Orlando Pirates confirm four high-profile friendlies in Spain

Orlando Pirates are gearing up for a rigorous pre-season, confirming a challenging four-match tour of Spain in July.

With the hunt for a new head coach underway following Jose Riveiro’s departure, the Buccaneers are set to jet off to Europe in early July to fine-tune their squad against top international competition ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

This marks their third pre-season visit to Spain. Pirates will be in Europe from 8 to 20 July 2025.

The Soweto giants have a demanding schedule lined up, kicking off their European tour on July 11 against English side Bolton Wanderers. Two days later, on July 13, they’ll face Cypriot outfit Pafos FC.

The intensity escalates in the second week as Pirates prepare for two encounters with La Liga teams. On July 17, they’ll take on UD Las Palmas, who recently returned to Spain’s top flight. The tour concludes on July 19 with a fixture against Granada CF, another Spanish side celebrated for its combative nature and homegrown talent.

Pirates are expected to name their new coach before regrouping for pre-season training, with the Spain camp officially commencing on July 6.

They will be eager to improve on last season’s performance as they reached the semi-finals of the CAF Champions League and also finished as runners-up to Mamelodi Sundowns in the league. In addition, they won the MTN8 title.