Then comes the marquee matchup: Liverpool at Soldier Field in Chicago on Sunday, August 2, with a 9 p.m. BST kickoff. That one is late afternoon for Chicago fans, which is a nice change from the other two.
The team returns home for a friendly against RB Leipzig at Elland Road on Saturday, August 8. That’s a 2 p.m. BST start. Then it’s off to Dublin for a midweek date with Manchester United at Croke Park on Wednesday, August 12, kicking off at 7:30 p.m. The preseason wraps up with FC Augsburg at Elland Road on Saturday, August 15, a 3 p.m. start.
A quick turnaround from a weird summer
Leeds ended last season with a 3-0 loss at West Ham — a game that sent the Hammers down to the Championship. That was seven weeks ago now. Since then, the squad has had some time off, but the real work starts now. Manager Daniel Farke will be looking to build on a solid second half of the campaign that lifted the club away from relegation trouble.
The Premier League schedule for 2026-27 hasn’t dropped yet, but these six friendlies will tell us a lot. The U.S. tour in particular is a chance for new signings to gel and for Farke to settle on a preferred XI. No word yet on which players might sit out the longer travel, but given the intensity of those mid-summer matches, expect rotation.
The club hasn’t confirmed full squad availability for the U.S. matches, but fans online are already marking calendars. That Liverpool game in Chicago should be a good one — two teams with something to prove before the season starts.
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