| Arsenal vs Dortmund | |
| MATCH | Emirates Cup |
| DATE | 09 - 08 - 2026 |
| TIME | 06.30 PM IST |
| STADIUM | Stadium |
Arsenal vs Borussia Dortmund Preview: Gunners Begin Emirates Cup Defence Against BVB
Arsenal will begin the defence of their Emirates Cup crown when they host Borussia Dortmund in one of the standout pre-season fixtures of the weekend.
The Emirates Cup, once jokingly referred to as Arsenal’s most reliable silverware during the club’s so-called “banter era”, is being staged for the 15th time, and the Gunners are chasing a 10th title in the competition.
Mikel Arteta’s side lifted the trophy in 2025 with a 3-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao, having also defeated Lyon in 2024, edged past Monaco on penalties in 2023, and thrashed Sevilla 6-0 in 2022.
Arteta has maintained a perfect record in Emirates Cup matches, a notable contrast to predecessor Unai Emery, whose only appearance in the tournament ended in defeat to Lyon in 2019.
Arsenal looking to bounce back after Betis setback
The North London side head into Sunday’s clash after a surprising 3-1 defeat to Real Betis in midweek.
Defensive errors proved costly and brought an end to Arsenal’s perfect pre-season run, which had included convincing victories over MK Dons behind closed doors and Girona.
With only one more friendly against Como before facing Manchester City in the Community Shield on August 16, this match represents an important opportunity for Arteta’s team to regain momentum.
Dortmund’s pre-season has been inconsistent
Borussia Dortmund are also preparing for a summer showpiece, with Bayern Munich awaiting in the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup later this month.
Niko Kovac’s side have experienced a mixed pre-season campaign, recording two wins and two defeats in four matches.
Dortmund opened with a 3-1 comeback victory over Rot-Weiss Oberhausen, then lost 2-1 to Fortuna Dusseldorf. A short tour of Japan followed, where BVB suffered a 1-0 defeat to Cerezo Osaka before responding with a 1-0 win over FC Tokyo, courtesy of a goal from former Wolves striker Fabio Silva.
Like Arsenal, this is Dortmund’s penultimate pre-season fixture, with Roma providing their final test on August 15.
A familiar European rivalry
Arsenal and Dortmund were frequent opponents in the Champions League during the early 2010s.
The clubs have met eight times competitively, and it was the Gunners who won the most recent encounter, a 2-0 victory in 2014 thanks to goals from Yaya Sanogo and Alexis Sanchez.
Team news
Arsenal welcomed back Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Magalhaes against Real Betis following Brazil’s World Cup campaign, and both are expected to be involved again at the Emirates.
However, young midfielder Louie Copley is feared to have suffered a significant injury in the Betis match.
Captain Martin Odegaard has returned to training after his summer break and could make his first pre-season appearance, although a place on the bench is the most likely scenario.
Dortmund have their own midfield concerns. Carney Chukwuemeka was forced off early against FC Tokyo because of a knee issue, and his availability remains uncertain.
Long-term absentees Emre Can and Nico Schlotterbeck are still unavailable.
If Chukwuemeka misses out, highly rated Konstantinos Karetsas, signed from Genk earlier this week and previously linked with Arsenal, could make his Dortmund debut.
Match prediction
Arsenal should be highly motivated to respond after the defeat to Real Betis, and the return of several key players gives Arteta a stronger platform than he had in midweek.
Dortmund possess plenty of attacking quality, particularly through Karim Adeyemi and Serhou Guirassy, but their pre-season has lacked consistency and they remain vulnerable defensively.
Expect an entertaining contest with chances at both ends, but Arsenal’s greater cohesion and home advantage could prove decisive.
Prediction: Arsenal 2-1 Borussia Dortmund
