**Swansea City Unveil Full Pre-Season Fixture List as French Opponents Confirmed for Final Test**
Swansea City have finalised their pre-season preparations, confirming French club Lorient as their final opponents in what promises to be a key test before the new Championship campaign. The club announced that Lorient, recently crowned champions of Ligue 2, will travel to the Swansea.com Stadium for a friendly on 2 August, with the fixture marking the Swans’ last outing before competitive action resumes.
Plans for the final pre-season match were initially thrown into some uncertainty. Swansea City had originally hoped to host Dutch giants PSV Eindhoven, a fixture which would undoubtedly have attracted significant attention from fans. However, following PSV’s gripping Dutch Eredivisie title win—snatching the championship by a single point from rivals Ajax—the Dutch side’s scheduling priorities shifted. The newly crowned champions were obliged to compete in their nation’s Johan Cruyff Shield against Go Ahead Eagles, resulting in the cancellation of the South Wales friendly.
Quick to adapt, Swansea City secured Lorient as alternative opposition. The French club, buoyed by their immediate return to Ligue 1 after topping the second tier, offer challenging and international-calibre competition. This match at the Swansea.com Stadium, set for a traditional 3pm kick-off, is likely to provide fans with a mouth-watering preview of the team’s readiness under pressure.
The announcement completes what is now a robust and varied pre-season campaign for Luke Williams’ squad, taking in fixtures both at home and abroad. Swansea’s preparations kick off in Spain, where they will face League One side Stevenage at the Pinatar Arena in Murcia on 19 July. This game, scheduled for an early 11am start, marks the squad’s first competitive run-out of the summer.
Shortly after their Spanish sojourn, Swansea return to the UK to face Cheltenham Town on 23 July. That match, at Cheltenham’s EV Charger Points Stadium and set for a 7pm kick-off, offers an opportunity to integrate tactical plans and rotate the squad further. The tune-up continues with a trip to Exeter City’s St James Park on 26 July, with the whistle blowing at 1pm.
These fixtures are designed not just for fitness, but to test the tactics and cohesion of the squad. Playing against a variety of styles and strengths is widely seen by coaches as optimal preparation for the relentless challenges of the Championship, a division known for its intensity and unpredictability.
The pre-season period concludes with the home match against Lorient, offering local fans their last chance to see new signings and emerging talent before the curtain rises on the league campaign. It also enables the coaching staff to assess the players’ progress in familiar surroundings, and make any final tweaks ahead of the busy months to come.
Looking further ahead, Swansea City will officially kick off their Championship season over the weekend of 8 August. Supporters eager for further details about the year ahead will not have long to wait, as the first set of Championship fixtures are set to be revealed at midday on 26 June. This is expected to provide clarity for travel plans and fuel anticipation for the first competitive matches.
In summary, the Swans’ pre-season schedule is as follows: Stevenage in Murcia on 19 July; Cheltenham Town away on 23 July; Exeter City away on 26 July; and finally Lorient at home on 2 August. For fans, the fixtures offer a mix of European flair and home-grown football—an exciting platform on which Swansea hope to build a successful season.
As the countdown to competitive football continues, Swansea City supporters will hope these carefully selected challenges stand the team in good stead, as they seek to mount a strong campaign in the ever-competitive Championship.