It has now been made official that the Groupama Arena will host a prestigious international pre-season fixture this summer, as Ferencváros welcome Real Madrid to Budapest on Saturday, 8 August. The encounter will form part of the Spanish giants’ Austrian training programme and is set to rank among the most high-profile summer matches seen in Hungary in recent decades. Ticket sales for the Budapest Real Madrid match will begin shortly.
Reports of the fixture had previously circulated in the press, now confirmed by Ferencváros, according to Nemzeti Sport. The record-breaking Spanish club is scheduled to play several international matches during its summer preparations, with Budapest included as one of the tour’s key stops.
Mourinho returns to the Real Madrid bench
Real Madrid’s summer preparations began in mid-July under the stewardship of José Mourinho, who has once again taken charge of the club. The side will play its first friendly at home against CD Leganés before travelling to Austria for a training camp, where it will face a number of international opponents. The Budapest fixture is expected to be one of the highlights of that programme.
First meeting in three decades
Ferencváros and Real Madrid last met in the group stage of the 1995–96 Champions League. At the Santiago Bernabéu, the Spanish side recorded a commanding 6–1 victory, while in Budapest the Hungarian champions secured a valuable 1–1 draw. Ferencváros’s goal was scored by Flórián Albert Jr, a moment that remains etched in the club’s European history.
The two sides have not met in either competitive or friendly fixtures since, making the upcoming clash a special occasion for supporters of both clubs.
Mourinho’s previous link to the Groupama Arena
Notably, the Groupama Arena’s opening match in 2014 featured José Mourinho’s Chelsea side as Ferencváros’s opponents. The Portuguese manager experienced the atmosphere of the Budapest stadium first-hand on that occasion, and reports suggest this prior connection may have played a role in Real Madrid selecting the Hungarian capital as one of its summer destinations.
Don’t Miss: F1 Events in Budapest
Ferencváros may seek league postponement
The timing of the friendly coincides with a major fixture in Hungary’s top flight: Ferencváros are due to face reigning champions ETO FC Győr away that weekend. The Budapest club is therefore expected to request a postponement of the NB I match in order to prepare for the gala encounter against Real Madrid with a full squad.
Ticket sales to begin shortly
According to Ferencváros, ticket sales will begin at 2 PM on 27 July. For the first 24 hours, only current season ticket holders will be eligible to purchase seats, after which sales may be opened to the general public, subject to availability.
The cheapest tickets will cost HUF 14,000, while the most expensive non-VIP tickets will be HUF 46,500 in sectors C4 and C5.
Demand is expected to be exceptional, as the 15-time Champions League winners rarely play in Hungary, making the Budapest fixture one of the standout events of the domestic football calendar this summer.
If you missed – Official: Dominik Szoboszlai signs new Liverpool deal until 2031
