Portsmouth prepared to change pre-season schedule to avoid potential clash of interest with England
Pompey kick-off their pre-season friendlies schedule with trips to non-league Woking and Aldershot next week
Pompey are preparing to make an adjustment to their pre-season schedule.
The Blues, who are currently in Ireland ramping up preparations for their 2026-27 Championship campaign, have confirmed the kick-off time for their friendly at non-league Aldershot is subject to change.
The pre-season fixture at the Recreation Ground is currently scheduled to kick off at 7pm on Wednesday, July 15.
But match proceedings could instead get under way two hours earlier at 5pm, when current heat wave temperatures are expected to remain in the 30s, to avoid a potential clash of interest.
If England beat Norway in the quarter-finals of the World Cup on Saturday night, Thomas Tuchel’s side will then face either Argentina or Switzerland in the semi-final of the competition in Atlanta on Wednesday.
That last-four game is due to kick-off at 8pm (BST), leaving Blues and Shots supporters attending their sides’ pre-season friendly at risk of missing the first half.
Alternatively, a clash with a potential Three Lions semi-final match could impact the attendance at the Recreation Ground.
To avoid any of the above, a new kick-off time has been arranged between both clubs IF England progress to the last four.
The 7pm kick-off will remain, though, if the Three Lions are knocked out of the World Cup at the hands of Norway over the weekend.
Pompey’s pre-season schedule
The game at Aldershot will be Pompey’s second pre-season fixture of the summer, with John Mousinho’s Blues returning to match action 24 hours earlier at Woking on Tuesday, July 14 (7pm).
The games at Woking and Aldershot will then be followed by trips to Bristol Rovers (Saturday, July 18), Wycombe (Saturday, July 25), Farnborough (Wednesday, July 29) and Darmstadt (Saturday, August 1).
Pompey then travel to West Ham in the first round of the Carabao Cup on Saturday, August 8, before entertaining QPR on the opening day of the new Championship season a week later (August 15).
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