Newcastle United pre-season: Dates, times, opposition and locations

Eddie Howe and his Newcastle United players have returned to Tyneside ahead of their return to pre-season training.

A first session of the summer will get underway on Friday as the Magpies players head back to a training ground currently undergoing development after the club received planning permisson to conduct a number of improvements recently.

Howe will be without a number of players as his plans get underway with those that have been on international duty returning at a later date.

But preparations for the new season will step up when the Magpies kick-off their pre-season friendly fixtures just over a week after their return to training.

NewcastleWorld takes a look at what lies ahead before the Premier League season gets underway on the first Saturday of August.

Saturday 9th July: Gateshead (Darsley Park)

Sadly for United supporters, the Magpies pre-season fixtures will get underway in a behind closed doors meeting with National League neighbours Gateshead.

Managed by former United defender Mike Williamson, the Heed secured promotion back into non-league football’s top tier last season and have a number of former Magpies in their ranks.

Former Under-23s captain Owen Bailey, Greg Olley, Dan Ward Adam Campbell, Louis Storey and recently released forward Tom Allan all form part of Williamson’s squad and are likely to face their old club.

Friday 15th July: 1860 Munich (Saalfelden Arena - 2.30pm local time)

The Magpies will head to Austria following their meeting with Gateshead as they take on former European opponents 1860 Munich.

The German third tier club faced a Magpies side managed by Sir Bobby Robson in the semi-final of the Intertoto Cup in July 2001.

Inspired by Peruvian maestro Nolberto Solano, United progressed into the final with a 6-3 aggregate win before losing to French club Troyes in the final.

1860 finished in fourth place in Germany’s third tier and will participate in the DFB-Pokal (the German FA Cup) during the coming season.

This fixture will take place at the home of Austrian regional club FC Pingzau Saalfelden but ticket information is available here.

Monday 18th July: Mainz 05 (Kutstein Arena - 5pm local time)

The second and final friendly of United’s visit to Austria will see them take on Bundesliga side Mainz 05.

A former club of Magpies flop Yoshinori Muto, the Germans last faced Newcastle during Rafa Benitez’s reign as they came out on top with a 2-1 pre-season friendly win in the summer of 2017.

Jesus Gamez netted for Benitez’s side but goals from Levin Oztunali and former Middlesbrough striker Viktor Fischer gave the Germans a narrow win.

Mainz ended last season in eighth place in the Bundesliga and just missed out on a place in the Europa Conference League.

This pre-season fixture will be held at the Kufstein Arena and ticket information is available here.

Tuesday 26th July: Benfica (Estadio da Luz - 8pm local time)

Portugal will be Newcastle’s destination following their trip to Austria as they face a club that ended their hopes of Europa League success under Alan Pardew.

A Papiss Cisse goal gave United some hope in a 1-3 defeat at Benfica in the first leg of their quarter-final tie in April 2013 - but the Senegal international’s strike in the return leg was not enough as a 1-1 draw sent the Portuguese side into the semi-final.

Newcastle will return to Estadio da Luz for their fourth pre-season friendly as they face a Benfica side that ended last season in third place in the Primeira Liga.

Ticket information for the game is yet to be confirmed by either club.

Friday 29th July: Atalanta (St James Park - 7.45pm)

Newcastle will face Serie A club Atalanta in their first friendly of the summer at St James Park.

This Friday night fixture will provide the first part of a unique friendly double-header and could give the Gallowgate faithful a first chance to see the club’s summer signings.

Newcastle have never faced Atalanta in friendly or competitive action but that will all change on the final Friday of July.

It will also see the Magpies come up against a side that could contain reported United transfer targets Merih Demiral and Duvan Zapata, as well as former Middlesbrough star Martin de Roon.

Tickets for this friendly are on sale at book.nufc.co.uk and a package deal covering both home friendlies are available.

Saturday 30th July: Athletic Bilbao (St James Park - 3pm)

Newcastle’s pre-season schedule will come to a day after their meeting with Atalanta when Athletic Bilbao make a return to St James Park.

The La Liga side provided the opposition for a testimonial match for Magpies legend Rob Lee as a Julen Guerrero goal gave the visitors a narrow win at St James Park.

Lee was in the United side the last time the two sides met in competitive action as Bilbao claimed a 1-0 win on their home ground to secure an away goals victory in a UEFA Cup second round tie in 1994.

Los Leones ended last season in eighth place in La Liga and narrowly missed out on a place in Europe next season.

Tickets for this friendly are on sale at book.nufc.co.uk and a package deal covering both home friendlies are available.