The Biggest Pre-season Fixtures: when & where?

After two long club football-less months, the proper football season at last begins to click into gear as many of Europe’s biggest clubs begin their preparations for the coming season. Here we give you the low down on where the best pre-season action can be found and how it can be enjoyed.

All times listed are in GMT (Great Britain & Ireland time).

International Champions Cup

• July 11-August 5
• TV: Fox Sports 1, ESPN & Deportes

Barclay’s Premier League Asia Trophy

• July 15-18
• TV: Sky Sports

Liverpool Tour of Thailand, Australia, Malaysia and Finland

• July 14-August 1
• LFCTV / LFCTV HD

The Emirates Cup

• 25-26 July
• BT Sport

Let’s take a look in more detail a

International Champions Cup

• July 11-August 5
• TV: Fox Sports 1, ESPN & Deportes

The International Champions (ICC) has almost become a byword for the build-up to the new club season and this year the tournament is bigger and better than ever.

Now in its third year, the ICC has expanded to include three include individual mini-tournaments taking place in Australia, China and North America and Europe.

The action in the North America and Europe field kicked-off last weekend with Steven Gerrard’s LA Galaxy beating the Liga MX side America 2-1 in California; however, the tournament really intensifies this week as Manchester United take on America at 03.30 on Friday in Seattle and Paris Saint Germain face Benfica in Ontario at 00.30 on Saturday.

Indeed, by the end of the North America & Europe competition fans will have seen Barcelona vs Man Utd (July 25; 20.00), Chelsea vs PSG (July 25; 22.00), Man Utd vs PSG (July 29; 01.00) and Chelsea vs Fiorentina (August 5; 20.00).

The Australian and Chinese fields are far smaller, comprised of three matches each.

The action in Australia kicks-off on July 18 as Real Madrid take on Roma at 08.00 in a match which will be streamed live by bet365.

Roma then face Manchester City on July 21 at 09.00, and play rounds-off on July 24 with Real facing Man City at 09.00.

In China, meantime, the action gets underway at 01.00 on July 25 as AC Milan face city rivals Internazionale in Shenzhen.

July 27 sees Inter take on Real Madrid at 01.00 in Guangzhou while the tournament ends on July 30 as Real face Milan in Shanghai once more at 01.00.

Barclay’s Premier League Asia Trophy

• July 15-18
• TV: Sky Sports

Now in its seventh season, the Barclay’s Premier League Asia trophy is a bi-annual pre-season event held in a different Asian country each year contested by three Premier League sides and a host team.

Manchester City and Chelsea are among the competition’s most recent winners; however, this season Arsenal, Stoke City and Everton will vie with a Singapore Selection XI for the title.

Play gets underway in Singapore on Wednesday evening (July 15) as Stoke face Everton in the first semi-final at 11.00 and Arsenal then face the host side at 13.30.

The third-place play-off then takes place on Saturday July 18 at 11.00 while the final kicks off the same day at 13.30.

Liverpool Tour of Thailand, Australia, Malaysia and Finland

• July 14-August 1
• LFCTV / LFCTV HD

Liverpool begin their build-up to the new Premier League season against the Thai Premier League XI on Tuesday July 14 at 14.00.

This fixture is followed by two matches in three days in Australia against the Brisbane Roar (July 17; 13.45) and Adelaide United (July 20; 10.30).

Brendan Rodgers’ side then face a Malaysia XI in Kuala Lumpur on July 24 at 13.45 and finish their pre-season off on August 1st against HJK Helsinki at 17.30.

The Emirates Cup

• 25-26 July
• BT Sport

Now in its eighth season, The Emirates Cup is an annual pre-season invitational competition hosted by Arsenal at their home ground in London.

This year the tournament will be contested by Olympique Lyonnais, Villarreal and Wolfsburg as well as the hosts.

Play gets underway at on Saturday, July 25 as Wolfsburg face Villarreal at 14.00 before Arsenal take on Lyon at 16.20.

The following afternoon Lyon face Villarreal at 14.00 while Arsenal play Wolfsburg at 16.20.