Chester begin their Enterprise National League North season with an away trip to Chorley on Saturday, kicking off at 15:00 at Victory Park.
It is the first league match of the 2026/27 campaign for both clubs, and it arrives with a little extra context for the home side. Chorley are trying to move back towards the top seven after finishing 15th last term, while Chester get an immediate early test on the road.
What to know before kick-off
Chorley have already had one busy spell in the build-up to the new season. Last week, Steven Bala joined the club on a season-long loan from Akademisk Boldklub, adding to a squad that manager Andy Preece has been shaping for his fifth campaign in charge.
Preece first went into management with Bury in 1999, and his background also includes a four-year stint as Assistant from 2018-22. That experience is part of the reason Chorley have been able to stay competitive across seven consecutive sixth tier campaigns, even if last season ended in a 15th-place finish.
The opening weeks of 2025/26 showed that the group can start quickly. Chorley won four of their opening five encounters before their form dipped, which will only add to the sense that Saturday matters as an early indicator of where they are headed next.
Matchday notes
There is also a practical edge to the game. Away tickets are sold out, so Victory Park is set for a full crowd feeling around the opener. The club has also said there will be no alcohol on sale inside the ground on Saturday due to police advise.
One player who will not be part of Chorley’s plans in 2026/27 is Matt Urwin, who has retired from playing. That leaves another small change in the wider squad picture as the new campaign gets underway.
For Chester, the trip gives them an immediate sense of the challenge ahead in the National League North. For Chorley, it is a chance to start pushing in the right direction from day one.
