Blackpool vs AFC Fylde: kick-off, teams and how to watch
Blackpool face AFC Fylde at Mill Farm on Saturday, 11 July 2026, in the latest Fylde Blackpool pre-season friendly. Kick-off is 3pm as Ian Evatt opens his 2026/27 programme with separate XIs for each half. New signings Ilmari Niskanen and Dion Charles are set to feature. Highlights land on Tangerine TV; no live TV broadcast is listed.
Key Takeaways
- Kick-off is 3pm at Mill Farm in the third consecutive summer meeting between the Fylde coast neighbours.
- Ian Evatt has picked two different starting XIs, making 11 changes at half-time.
- New signings Ilmari Niskanen starts the first half; Dion Charles is in the second-half lineup.
- Three trialists — Andy Yiadom, Tom McIntyre and Emmanuel Okunowo — feature after the break.
- Highlights go on Tangerine TV post-match; Blackpool FC will post live updates on social media.
When does the Fylde vs Blackpool friendly kick off?
Blackpool's pre-season programme begins with a short trip to National League North champions AFC Fylde at Mill Farm Stadium. The official club preview confirms a 3pm kick-off on Saturday, 11 July 2026.
It is the third consecutive summer the sides have met at Mill Farm. Blackpool won 4-3 when Craig Mahon's first game in charge of Fylde came against the Seasiders last July. Fylde secured the National League North title last season and return to the fifth tier.
Who is in Blackpool's squad for the AFC Fylde friendly?
Head coach Ian Evatt has named an XI for each half, with 11 changes due at the break. The first-half team is Bailey Peacock-Farrell, Andy Lyons, Oluchukwu Nwankwo, Zac Ashworth, CJ Hamilton, Jordan Brown, Albie Morgan, George Honeyman, Ilmari Niskanen, Tom Bloxham and Dale Taylor.
That lineup points to the wing-back system Evatt has favoured since his October appointment, with Lyons in a back three and teenager Nwankwo in the central defensive role. The second-half XI, listed in number order, is Franco Ravizzoli, Leighton Clarkson, Niall Ennis, Hayden Coulson, Dion Charles, three trialists, Theo Upton, George Elder and Jack Richardson.
Michael Ihiekwe and Fraser Horsfall remain sidelined as they continue rehab following surgery. Josh Bowler and Olly Casey are the other senior players not involved. The three trialists are former Reading defender Andy Yiadom, his ex-Royals teammate Tom McIntyre — a free agent after stints at Portsmouth, Bradford City and Aberdeen — and 20-year-old midfielder Emmanuel Okunowo, recently released by Braintree.
How can fans watch Blackpool vs AFC Fylde?
There is no confirmed live television broadcast for this pre-season friendly. Blackpool FC says highlights will be available on Tangerine TV once the match finishes, with live updates posted across the club's social media channels throughout the afternoon.
For supporters heading to Mill Farm, Blackpool have been allocated 1,300 away tickets — 900 standing and 400 seated. Standing tickets cost £14 for adults and £6 for juniors; seated tickets are £17 and £7 respectively. Tickets are sold only through AFC Fylde online or by calling 01772 598859.
For more streaming and broadcast alerts on pre-season fixtures, check our Streaming & TV Alerts hub. Fylde will be without last season's star forward Danny Ormerod and full-back Alex Healy-Bryne, who is recovering from an ACL injury.