Everton's first officially confirmed pre-season fixture takes them to Newcastle at Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh on 5:15pm on Wednesday, 12 August. It is a friendly, not a competitive match, but the setting gives it more weight than most August run-outs. This is also the first summer friendly between Everton and Newcastle since the Barcelona Cup final of 1924.
Why Murrayfield gives this fixture extra pull
Murrayfield is Scotland's largest stadium and the country’s biggest ground, and the fixture lands with the Edinburgh Fringe Festival as part of the backdrop. That is the sort of setting clubs usually reserve for something with a bit of theatre around it, even if the football itself is still only pre-season preparation.
David Moyes said the game gives Everton "a valuable opportunity to test ourselves against Premier League opposition" and described Murrayfield as "one of the most iconic stadiums in the country". He also pointed to Everton's connection with Scotland and the club's travelling support, while Eddie Howe called it "an exciting test against Premier League opposition at a historic venue" and said Newcastle fans will bring "a special atmosphere to Edinburgh".
What both clubs are getting from it
The football case is straightforward enough. Everton finished 12th in the Premier League with 49 points, while Newcastle finished 11th on 49 points, so both sides arrive in Edinburgh needing sharpness rather than protecting a season already headed somewhere specific. The recent form lines tell the same story: Everton ended on LDDLL, Newcastle on DWDLW.
There is also a small edge from the most recent meeting. Everton beat Newcastle 3-2 in that game at Newcastle, which gives the friendly a little more bite than the word friendly usually allows. Still, the main draw is the occasion itself, a summer meeting in a venue built for scale and noise.
If the match delivers what both managers want, it will be useful for the football and good for the crowd. The bigger point is simpler: Everton have chosen a first confirmed pre-season fixture that looks and feels like an event, and Newcastle are part of it at Murrayfield on 12 August.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →
