Nottingham Forest and Vitória de Guimarães meet on Sunday, July 26 in a behind-closed-doors pre-season friendly in Portugal, with both clubs still unbeaten in their summer preparations. For Forest, it is the third pre-season match since Oliver Glasner took charge, while Vitória de Guimarães are also using the fixture as a final competitive check before their domestic campaign begins.
The match is part of Forest's build-up to the Premier League season and comes after a strong start to the summer. Nottingham Forest won its first two matches without conceding a goal, beating Notts County 2-0 and Blackburn Rovers 3-0. Those results have given the squad an early rhythm, and this game offers another chance to test that momentum against a different opponent.
Vitória de Guimarães bring strong form into the fixture
Vitória de Guimarães have also made a bright start to pre-season. Before July 26, they had won four straight pre-season victories and scored 13 goals across those matches. Their run included wins over Felgueiras, Penafiel, Académica and Al-Ahli, giving them plenty of positive signs heading into this final stretch of preparations.
That makes this a useful test for both sides. Forest arrive with a pair of clean-sheet wins, while Vitória de Guimarães have shown sharpness in attack. Even without fans in the ground, the game still has value as both managers look for answers before competitive football returns.
Kickoff time and viewing details
Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. BST on Sunday, which is 2:00 p.m. CEST, 8:00 a.m. EDT, 5:00 a.m. PDT and 10:00 p.m. AEST. The fixture is behind closed doors, so it will not be available to fans in person.
Supporters in the United Kingdom, Portugal, the United States, and other regions will need to follow the clubs' official coverage for updates, with Forest TV and Sport TV listed as the broadcast options tied to the match. For Forest, it is another step in preseason. For Vitória de Guimarães, it is one more chance to sharpen the squad before the domestic season begins.
