Our under-21s kick off their pre-season campaign with the first of six scheduled friendlies, taking on Boreham Wood at the Mangata Pay UK Stadium this Saturday, July 12. Kick-off is at 3pm (UK time).
This fixture marks the first opportunity for fans to watch our young Gunners in action as they prepare for another exciting Premier League 2 season. Alongside PL2 duties, our U21s will also be competing in the Vertu Trophy this year, and details on our upcoming opponents can be found below.
The squad returned to pre-season training a few weeks ago at the Sobha Realty Training Centre, recharging and regrouping after an eighth-place finish in the 2024/25 Premier League 2 campaign. With the 2025/26 season fast approaching, preparations are well underway.
The Opposition: Boreham Wood
Boreham Wood will come into the game riding a wave of momentum following their immediate return to the National League. Last season, they secured promotion from the National League South after a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Maidstone United in the play-off final.
They’ve strengthened their squad this summer with the additions of Junior Dixon, Joe Newton, Aaron Henry, and Jeff King as they look to make an impact in English football’s fifth tier.
We last met Boreham Wood in pre-season 12 months ago, claiming a 4-2 victory in an entertaining clash.
How to Follow the Action
Live updates will be available throughout the match on our academy's . A full match report will be published on shortly after the final whistle.
You can also look forward to post-match interviews with head coach Max Porter and one of our young Gunners, as well as match highlights featuring all the key moments.
