​Cardiff City’s pre-season preparations are stepping up as they prepare to face FC Midtjylland in their first summer friendly on Saturday at 12:30 BST. The Bluebirds will host the Danish side at the Cardiff City Stadium before heading to Cork for a training camp, the hometown of manager Brian Barry-Murphy. The upcoming friendly signals the start of Cardiff’s build-up to a new campaign in the Championship, following their successful return from relegation last season after clinching promotion from League One.
Midtjylland, who finished second in the Danish top flight in the 2025-26 season, arrive in Cardiff for their fourth warm-up match of the summer as they prepare for a Europa League qualifier against Besiktas later this month. The Danish giants bring quality and a test worth measuring early in pre-season, giving Cardiff a glimpse of the level they’ll face as they seek to consolidate their status back in the Championship.
Defender Perry Ng, who committed to a new two-year deal with the club in May, is keen to get back on the pitch in front of the home support at such an early stage of pre-season. Speaking to the club’s website, Ng said: “We look good – everyone looks sharp. It’s been a good week. It will feel a bit strange, playing our first pre-season fixture in front of fans at the stadium, but it’s great to get back to proper games as soon as possible. They’ve got a big game in the Europa League, so it will be a tough test for us.”
Cardiff are buoyant about the start of the 2026-27 season, which begins with a Carabao Cup home tie against League Two side Swindon Town on Saturday, August 8 at 15:00 BST. Following that match, the action continues with a high-profile Championship opener against local rivals Wrexham on Monday, August 17, at 20:00 BST, promising an early season blockbuster for the Bluebirds.
Barry-Murphy’s squad will also lock horns with a sequence of notable opponents during this summer’s pre-season. The itinerary includes a meeting with Cork City of the League of Ireland First Division, a fixture against National League contenders Forest Green Rovers, and a fixture with Italian giants AS Roma, all part of Cardiff’s comprehensive warm-up schedule to sharpen fitness, tactics, and team cohesion ahead of the 2026-27 campaign. The preparation aims to strike the right balance between competitive-friendly fixtures and fitness work, laying a solid foundation for a season in which Cardiff aim to push for strong showings in the Championship and in domestic cups.
With Midtjylland’s visit to Cardiff acting as a key early barometer, the Bluebirds will be determined to lay down a marker at the Cardiff City Stadium. The clash provides an opportunity for Barry-Murphy to assess squad depth, integration, and game management against a side that recently carried strong European ambitions. As the squad steps up the intensity of their pre-season programme, supporters can anticipate an engaging run of fixtures designed to build momentum ahead of the league campaign.
Fans will be watching closely as Cardiff’s pre-season narrative unfolds, with the Midtjylland clash followed by a demanding schedule that tests the squad’s resilience and readiness for a demanding Championship season. The club’s aim remains clear: to translate pre-season progress into consistency across the autumn schedule, secure a strong home form, and mount a competitive challenge in all competitions as they seek a successful campaign under Barry-Murphy’s leadership.