Overview
- Tottenham opened pre-season with a 1-0 win over MK Dons at Hotspur Way on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, when new signing Mateus Fernandes volleyed the decisive goal.
- Fernandes told club media the strike was “the favourite goal” of his career and said the moment gave him confidence for the rest of pre-season.
- Roberto De Zerbi ran heavy rotation, using 21 players to give minutes to summer arrivals including Sandro Tonali and Martin Dúbravka and to assess youth prospects such as Luca Williams‑Barnett and Mikey Moore.
- The friendly was held behind closed doors and was not shown on live UK television, with the club streaming the match via its paid SPURSPLAY service.
- The game is the first practical test of a wide summer rebuild that has exceeded £200m in spending, and Tottenham now travel to New Zealand and Australia while managing late returns for World Cup participants and players still recovering from injury.