SC Santa Clara, the island club from the Azores, has officially lifted the curtain on its preparatory schedule for the upcoming 2025/26 football season. The revealed fixture list includes several Portuguese opponents and, perhaps most notably, an intriguing clash against English Premier League side, Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The announcement, made earlier this week, confirms Santa Clara`s intent to face diverse opposition as they build fitness and tactical understanding ahead of competitive fixtures. The highly anticipated friendly against Wolverhampton Wanderers is slated for July 15th. Wolves are currently managed by Vítor Pereira, a face familiar to those who follow Portuguese football, adding a layer of narrative to this pre-season encounter.
Before testing their mettle against Premier League opposition, Santa Clara will engage in domestic tune-ups. Their announced schedule includes matches against Louletano on July 9th, Farense on July 16th (the day after the Wolves game – a potential test of squad depth?), and Portimonense on July 19th. These games against fellow Portuguese teams provide a solid baseline for evaluation.
The club has also stated that the pre-season calendar is not yet complete, with indications that two additional friendly matches are still being finalized and will be announced in due course. This suggests a comprehensive preparation phase is being planned.
The structured pre-season is particularly crucial for Santa Clara this year due to an early start to their official campaign. Their first competitive fixture is scheduled for July 24th in the second qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League, where they are set to face Varazdin. Preparing for European competition necessitates hitting peak condition swiftly, making a challenging pre-season, including a match against a club like Wolves, a pragmatic approach to ensure they are adequately prepared for the demands that lie ahead.
