athletic club bilbao stadium tour

Bilbao San Mames Museum and Stadium Tour

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Experience Highlights

Discover the history and passion of Athletic Club with this 90-minute tour of the famous San Mamés stadium and museum . Explore this Spanish football club with an audio guide and listen to its proud history of over 100 years . Experience the excitement in person, walk on the same turf as legendary players and relive unforgettable moments and iconic memories from the past.

Stroll through iconic facilities such as the dressing rooms and press area, visit the Athletic museum and admire a collection of 500 original artefacts, including relics and trophies from the club.

• Get into the football spirit with this 90-minute tour of Bilbao's famous San Mamés stadium .
• Explore the Athletic Museum and immerse yourself in the club's rich, centuries-old history with an audio guide .
• Admire the club' s trophies and relics , such as La Liga and Copa del Rey.
• Visit the changing rooms , the pitch , the press area and the underground corridors where the players come out.

What’s included

• Tour of the San Mamés stadium and museum in Bilbao.
• Entrance to the Athletic Club Museum.
• Access to temporary exhibitions.
• Audio-guided tour of the San Mamés Stadium with fast-track access.

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Step by step.

If you're a football fan, this tour of the San Mamés stadium and its museum is a must on your trip to Bilbao . Join this 90-minute tour and listen to the stories and anecdotes of the club and its players with an audio guide . Learn about the evolution of the team's shirt and crest, admire the trophies and relics in their museum and explore all the stadium facilities from the changing rooms to the pitch and the press area.

Located in the heart of the city, this impressive stadium is the home of Athletic Club, one of the most iconic stadiums in Spain and in European football.

This tour will start at the museum, where you will learn about the rich history of the club and discover a collection of over 500 original football memorabilia . Travel through the different themed areas of the museum, see its temporary and multimedia exhibitions and be taken through the history of the club from its humble beginnings to the present day. As you make your way through the museum, you'll also see a display case with the club's most prestigious trophies, such as the League and King's Cups over the years.

Relive the club's past and present as you admire the trophies, equipment, graphics and audiovisual material of the team .

After your visit to the Athletic museum, which includes interactive experiences and a games room , you'll tour the most emblematic corners of the stadium. Enter the changing rooms , where the players prepare for matches, and then walk through the underground corridors and the tunnel that leads to the pitch .

Walk on the hallowed turf of the "Cathedral of Football", feel the energy emanating from the stands and relive the moments of football legends who left their mark on the pitch. In addition to all this, you will also visit the press area, where journalists cover sporting events.

Embark on a unique adventure and experience football from the inside, in the San Mamés stadium in Bilbao, where football has been played for over a century .

• M Magda 5 (0 Reviews) A crazy stadium.
• A Afonso 4 (0 Reviews) Good stadium, although I imagined it a bit different. Despite this, I found it a very interesting and pleasant visit. I doubt I'll be back in the future, but I'm happy to have been there.
• M Marlene 5 (0 Reviews) Nice museum and stadium.
• M Margarita 5 (0 Reviews) A very imposing stadium, with a history behind it worthy of being heard and with very good facilities. I think it is a must visit for any soccer lover.

Other Things You Should Know

• Wheelchair accessible.
• Digital and printed tickets are accepted.
• Last admission: 1 hour and a half before closing time.
• The identity of the Club, Foundation or Fan Club Member will be verified during the visit with the membership card or ID of the holder. Membership cards are non-transferable.
• Access the Athletic Club Museum through gates 19 and 20 of the stadium.
• The audio tour starts when visitors arrive at the museum. First the museum is visited and then the stadium. The approximate time to visit both is one and a half hours.
• Opening hours: during the summer (March to October) from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm; during the winter (November to February) from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm.

Cancellation Policy

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Athletic Bilbao Stadium Tour and Football Breaks

Athletic Bilbao, historically, are the fourth most successful football club in Spain. As well as being one of only three clubs never relegated from the top division of La Liga – there are no prizes for knowing the other two – they are also third in the number of titles won over the years. Sadly for their supporters the last title was won, along with the Copa del Rey, was back in the 1983-84 season under the management of Javier Clemente.

Table of Contents

Athletic Bilbao Stadium

From 1913 Athletic Bilbao played at the San Mamés Stadium which was named after a nearby church leading to the venue being known as ‘La Catedral’. In 2013 this historic stadium which had a capacity of 40,000 was demolished and replaced by the 53,289 seater Nuevo San Mamés which was built right next to the original site. Football fans visiting Bilbao can visit the club’s fascinating museum and take a stadium tour of the new stadium.

Athletic Bilbao Stadium Tour

Football fans visiting Bilbao must take a tour of the San Mamés Stadium and learn about the colourful history of Athletic Bilbao. You can download a booking voucher to your mobile phone below.

Getting to San Mamés

The stadium is within the city centre area and an easy walk from the majority of hotels. The Euskotran tram network is is superbly efficient and on match days they there are special services beginning 1½ hours before kick off and running every 10 minutes to San Mamés. Similarly, after the game the service operates every 6 to 10 minutes to get you back to your destination.

Athletic Bilbao Fixtures 2023-24

Athletic bilbao tickets.

For many home game you can buy Athletic Bilbao tickets at their 40,000 seater San Mames stadium before the match. If you arrive in the city before the weekend of the game it’s worth finding out when tickets go on sale as they’re usually available a couple of days in advance. Tickets are also available from the ATM machines of the local BBK Bank which has branches all over the city. Tickets for matches against FC Barcelona, Real Madrid and Real Sociedad often sell out well in advance.

History of Athletic Bilbao

Origins : Athletic Bilbao was founded in 1898 (using the English spelling of the name) by a group of students from the Gymnasium Zamacois who had studied in England. On their return they arranged football matches against British migrant workers living in Bilbao who played as Bilbao Football Club. This team was made up of ex-miners from the north-east of England and shipyard workers from Portsmouth, Southampton and Sunderland. In 1902 Athletic Bilbao merged with Bilbao Football Club calling themselves Club Vizcaya for a season before reverting to the name Athletic Club de Bilbao in 1903.

Club Colours: A young man by the name of Juan Elorduy was one of the students from Bilbao. He was supposed to be buying 25 new shirts for the team in London in 1909 but couldn’t get enough of them. He travelled to Southampton to return to Bilbao when he noticed that the red and white stripes of the Southampton FC shirt was the same colour as the city of Bilbao’s flag. He bought 50 shirts and on his return the club directors agreed to change their colours to the red and white that remains to this day. Interestingly, Juan Elorduy had previously played for Atlético Madrid and was a committee member of the club so he sent them half of the shirts he’d bought in Southampton. As a result the Madrid team adopted the same shirt which remains their home shirt today.

Nickname: Athletic Bilbao are commonly known as the ‘Los Rojiblancos’ because of their colours. They are also referred to as ‘Los Leones’ (the lions) as Saint-Mammès himself was an early Christian that the lions had refused to kill.

Early Years of Athletic Bilbao

During the early years, the club was immediately successful, frequently winning the Copa del Rey title. The star player of the time is still remembered in Spanish football today as the leading scorer each year is known as the ‘Pichichi’, which is named after the Athletic player who once scored a hat-trick in a Cup Final.

The appointment of English coach Fred Pentland, El Bombín (the Bowler Hat) led to even more success. A great coaching innovator, who was also in charge of Atlético Madrid and the Spanish national team, Pentland was an early advocate of the style that became known in England, much later, as ‘push and run’ when introduced by Arthur Rowe with Tottenham Hotspur. He was not the only English manager employed by the club; in later years, Ronnie Allen and Howard Kendall also coached here.

Under Pentland’s stewardship, Athletic won the League – of which the team were founder members in 1928 – and the cup on several occasions, doing the ‘double’ in both 1930 and 1931. In the second of these remarkable seasons, Barcelona were beaten by 12 goals to 1 in Bilbao – a result which is never likely to be repeated.

Franco Years

There was a period when the club had to change its name to Atlético Bilbao, as a result of a decision by Franco to outlaw non-Spanish names and languages. During the 1950s, however, the government’s severe restrictions on foreign-born players in the league greatly helped the Basque club who won several league and cup titles in this time and, in 1956, entered the then-named European Cup for the first time.

The club’s successes all helped give the Basque people a sense of identity at a time when they felt very isolated in Spain. There was a famous incident in December 1975, just 15 days after the death of Franco, in which Iribar and Kortabarria, rival captains of Athletic and Real Sociedad, carried the Basque flag – illegal at the time – onto the pitch before a local derby.

Athletic Bilbao in the Modern Era

Since Javier Clemente’s double winning team of 1983-84 on the filed successes have been few and far between. A second place finish in 1998 under Luis Fernández was a cause for celebration but too subsequent seasons saw the club flirting with relegation.

Renowned Argentinian coach Marcelo Bielsa led Athletic to the 2012 UEFA Europa League Final and the Copa del Rey Final. This exciting team finished runners-up in both tournaments, losing to Atlético Madrid and FC Barcelona in the respective finals. At the end of the 2012–13 season Athletic Bilbao played their last game at their historic San Mamés stadium before moving to their new San Mamés Stadium.

Under Ernesto Valverde Athletic qualified for the Champions League, going out in the group stage, and again lost in the final of the Copa del Rey to FC Barcelona. However, beating Barcelona over two legs in the 2015 Supercopa de España ensured their first trophy since 1984. The 2019-20 season saw Athletic Bilbao reach the final of the Copa del Rey against Real Sociedad but the game has not been played at the time of writing due to the Covid pandemic.

Athletic Bilbao Transfer Policy

Athletic Bilbao are famous for their Basque-only transfer policy which only allows the signing of players born in the Basque provinces of Spain or France as well as players who moved to the region at a young age. This policy of “Con cantera y aficíon, no hace falta importación” (“With home-grown players and fans, you have no need of foreigners”) – has been questioned by some supporters. They feel that with only about three million Basques to choose from they have little chance of competing at the highest level. There remains, however, a significant number who consider that they would rather be relegated than give up their policy and sense of unique Basque identity.

Useful Links:

Official Website of Athletic Bilbao The official website of Athletic Bilbao with upto date fixtures, results and ticket information is available in English. History of Athletic Bilbao Read the fascinating history of Athletic Bilbao and their strong early ties with the English game.

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Athletic Club Stadium Tour, Bilbao

Usually, we will try and watch a football match when we visit a new city. Sadly, like on this occasion in Bilbao, it doesn’t always work out. However, we took the advice of a few of our followers, and the hotel receptionist and booked an Athletic Club Stadium tour.

Where is Athletic Club’s Stadium?

Getting to the stadium.

When in or near Bilbao you have multiple options on how to get to the stadium:

Metro – San Mamés is the station you exit for the stadium, which is a short walk away. (We took this option and it was very straightforward.) 

Walk – Bilbao is not a big city, you would be able to walk from Casco Viejo (old town) in about 30-45 minutes.

Bus – Lines 62 and 28 pass the stadium (just make sure you’re going the right way).

Car – Parking seems to be ample around the stadium on non event days.

Stadium Tour Prices and Opening Hours

Opening hours vary depending on the season and other events taking place in the stadium. Keep an eye on their website for up to date hours and prices.

We paid 37.50 euro for two adults and one child, this included museum, stadium tour and an audio guide.

What to expect on the stadium tour?

The tour is split into two parts, the museum section followed by the stadium section.

Museum Tour

We checked in at reception and collected our tickets.  With COVID restrictions audio guides are available to download via your phone, with headphones for sale for a few euros. If you’re stuck, they will provide you with a handheld guide, so don’t worry if you’re not the most technical!

First up were the red lights leading the way to the museum…

WOW! This is how we would describe the museum. We learned tons about the club from its humble origins,  recruitment structure, and links to the community. It is set out brilliantly, and is far from the usual somewhat boring and white museum like atmosphere.

The audio guide was brilliant, it was supplemented well with information boards all over the museum and over 600 videos to watch.

We spent about 90 mins in the museum, but honestly, we could have spent a lot longer.

Stadium tour

Once finished in the museum section, it’s time to visit the stadium!

This was our first proper view of the inside of San Mamés. Here the audio guide told us about the development of the new stadium and some facts such as, the seats in the stadium are as close to the pitch as allowed by regulations, and that the pitch is  actually 9ft below ground level.

Next up was the home changing room. Megan chose to have her photo taken in front of number eight, her age! As it was a self guided tour, we were able to spend as much or as little time in each section.  There was no crowding and plenty of opportunity for photos. From here we then got ourselves ready to run down the tunnel where the players enter the pitch from on match day. This is always Megan’s favourite part!

We couldn’t pass up the opportunity for a quick sit down in the dugouts. It’s amazing to think some very famous footballers have sat in those same seats.

The tour then led us back inside again and up into the VIP areas and the Presidential box, for the best view in the house!

At this point the stadium tour ended and we made our way outside via the mandatory visit to the club shop. The stadium section of the tour lasted about an hour, but as mentioned before, we never felt any pressure to move on, and could have spent longer if we wanted.

Don’t fancy a stadium tour?

Top Tip: If you’re tight on time, or budget, but would still like to see inside the ground, there is a way!! Beside the stadium shop is a sports bar, inside and upstairs is a bar area where you can take a seat with views inside the stadium. However, we have to say you will miss a fantastic tour!

Would we recommend?

Yes. We have done many stadium tours and the Athletic Club Stadium tour is one of the best we have done.  It kept us all interested, there was something for everyone.  From in depth information for the football fans and history buffs, to interactive games for the kids!  We can’t recommend this tour enough.

Hopefully you enjoyed our post on ‘Athletic Club Stadium Tour’ and add it to your list of places to visit when visiting the wonderful city of Bilbao.

The Lewis Family.

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Your Premier League club’s pre-season fixtures ahead of the 2024-25 season

Sign up for The Athletic today with our limited-time Tournament Sale offer .

This summer promises to be jam-packed for the Premier League ’s best and brightest.

Euro 2024, the Copa America and also the men’s football tournament at the Olympic Games in Paris are all on the agenda. All the while, the 20 teams from England’s top flight will be preparing for the start of the 2024-25 season on the weekend of August 17-18.

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There will be friendlies both at home and in prestigious stadiums across the globe, with Premier League teams playing each other in the United States.

Here’s what every Premier League club has planned for pre-season…

Arsenal return to the U.S. this summer for their pre-season tour. The club have scheduled two friendlies: on July 28, they face Manchester United at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, and then on July 31, they play Liverpool at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field. The club are expected to confirm a third friendly, most likely against Bournemouth , at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Los Angeles.

As a consequence of Euro 2024, Arsenal will forego their annual trip to the Adidas HQ in Germany. Manchester United’s victory in the FA Cup final means Arsenal will be absent from the Community Shield this year, so the club are likely to host a final friendly at the Emirates Stadium.

This may take the form of a compressed version of the Emirates Cup.

Confirmed fixtures

• July 27: vs Manchester United (SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles)
• July 31: vs Liverpool (Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia)

James McNicholas

Aston Villa

Villa will begin pre-season preparations at the start of July when the squad convene and return to the familiar coaching drillings of Unai Emery.

As is customary between the two clubs, Villa’s pre-season schedule begins on July 17 against Walsall and they will return to the Bescot Stadium in August to play Athletic Bilbao once they arrive back in England after a three-match tour of the U.S.

Before that tour, Emery’s side will also have a short stopover in Slovakia to face FC Spartak Trnava. After it, they face Borussia Dortmund in Germany.

As with last summer, Villa base themselves in Washington for the first part of the American trip, which will see them play three games across three different cities in six days.

The first fixture is against Colombus Crew on July 27, with Villa travelling to Ohio, before then playing RB Leipzig in New Jersey four days later. Villa conclude their U.S. tour by going to Chicago and taking on Mexican champions Club America.

• July 17 : vs Walsall (Bescot Stadium, England)
• July 20: vs Spartak Trnava (Anton Malatinsky Stadium, Trnava)
• July 27: vs Columbus Crew (Lower.com Field, Ohio)
• July 31:  vs RB Leipzig (Red Bull Arena, New Jersey)
• August 3: vs Club America (Soldier Field, Chicago)
• August 7: vs Athletic Bilbao (Bescot Stadium, Walsall)
• August 10: vs Borussia Dortmund (Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund)

Jacob Tanswell

Bournemouth

It helps to have friends in high places — particularly your own chairman.

Bournemouth are heading stateside for their pre-season tour this summer. And thanks to their American owner Bill Foley, they’ll be put up at the five-star Hotel Californian in Santa Barbara, which he bought in 2021.

The ‘Bourne in the USA’ tour (stop cringing) will comprise two matches, the first of which has been announced against Hollywood’s favourite EFL team, Wrexham , on Saturday, July 20, at Harder Stadium. Bournemouth’s second is expected to be against Arsenal in Los Angeles.

USMNT captain Tyler Adams is bound to be popular among American fans as Bournemouth make use of the training facilities of MLS team LA Galaxy. When they return to the UK, Bournemouth plan to play two friendlies at their Vitality Stadium.

• July 20: vs Wrexham (Harder Stadium, Santa Barbara)

Thomas Frank’s side participated in the Premier League’s Summer Series last year and everybody involved described it as a positive experience that they would be keen to repeat in the future. However, the event is not taking place in 2024, which means Brentford have opted for a low-key pre-season training camp in Lisbon in July.

They have announced fixtures against Watford at Vicarage Road on August 3 and will then host German side Wolfsburg on August 9.

Before that, they are set to play non-League side Sutton United in a behind-closed-doors game, but their traditional fixture against Boreham Wood has not been confirmed yet.

• July 20: vs Sutton United (behind closed doors)
• August 3: vs Watford (Vicarage Road)
• August 9: vs Wolfsburg (Gtech Community Stadium)

Brighton & Hove Albion

Brighton are swapping west for east after taking part in the Premier League’s Summer Series in the U.S. last summer.

This time around, they are focusing on the popularity of winger Kaoru Mitoma in his homeland with a pre-season trip to Japan.

They play twice at Tokyo’s national stadium against J1 League sides Kashima Antlers on July 24 (kick-off 11am UK time) and Tokyo Verdy on July 28 (10.30am). Mitoma, ruled out since February by a back injury, is expected to play a part.

The visit to Japan is followed by a friendly away to Championship side Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road on Saturday, August 3 (3pm).

That leaves scope for a home game the following weekend, in what has become a traditional curtain-raiser for the new season, against European opponents, who have yet to be named.

• July 24: vs Kashima Antlers (National Stadium, Tokyo)
• July 28: vs Tokyo Verdy (National Stadium, Tokyo)
• August 3: vs Queens Park Rangers (Loftus Road)

Andy Naylor

Enzo Marseca will be able to start work with his players for the first time when those not involved in internationals over the summer report back on July 4.

As things stand, no other friendlies have been arranged other than those on the club’s pre-season tour to the U.S. They have been in talks with League Two side AFC Wimbledon over playing a match before setting off across the Atlantic, although nothing has been confirmed as yet.

Chelsea are going to play five games in the space of 14 days in America, with the amount of distance covered on the trip coming in at over 13,000 miles.

Maresca’s side has games against Wrexham, Celtic and Club America to build some momentum before the much tougher tests of Manchester City and Real Madrid .

• July 24: vs Wrexham (Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara)
• July 27: vs Celtic (Notre Dame Stadium, Indiana)
• July 31: vs Club America (Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta)
• August 3: vs Manchester City (Ohio Stadium, Columbus)
• August 6: vs Real Madrid (Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte)

Simon Johnson

Crystal Palace

Palace will return to the U.S. this summer, participating in a mini-tour alongside Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Ham United .

They will play Wolves on Wednesday, July 31, at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium — the stadium their former sister team Crystal Palace Baltimore called home for a season.

They then face West Ham on Saturday, August 3, before returning to the UK. No further pre-season matches have been announced for the first team.

• July 31: vs Wolves (Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Maryland)
• August 3: vs West Ham (Raymond James Stadium, Florida)

Matt Woosnam

After trips to the U.S. and the France/Swiss border in recent years, Everton are staying closer to home this summer.

The club have announced three fixtures so far, with away trips to Salford City (July 27), Coventry City (July 30) and Preston North End (August 3) pencilled in.

Before that, manager Sean Dyche and his players will head for a training camp, with more fixtures to be announced in due course.

• July 27: vs Salford (Peninsula Stadium)
• July 30: vs Coventry (Coventry Building Society Arena)
• August 3: vs Preston (Deepdale)

Patrick Boyland

In a repeat of last year, Fulham will face Hoffenheim to round off their pre-season preparations.

Summer signings Raul Jimenez and Calvin Bassey scored to give Marco Silva’s side a 2-1 win at the Craven Cottage in August 2023. But this time, Fulham will travel to Germany. The game will take place at Hoffenheim’s PreZero Arena on August 10, a week before the Premier League kicks off again.

Unlike previous seasons, Fulham are leaving it late to announce their plans for the first half of the summer. Twelve months ago, they travelled to the United States for the Premier League Summer Series and the season before that, they played in the Algarve Football Cup on Portugal’s south coast.

• August 10: vs Hoffenheim (PreZero Arena, Sinsheim)

Justin Guthrie

Ipswich Town

It’s all change at Ipswich this summer as the club prepares for a first season in the Premier League in 22 years, but they will welcome a familiar opponent to Portman Road in pre-season.

Ipswich host Fortuna Dusseldorf on July 27, having formed a long-standing friendship with the second-tier German side over the past 18 years. What began as an innocuous trip to Ipswich in 2006 by the former Fortuna stadium announcer Ulli Munsterberg has blossomed into an annual Portman Road pilgrimage for a large group of Fortuna fans, with Ipswich supporters frequently making the return trip to Germany too.

Just as they did last summer, Kieran McKenna’s side will also head to Austria in pre-season.

• July 27: vs Fortuna Dusseldorf (Portman Road)

Ali Rampling

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Leicester City

The departure of Maresca to Chelsea has put plans for pre-season on hold until a new manager is brought in at Leicester City.

The aim this summer was to take advantage of a longer break until the Premier League kicks off on August 17, allowing more time to work on Maresca’s tactical approach.

After an initial week of testing and fitness work at their Seagrave training camp in north Leicestershire, the players will head to a European training camp and then play a selection of friendlies, some abroad and some against lower-league sides away from home. Traditionally, they finish with a home friendly.

However, Leicester’s plans will not be finalised until their next manager arrives.

Liverpool will embark on a pre-season tour of America for the first time since 2019 next month.

The three matches in the U.S. are the only friendlies confirmed as a new era begins, with head coach Arne Slot taking over from Jurgen Klopp.

The tour will kick off against Spanish side Real Betis at Pittsburgh’s Acrisure Stadium on Friday, July 26. Then, Liverpool will fly to Philadelphia to take on Arsenal at Lincoln Financial Field on Wednesday, July 31. The final date of the tour is a match with Manchester United at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina, on Saturday, August 3.

Those players not on international duty at either the European Championship or the Copa America will report back to Kirkby for the start of pre-season testing in early July. More friendly dates will be added to the schedule, with one likely to be played at Anfield after the tour of the States.

• July 27: vs Real Betis (Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh)
• July 31: vs Arsenal (Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia)
• August 3: vs Manchester United (Williams-Brice Stadium, South Carolina)

James Pearce

Manchester City

After visiting South Korea and Japan last year, Manchester City are Stateside once again this summer for a four-game tour as part of pre-season competition FC Series, formerly known as the Florida Cup.

City, the winners of four consecutive Premier League titles, begin by facing Celtic, the winners of three consecutive Scottish Premiership titles, in North Carolina on July 24. City then play AC Milan in New York four days later.

The standout fixture will see Pep Guardiola come up against his former employers Barcelona in Orlando on July 31 before City round off their trip against Chelsea in Ohio on August 3.

• July 23: vs Celtic (Kenan Stadium, North Carolina)
• July 27: vs AC Milan (Yankee Stadium, New York)
• July 30: vs Barcelona (Camping World Stadium, Orlando)
• August 3: vs Chelsea (Ohio Stadium, Columbus)

Mark Critchley

Manchester United

United’s pre-season schedule follows a similar pattern to last summer’s, with a game in Norway, a game in Scotland and then a tour of the States.

First up is a trip to Trondheim to play Rosenborg on July 15 before a return to Edinburgh’s Murrayfield Stadium to face Rangers five days later.

United will later fly out to Los Angeles, where they will face Arsenal at the SoFi Stadium on July 27 before making the trip to take on Real Betis at San Diego’s Snapdragon Stadium, which shares its name with United’s new front-of-shirt sponsor .

Having started on the west coast, the tour rounds off on the east. Liverpool await at the Williams-Brice Stadium in South Carolina on August 3.

• July 15: vs Rosenborg (Lerkendal Stadion, Trondheim)
• July 20: vs Rangers (Murrayfield, Edinburgh)
• July 27: vs Arsenal (SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles)
• July 31: vs Real Betis (Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego)
• Aug 3: vs Liverpool (Williams-Brice Stadium, South Carolina)

Newcastle United

Newcastle United’s pre-season schedule is looking pretty light at the moment — but that is because they have only confirmed their tour of Japan so far. That will take place at the end of July, with matches against the Urawa Red Diamonds and Yokohama F Marinos in and around Tokyo.

Before that, however, Newcastle are expected to head to Herzogenaurach in Germany, to Adidas’s state-of-the-art headquarters, for a training camp.

There will also likely be some domestic friendlies in July, as well as the Sela Cup at St James’ Park on the weekend of August 10-11, while Eddie Howe, the head coach, is also looking to arrange some behind-closed-doors matches.

That is something Howe tends to do anyway during pre-season, but the need to get game time into Sandro Tonali ’s legs, given the Italian’s 10-month ban for betting offences ends on August 29 and he cannot play in front of crowds, is also a factor.

And, of course, let’s not forget that Newcastle played a friendly against Tottenham Hotspur in Australia last month .

• July 31: vs Urawa Red Diamonds (Saitama Stadium, Saitama)
• August 3: vs Yokohama F. Marinos (National Stadium, Tokyo)

Chris Waugh

Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest will return to Spain for a pre-season training camp, replicating their preparations last season.

They are again likely to play a friendly game against Valencia , the team closest to their training venue, as well as one other match against Spanish opposition.

Forest are also in the process of finalising two friendly matches at the City Ground, one of which will be against French opposition, as they look to hone themselves for a third successive season of top-flight football.

Paul Taylor

Southampton

Southampton’s season ran longer than any other team set to play in the Premier League this season as they secured promotion via the Championship play-offs.

Their 1-0 win over Leeds United at Wembley in the final on May 26 means they have only just finished celebrating promotion, but the new season is not far away.

Southampton owner Dragan Solak promised the players the party of their lives if they secured a route back into the Premier League and in the meantime, fans are awaiting official pre-season fixture announcements.

How Southampton corrected their course to win promotion to the Premier League

When Russell Martin’s side do return to pre-season training, they could be without Will Smallbone , Jan Bednarek , Che Adams and Kamaldeen Sulemana , who are all due to be in action for their national teams this month (for the Republic of Ireland, Poland, Scotland and Ghana respectively).

Sport Republic’s network of clubs offers the chance for easily arranged friendlies, like last summer when Southampton played Goztepe in a pre-season camp in Turkey.

Nancy Froston

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur’s pre-season plans kick off with a trip to Scotland to face Hearts on July 17, followed up by a London derby against Queens Park Rangers three days later.

Then, Ange Postecoglou’s squad, who played Newcastle in Australia last month, will fly to Asia for a two-week tour. Due to the Copa America and the European Championship, the amount of first-team players who travel will probably be quite low.

Spurs take on Vissel Kobe at Japan’s National Stadium in Tokyo on July 27 and then move on to South Korea, where they will take on a K League All-Stars side. They round off their time in South Korea with a friendly against Bayern Munich, which will reunite them with Harry Kane and Eric Dier. The fixture will also pit Son Heung-min and Kim Min-jae, two of the biggest Korean stars, directly against each other.

Spurs conclude their preparations for the 2024-25 season with another clash against Bayern, but this time it will be at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, allowing their UK-based fans to show their appreciation for Kane and Dier’s contributions over the last decade.

• July 17: vs Hearts (Tynecastle Stadium, Edinburgh)
• July 20: vs Queens Park Rangers (Loftus Road)
• July 27: vs Vissel Kobe (National Stadium, Tokyo)
• July 31: vs Team K-League (Seoul World Cup Stadium)
• August 3: vs Bayern Munich (Seoul World Cup Stadium)
• August 10: vs Bayern Munich (Tottenham Hotspur Stadium)

West Ham United

West Ham will start their pre-season preparations on July 20 when they face non-League side Dagenham & Redbridge at the Chigwell Construction Stadium — where the club’s women’s team play their home matches.

Following that short trip, Julen Lopetegui’s side will travel to the U.S. for the Sunshine State Tour.

They will face Wolverhampton Wanderers at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville on July 27 then Crystal Palace in Tampa a week later before returning to the UK.

• July 20: vs Dagenham and Redbridge ( Chigwell Construction Stadium, London)
• July 27: vs Wolves (EverBank Stadium, Jacksonville, Florida)
• August 3: vs Crystal Palace (Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida)

Roshane Thomas

Wolverhampton Wanderers

The only pre-season fixtures confirmed by Wolves so far are against Crystal Palace and West Ham — the latter now managed by former Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui — during a tour of the United States’ east coast in late July that will be the centrepiece of their preparations for the new campaign.

They are also planning a week in Spain shortly after they report back for training at the start of July, but that trip is not expected to feature any official games

• July 27: vs West Ham (EverBank Stadium, Jacksonville, Florida)
• July 31: vs Crystal Palace (Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Maryland)

Steve Madeley

(Top photo: Liverpool arrive in Singapore in July 2023; Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images) 

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Athletic will start LaLiga 2024/25 against Getafe at San Mames

Athletic’s first LaLiga match of the 2024/25 season will see them take on Getafe CF in Bilbao

Athletic Club’s 2024/25 LaLiga EA Sports fixtures have been revealed and the Lions will kick off the campaign with a match against Getafe CF at San Mames on the weekend of August 18.

It is the second time we’ve drawn Los Azulones on the first day of the season. Athletic last got a LaLiga campaign underway against Getafe in 2017/18 with a 0-0 draw in Bilbao.

Finally, the Zurigorri will face FC Barcelona on May 25 at San Mames in our final match of LaLiga 2024/25.

Due to commitments to other competitions, two matchdays will be rescheduled. Matchday 7, set for for September 25 against CD Leganés, will be brought forward a week to make room for our Europa League opener.

Futhermore, Athletic's participation in the Spanish Super Cup in January means the Matchday 19 fixture against Real Madrid at San Mames will be moved to December 4.

2024/25 Basque Derbies

As for next season’s derbies, Los Rojiblancos are set to first play Real Sociedad at The Cathedral on Matchday 14 (November 22-24). After that, we'll have consecutive away derbies, playing Deportivo Alaves and CA Osasuna on Matchday 17 (December 13-15) and 18 (December 20-22), respectively.

In the second half of the campaign, Osasuna come to Bilbao for Matchday 29 (March 28-30), Athletic travel to the Reale Arena on Matchday 34 (May 2-4) and Alaves visit The Cathedral the following week on Matchday 35 (May 9-11).

Opening day statistics

Since kicking off the inaugural 1929 LaLiga campaign with a clash against Real Sociedad, Athletic have faced 32 different opponents on the first day of the season.

From the previous 93 openers, 55 have been held at San Mames and 38 on the road, with the Lions recording 38 wins, 19 draws and 36 defeats.

Athletic’s most regular opening day opponents are FC Barcelona. We’ve faced Los Cules in ten Matchday 1 fixtures to date.

The Lions biggest win on the first day of a season was a 9-1 hammering of Real Betis at The Cathedral in 1932/33, while our most comprehensive away victory in an opening weekend was a 0-3 defeat of RC Celta in 1958/59.

Discover a museum of red and white stories

What is the museum like on the inside?

Find out more about the itinerary and sections in the museum

• Origins Learn about Bilbao and Bizkaia in 1898, the year the club was founded, and its evolution over the years.
• Timeline A chronological journey through the history of Athletic. A contextualised tour with objects and images of the club and the world.
• The wooden stand Sit down in an old San Mamés stand and enjoy an audio-visual presentation on the hundred year history of the club.
• Red zone: the cornerstones of the club Discover the values on which Athletic Club is based as an institution with its male and female players as protagonists, together with a list of awards for the men's and women's football teams.
• Trophy Room The representation of the club's achievements. The club's Sancta Sanctorum, which holds all of its official titles.
• Green zone: the grand audio-visual area Enjoy an immersive experience. A 102-screen video wall, the largest in Europe, where you can feel the roar of San Mamés, the unique symbiosis between region, stand and team.
• Children's play area Learn by playing with activities for all ages. Replay goals, choose your all-time red and white team and check out their value, do a quiz and try to score a goal against Iribar: the best goalkeeper in the world.
• San Mames More than a century of football on the same site. Take a trip through the 100 years of life of the old San Mamés and discover how unique the current ground is.
• The members An area dedicated to the more than one hundred thousand members that Athletic has had since its foundation in 1898.

A museum that goes beyond just the club´s history

La Liga championships

Regional championships

Exhibitions

The AC Museum brings testimony from very special protagonists after their visit. Know how they see the Club, its history and their own experience at the Museum.

“Athletic is not only what you see on the pitch on a Sunday, it’s many years of history which are hidden inside the objects we can see at the museum.” Darío Urzay

“I think it is very important that women have their own area in the museum.” Eli Ibarra

“There are many stories to tell behind this museum.” Iker Muniain

“Athletic is a feeling, an emotion, something hard to explain that escapes rationality.” Andoni Zubizarreta

A feeling that goes beyond football. Enter the heart of Athletic

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Out of the Centre

Savvino-storozhevsky monastery and museum.

Zvenigorod's most famous sight is the Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery, which was founded in 1398 by the monk Savva from the Troitse-Sergieva Lavra, at the invitation and with the support of Prince Yury Dmitrievich of Zvenigorod. Savva was later canonised as St Sabbas (Savva) of Storozhev. The monastery late flourished under the reign of Tsar Alexis, who chose the monastery as his family church and often went on pilgrimage there and made lots of donations to it. Most of the monastery’s buildings date from this time. The monastery is heavily fortified with thick walls and six towers, the most impressive of which is the Krasny Tower which also serves as the eastern entrance. The monastery was closed in 1918 and only reopened in 1995. In 1998 Patriarch Alexius II took part in a service to return the relics of St Sabbas to the monastery. Today the monastery has the status of a stauropegic monastery, which is second in status to a lavra. In addition to being a working monastery, it also holds the Zvenigorod Historical, Architectural and Art Museum.

Belfry and Neighbouring Churches

Located near the main entrance is the monastery's belfry which is perhaps the calling card of the monastery due to its uniqueness. It was built in the 1650s and the St Sergius of Radonezh’s Church was opened on the middle tier in the mid-17th century, although it was originally dedicated to the Trinity. The belfry's 35-tonne Great Bladgovestny Bell fell in 1941 and was only restored and returned in 2003. Attached to the belfry is a large refectory and the Transfiguration Church, both of which were built on the orders of Tsar Alexis in the 1650s.  

To the left of the belfry is another, smaller, refectory which is attached to the Trinity Gate-Church, which was also constructed in the 1650s on the orders of Tsar Alexis who made it his own family church. The church is elaborately decorated with colourful trims and underneath the archway is a beautiful 19th century fresco.

Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral

The Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral is the oldest building in the monastery and among the oldest buildings in the Moscow Region. It was built between 1404 and 1405 during the lifetime of St Sabbas and using the funds of Prince Yury of Zvenigorod. The white-stone cathedral is a standard four-pillar design with a single golden dome. After the death of St Sabbas he was interred in the cathedral and a new altar dedicated to him was added.

Under the reign of Tsar Alexis the cathedral was decorated with frescoes by Stepan Ryazanets, some of which remain today. Tsar Alexis also presented the cathedral with a five-tier iconostasis, the top row of icons have been preserved.

Tsaritsa's Chambers

The Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral is located between the Tsaritsa's Chambers of the left and the Palace of Tsar Alexis on the right. The Tsaritsa's Chambers were built in the mid-17th century for the wife of Tsar Alexey - Tsaritsa Maria Ilinichna Miloskavskaya. The design of the building is influenced by the ancient Russian architectural style. Is prettier than the Tsar's chambers opposite, being red in colour with elaborately decorated window frames and entrance.

At present the Tsaritsa's Chambers houses the Zvenigorod Historical, Architectural and Art Museum. Among its displays is an accurate recreation of the interior of a noble lady's chambers including furniture, decorations and a decorated tiled oven, and an exhibition on the history of Zvenigorod and the monastery.

Palace of Tsar Alexis

The Palace of Tsar Alexis was built in the 1650s and is now one of the best surviving examples of non-religious architecture of that era. It was built especially for Tsar Alexis who often visited the monastery on religious pilgrimages. Its most striking feature is its pretty row of nine chimney spouts which resemble towers.

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