Luton Town will begin their 2026/27 pre-season campaign with a match against Hitchin Town at Top Field on Saturday 11 July 2026. The game, which kicks off at 1pm, marks the first senior visit by the club to their neighbours in four years and offers supporters an early look at the squad following the conclusion of the 2025/26 season.
The fixture will be a homecoming for Luton Town manager Jack Wilshere, as the match takes place at his hometown club. The visit comes shortly after the Luton first team returns to training at The Brache on Thursday 2 July 2026 to prepare for the upcoming league season. Following a campaign that saw the team finish 7th in League One after a late push for the play-offs, the match serves as an important step in the new preparations led by Wilshere and his assistant, Chris Powell.
The hosts, Hitchin Town, are heading into the new season with momentum after securing promotion to the Southern League Premier Central on Bank Holiday Monday. Their recent play-off final victory over Biggleswade FC drew a crowd of more than 3,000 to Top Field. The success of the Hitchin side this year included significant contributions from former Luton youth players Ciaren Jones, Callum Nicolson and Kavan Cotter.
While recent pre-season visits to Hitchin have featured Luton Under-21 sides, this match brings the senior squad back to the ground. With a maximum capacity of 4,554, organisers are hopeful for another strong turnout for the cross-county match as the club prepares for the challenges of the 2026/27 campaign. Further details regarding the match can be found on the Luton Town website.
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