As Fall begins to take hold, Europe’s elite football leagues are well underway at this point. Barcelona and Real Madrid have resumed their annual battle at the summit of Spain’s La Liga. In the meantime, Premier League giants Manchester City have started their assault on the English top flight once more, currently sitting top of the pile in their hunt for a fifth straight title.
But while the action may be in full flow, each team spent weeks preparing for the new season in many faraway lands.
Where Did Europe’s Finest Prepare for the 2024/25 Season?
Premier League Elite
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City is the dominant force across the pond, winning the last four Premier League titles. Following their impressive start to the new campaign, they are now the even money favourites to claim the crown once more. In preseason, they joined their divisional rivals on a U.S. tour that included several high-profile matches.
They kicked off against Celtic at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill, and there was a shock result as a reshuffled Blues squad lost 4-3 to the Scottish Champions. New York’s Yankee Stadium then played host to a clash with AC Milan, marking a decade since their last meeting in Pittsburgh. And once again Guardiola’s side came out on the losing end, slumping to a 3-2 defeat. The tour continued in Orlando, where City faced Barcelona at the Camping World Stadium, before concluding with a competitive fixture against Chelsea at the iconic Ohio Stadium in Columbus.
Arsenal’s American adventure saw them take on Premier League rivals Manchester United at the state-of-the-art SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. The Gunners then travelled east to Philadelphia, where they battled it out against Liverpool at Lincoln Financial Field, the site of sports entertainment extravaganza WrestleMania XL just a matter of months prior. The Reds won that contest by two goals to one, before Mikel Arteta’s side headed back to North London for games against Bayer Leverkusen and Lyon.
As well as their games against the Gunners, Manchester United and Liverpool both had several more games Stateside, including one against each other which the latter won by three goals to nil. Both sides also played against Spanish outfit Real Betis, with the Premier League teams winning on each occasion.
Finally, American-owned Chelsea also toured the country. Todd Boehly’s men lost to Celtic, Manchester City, and Real Madrid. But it wasn’t all doom and gloom. They did manage a victory against Mexican side Club América and a 2-2 draw with Ryan Reynolds’ Wrexham.
Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United
Tottenham Hotspur’s Far East tour was a testament to their growing brand in the region, built off the back of captain and talisman Son Heung-Min. Spurs beat Vissel Kobe 3-2 in Tokyo, before heading to Sonny’s home, in South Korea. In front of huge crowds in Seoul, Ange Postocoglu’s men beat a K-League All Stars team, before losing to German heavyweights Bayern Munich. Then, they headed from the home of their captain to the home of their manager, in Australia.
The North London side headed to not just the biggest stadium in Melbourne, but also the biggest stadium in all of the Land Down Under, and the 11th biggest stadium in the world, the MCG. There, they battled out a 1-1 draw with fellow Premier League side Newcastle United before ultimately losing a penalty shootout.
Speaking of the Magpies, they played another game in Australia, shockingly losing 8-0 to an A-League All-Stars team at the Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, the city’s second biggest ground. The Tynseiders – like Spurs – played games in the Far East as well. They beat Urawa Red Diamonds in Saitama before losing to Yokohama F. Marinos in Tokyo.
Real Madrid and Barcelona
Real Madrid’s U.S. tour was a showcase of their global appeal. Starting with a 1-0 defeat against AC Milan in Chicago, they continued their campaign by contesting an overseas El Clasico against rivals Barcelona in New Jersey, losing 2-1 courtesy of a brace from Blaugrana youngster Pau Victor. The tour concluded in Charlotte with a fixture against Chelsea, and Lo9s Blancos finally got a win on the board thanks to goals from Lucas Vazquez and Brahim Diaz.
Other than their El Clasico clash against their rivals from the capital, Spanish champions Barcelona contested two further games in the States. They beat Manchester City on penalties in Orlando before losing to AC Milan also on penalties in Baltimore after a riveting 2-2 draw.
Future Plans
These tours were more than just preparatory; they were strategic moves to deepen the clubs’ connections with their international fan bases. By hosting matches in iconic stadiums across the U.S. and the Far East, the clubs tapped into markets essential for their global growth. Looking ahead, many clubs have expressed intentions to return to these regions, with several Premier League sides already signing up for a repeat American tour in the summer of 2025.
