Newcastle announce 'lucrative' pre-season plans - Eddie Howe and CCO react to news

Last week, Mark Douglas at the i revealed that Newcastle were preparing to announce their most 'lucrative' pre-season tour yet.

A trip to Asia was touted and details of that have now emerged as we plan our preparations for the 2025/26 Premier League season.

It is a return to the continent we visited last year and trip to a country we visited almost three decades ago when Alan Shearer was presented to join Kevin Keegan’s Entertainers in 1996.

Newcastle confirm pre-season trip

Newcastle’s first team squad is set to travel to Singapore for pre-season football as part of their overseas tour that will take place in July and August.

Preparations for 2025/26 will involve a clash with Arsenal on July 27 at the 55,000 capacity Singapore National Stadium as part of Singapore’s Festival of Football tournament. It will be the first time the team has travelled to the country in 29 years.

Black and white. Echoing in every corner of the world.

Coming soon to Singapore! 🇸🇬🔜

— Newcastle United (@NUFC) April 11, 2025

Last summer’s pre-season saw a trip to Japan to face Urawa Reds and Yokohama FM, and with a return to Southeast Asia already scheduled for the back end of this July it wouldn’t be a surprise to see another fixture scheduled in the region for this summer.

Howe and Silverstone react

Chief Commercial Officer Peter Silverstone and manager Eddie Howe have spoken out on the benefits of the arranged fixture in Singapore.

Silverstone has been busy behind the scenes ensuring that our growth off the pitch aligns with what we are achieving on it and is helping to unlock spending power at Newcastle by growing our revenue.

Newcastle’s 2023/24 accounts, published in March 2025, show an impressive commercial income boost of 90%, rising from £47m to £86m. 

Silverstone has evidently had a part to play in the organising of the fixture to be played in Singapore, though it’s unclear at this time what financial benefit precisely will come the way of Newcastle.

"This will be one of the standout pre-season matches taking place anywhere in Asia this summer," Silverstone said.

"The National Stadium in Singapore is a magnificent setting and we're expecting a packed stadium given the love for the Premier League and for both clubs that exists across Asia.

"On the pitch, the team will have access to elite facilities, while off the pitch we have another wonderful opportunity to meet and engage with our supporters and partners in an exciting market.

"We want to thank the tour promoter TEG and the Singapore Tourism Board for inviting the club to be part of the Festival of Football."

Eddie Howe added to the words of the CCO, stating that this would be the right challenge for the squad to prepare for the new season.

"Pre-season is all about setting the right challenges to ensure we are ready for the new season," said Howe. "So we're pleased to be playing against high-calibre opposition in an iconic stadium.

"Having Singapore as part of our pre-season will provide a special experience for supporters in Asia, and we're looking forward to seeing them and playing in front of them in July."