Everton confirmed to play in Algarve Cup

Two more dates have been added to Everton’s preseason calendar with the news today that the Toffees have been invited to the Algarve Cup in Portugal in late July.

The Blues’ manager Marco Silva was likely involved in the discussion that sees his new side take on French Ligue 1 side LOSC Lille on Saturday, July 21, kick-off is at 8pm local time (8pm BST, 3pm EST).

The third team in the mini-tournament are hosts and Portuguese Liga NOS champions FC Porto, with the Toffees taking them on on Sunday July 22nd, with kick-off at the same time.

Everton last played Lille during the group stages of their 2014-15 Europa League campaign, drawing 0-0 away in France before beating them 3-0 at Goodison Park with goals from Leon Osman, Phil Jagielka and Steven Naismith.

Coincidentally, that was the same season the Blues last played Porto too, in Leon Osman’s Goodison Park testimonial in August 2014, with Naismith scoring in a 1-1 draw.

The summer calendar is filling up now, with the only dates-confirmed visitors to Goodison so far are Spanish side Valencia, on Saturday August 4th a week before the Premier League season kicks off with a trip to Championship-winners Wolverhampton Wanderers.

A game against SportPesa Cup champions Gor Mahia at Goodison Park is on the cards too, with no date announced as yet. The Toffees beat the Kenyan side 2-1 in Tanzania last summer.

Last season the Blues played in only four friendlies, but the season also started in late July due to the two rounds of two-legged qualifiers they had to play for the Europa League.

Here is what the summer schedule is looking like now -

• 17th May, 2018 - Summer transfer window opens
• 8th June, 2018 - FIFA transfer window opens
• 14th June, 2018 - World Cup 2018 begins
• 2nd July, 2018 - Everton training camp opens
• 15th July, 2018 - World Cup 2018 ends
• 18th July, 2018 - Everton at Bury FC (Preseason friendly)
• 21st July, 2018 - Everton vs LOSC Lille (Preseason friendly, Algarve Cup)
• 22nd July, 2018 - Everton vs FC Porto (Preseason friendly, Algarve Cup)
• 26th July, 2018 - Everton at Blackburn Rovers FC (Preseason friendly)
• 4th August, 2018 - Everton vs Valencia (Preseason friendly)
• 9th August, 2018 - Summer transfer window closes
• 10th August, 2018 - Everton at Wolverhampton Wanderers (2018-19 Premier League)