Arsenal to play pre-season fixture against Spanish giants in Ireland

Arsenal have confirmed they will face Real Betis in a pre-season friendly in Dublin ahead of the 2026–27 campaign.

The fixture will take place at Aviva Stadium on August 5, with kickoff scheduled for 7.30pm local time.

The match forms part of Arsenal’s preparations for the new season as the club begins its summer schedule.

It will also mark Arsenal’s first pre-season visit to the Republic of Ireland since 2018.

On that occasion, the North London club faced Chelsea in front of a large crowd at the Aviva Stadium.

Arsenal have returned to Dublin once since then, although that visit came under very different circumstances.

In December 2020, the club travelled to Ireland to face Dundalk in the UEFA Europa League.

That match was played without supporters due to restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The upcoming fixture against Real Betis will therefore represent the club’s first opportunity in several years to reconnect with supporters in Ireland during pre-season.

Arsenal chief executive Richard Garlick said the club were excited to return to Dublin.

“We’re all excited to be coming back to Dublin in August,” Garlick said. “We have incredible support in the Republic of Ireland and we’re really looking forward to connecting with our supporters once again.”

Garlick added that the fixture will also provide valuable preparation ahead of the new campaign.

“Facing Real Betis will provide high-quality opposition and vital preparation ahead of the new season,” he said. “It promises to be an exciting match.”

The meeting could also see Arsenal come up against a familiar face.

Real Betis defender Hector Bellerin previously spent eight years at Arsenal before leaving the club.

The right-back made 239 appearances for Arsenal during his time in North London.

Bellerin has spoken warmly about his former club in recent interviews and continues to follow Arsenal closely.

Last summer Arsenal travelled to Asia as part of their pre-season preparations.

The team played fixtures in Singapore and Hong Kong ahead of the current campaign.

The club also toured the United States in both 2023 and 2024.

Those tours followed a summer that included major international tournaments such as the UEFA European Championship, Copa America and the Summer Olympics.

The match is expected to attract significant interest from Arsenal supporters across Ireland.

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