Wolverhampton Wanderers are set to hold their pre-season in Europe in 2023 after cancelling their tour of South Korea. So, here is everything you need to know about Wolves’ schedule this summer.
The West Midlands club are getting set for their first summer with Julen Lopetegui as their manager. He replaced Bruno Lage at Molineux in November and guided them to a 13th-place Premier League finish. The Spaniard now get his first summer transfer window to reshape Wolves’ first-team squad.
Pre-season will also offer those in Wolves’ academy a chance to impress Lopetegui as the Old Gold find their groove. So, with Wolverhampton Wanderers no longer boarding the plane to South Korea, Molineux News covers everything that you need to know about Wolves’ pre-season plans in 2023…
When does Wolverhampton Wanderers’ pre-season start?
Wolverhampton Wanderers reconvened at the Sir Jack Hayward Training Ground to begin their pre-season training on July 2 in 2023. But Sasa Kalajdzic and Chiquinho were their first players to report back to camp on June 28. The pair both missed the 2022/23 campaign due to knee ligament injuries.
Lopetegui will also take his players to Portugal for a warm-weather mini-camp as a part of their pre-season plans. But Wolves had to hit a hard reset in June after their scheduled tour of South Korea fell through. It would have been their first time heading back to Asia since winning the 2019 Asia Trophy.
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Nuno Espirito Santo guided Wolves to a 3-2 win over Manchester City on penalties. Wolves also beat Newcastle United 4-0 over their 2019 tour of China as Diogo Jota scored twice. Lopetegui would have hoped for similar success during 2023 as Wolves planned to meet Celtic and AS Roma in South Korea.
Wolverhampton Wanderers’ fixture list for their 2023 pre-season
As of July 20, Wolverhampton Wanderers have set seven pre-season friendlies after their 2023 tour of South Korea fell through. The Molineux outfit announced that the club had withdrawn from ties with Celtic and Roma in Suwon and Incheon after several failures by the tour’s promoter, Stadium X/USG.
Wolves had agreed to face the 22/23 Scottish Premiership champions, Celtic, and the Europa League runners-up, Roma, in South Korea. But Stadium X/USG failed to meet a host of financial and logistical obligations. So, Wolves pulled out of the tour after weeks of delays and with tickets still not on sale.
It would have been Wolverhampton Wanderers’ first-ever pre-season tour of South Korea. While they received offers for alternative tour destinations. But Wolves declined the offers to focus on rebuilding their 2023 pre-season in Europe. They felt there were too many logistical issues to go further afield.
Wolves had added to the intended pre-season tour of South Korea on May 29 by confirming a friendly with Stade Rennais. The French side will visit Molineux a week before the new Premier League season. Manchester United will host Wolves at Old Trafford on August 14 at 20:00 BST to start their campaign.
While Wolves began their pre-season plans in 2023 in a behind-closed-doors friendly with Vitoria SC during their warm-weather training camp in Portugal. Matheus Cunha and Owen Farmer secured the Old Gold the win with goals in either half. Lopetegui used it to give senior and academy stars minutes.
SC Farense also met Wolves in a behind-closed-doors friendly over the Old Gold’s pre-season training camp in Portugal. Nathan Fraser broke the deadlock for the Molineux side during the first half. While Lopetegui used the second half to field several youngsters and those returning from prior loan moves.
Returning to Compton Park saw Wolves’ pre-season continue with two 60-minute friendlies against Blackpool, too. Lopetegui used the first hour-long fixture to field a senior line-up. But Sasa Kalajdzic returned to the field with a host of U21 gems for the second tie to get some minutes under the belt.
A third Portuguese team also features among Wolves’ pre-season friendlies in 2023 after the Old Gold agreed to face FC Porto. The Molineux outfit confirmed their game with the Dragoes on July 15, which sees Lopetegui’s side return to the Algarve. It also sees Wolves face a regular Champions League side.
Celtic still feature in Wolves’ pre-season plans despite their 2023 tour of South Korea falling through. Molineux chiefs and their Celtic Park counterparts have arranged an alternative friendly in Dublin for the end of July. It is Wolves’ first visit to Ireland in nearly 10 years and first tie with Celtic since 2011.
Luton Town also travel to Molineux to face Wolves in an all-Premier League friendly ahead of the new season. The Hatters sealed their top-flight return for the first time since 1992 by beating Coventry City in the Championship play-off final. Luton beat Wolves 1-0 in the FA Cup in their last meeting in 2013.
- July 9: Vitoria SC vs Wolves, Lagos
- July 13: Wolves vs SC Farense
- July 19: Wolves vs Blackpool, Compton Park, Wolverhampton
- July 25: FC Porto vs Wolves, Estadio da Bela Vista, Loule
- July 29, KO 14:00 BST: Wolves vs Celtic, Aviva Stadium, Dublin
- August 2, KO 19:30 BST: Wolves vs Luton Town, Molineux, Wolverhampton
- August 5, KO 12:45 BST: Wolves vs Stade Rennais, Molineux, Wolverhampton
How to watch Wolves’ 2023 pre-season fixtures
Fans wanting to watch Wolves’ pre-season tour in the UK can follow the Molineux natives’ matches through Wolves TV in 2023. But the Old Gold will not run a stream of their behind-closed-doors ties.
Tickets for Wolverhampton Wanderers’ summer schedule
Wolverhampton Wanderers have shared the on-sale dates for tickets for their pre-season friendlies against Porto, Celtic, Luton and Stade Rennais. The Old Gold have also announced that any fans who buy tickets for both Molineux ties enjoy a big discount and adults are eligible for free junior tickets.
On-sale dates for tickets to Wolverhampton Wanderers’ friendlies:
Wolves will release all tickets for their two friendlies with Luton Town and Stade Rennais at the same time via a staggered schedule. Tickets go on sale via the club’s channels and return 10 loyalty points. While the organisers of Wolves’ friendly with Celtic will sell tickets for the pre-season game in Dublin.
- Celtic – July 12, 09:00 – Season ticket holders and official club members
- Celtic – July 13, 09:00 – General sale
- Luton Town and Stade Rennais – July 14, 09:00 – Season ticket holders
- Luton Town and Stade Rennais – July 19, 09:00 – Official club members
- Luton Town and Stade Rennais – July 21, 09:00 – General sale
- FC Porto – July 15, 09:30 – General sale