Premier League Rivals Arsenal And Newcastle Set For Spectacular Showdown In Singapore
Football fever is set to ignite in Southeast Asia this July as Arsenal and Newcastle United confirm a high-profile pre-season encounter at Singapore’s iconic National Stadium, part of the 2025 Festival of Football. This landmark fixture not only reunites two of England’s biggest Premier League sides but marks a symbolic return to Singapore for both clubs, underlining the global aspirations of top-flight English football.
The much-anticipated match, scheduled for Sunday, 27th July, offers Singaporean fans and the wider Asian audience a rare chance to see the Gunners and the Magpies go head-to-head outside of the UK. Both clubs are clearly embracing the chance to connect with their passionate regional supporters, keen to cultivate new memories and further their international reach ahead of a demanding 2025/26 season.
For Newcastle United, the fixture signifies their first visit back to Singapore in almost three decades. The nostalgia is palpable: summer 1996 saw the legendary Kevin Keegan’s “Entertainers” stun 50,000 fans with a dramatic 5-0 victory over the S-League All Stars, with Alan Shearer’s world-record arrival announced with customary flair. This time, manager Eddie Howe is focused on modern ambitions, saying: “Pre-season is all about setting the right challenges to ensure we are ready for the new season. So we're pleased to be playing against high-calibre opposition in an iconic stadium.” Howe also highlighted the unique experience this provides for the club’s fans in Asia, looking forward to playing and meeting supporters in the region.
Arsenal, meanwhile, are returning to familiar territory, having played in Singapore during their 2015 and 2018 pre-seasons. Managing Director Richard Garlick expressed his enthusiasm for reconnecting with supporters: “It’s great that we’re coming back...The matches against AC Milan and Newcastle United promise two exciting games, providing high-quality preparation ahead of the new season.” The Gunners’ Asian tour doesn’t stop in Singapore; a subsequent clash with Tottenham Hotspur awaits in Hong Kong, rounding out an ambitious pre-season itinerary designed to test the squad and cement the club’s connection to their global fanbase.
Commercially, these friendlies are just as important off the pitch. Peter Silverstone, Newcastle’s Chief Commercial Officer, put it succinctly: “This will be one of the standout pre-season matches taking place anywhere in Asia this summer. The National Stadium in Singapore is a magnificent setting and we're expecting a packed stadium given the love for the Premier League and for both clubs across Asia.” Silverstone underlined not only the access to elite facilities but also the opportunity to deepen relationships with supporters and commercial partners in a vital and rapidly growing football market.
With ticket information for the Festival of Football set to be released soon and excitement already building, Arsenal and Newcastle fans in Asia are bracing for an unforgettable contest. The July clash isn’t just about match fitness or testing tactical tweaks; it’s about rekindling memories, creating new ones, and strengthening bonds that transcend continents.
Will this pre-season battle foreshadow fierce Premier League rivalries to come, or simply serve as a celebration of football’s widening global reach? Share your views in the comments below and tell us who you’ll be backing when North London meets Tyneside in Singapore this summer.
