Stevenage host West Ham United in a pre-season friendly on 22 July 2026. The League One side - currently 22nd with zero points and zero goals scored or conceded - will face the Hammers in a high-profile test before their EFL Cup opener on 7 August.

Why is this match important?

West Ham arrive off the back of a 1-1 draw at National League Southend on Saturday, while Stevenage drew 0-0 with Andorra in their first pre-season outing. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have three friendlies lined up - against Stevenage, Rangers and Magdeburg - before their Championship opener away to Burnley on 8 August.

Stevenage finished sixth in League One last season and reached the play-off semi-finals, only to lose 3-0 on aggregate to Stockport County. Alex Revell’s men are now gearing up for another promotion push, with their league campaign starting away to Burton Albion on 15 August.

Team news & likely lineups

Stevenage could hand a first start to Josh Magennis on Wednesday, with the 35-year-old joining from Exeter City in the summer. Head coach Revell is expected to make full use of his squad, with Phoenix Patterson, Jamie Reid and Louis Thompson all in contention to start. As for West Ham, captain Jarrod Bowen has confirmed he’s staying and is again likely to feature, while Tomas Soucek misses out through injury. Edson Alvarez, El Hadji Malick Diouf, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Crysencio Summerville are also absent due to 2026 World Cup commitments.

Stevenage’s possible starting XI reads: Marschall; James-Wildin, Piergianni, Freestone, Okwara; Thompson, Houghton, Campbell, Patterson; Reid, Magennis. West Ham’s likely line-up is: Hermansen; Walker-Peters, Mavropanos, Kilman, Scarles; Kante, Ward-Prowse, Earthy; Bowen, Pablo, Lamadrid.

What does this mean for both sides?

Stevenage sit 22nd in League One with zero points and zero goals scored or conceded so far. A strong pre-season showing against a Premier League side could boost morale ahead of their league opener, while West Ham use the fixture to blood youngsters and fine-tune their squad before the new campaign.

The match is the first of four friendlies for Stevenage this summer, with games against Millwall and Colchester United still to come before the EFL Cup opener against Wycombe Wanderers. West Ham’s next outing is against Rangers on Saturday, followed by a clash with Magdeburg on 29 July.

Stevenage’s next fixture is away to Mansfield Town on 27 February 2027.