Brighton & Hove Albion will host Roma and Bologna in August pre-season friendlies at the Amex before Fabian Hurzeler’s side begin their European campaign.
Albion have confirmed that Roma will visit on Saturday, 8 August before Bologna arrive one week later on Saturday, 15 August, with both fixtures kicking off at 3pm.
Brighton’s official announcement confirmed the two Amex friendlies, while the Premier League’s summer fixture guide also lists the Roma and Bologna dates as part of Albion’s 2026/27 pre-season schedule.
For Hurzeler, the timing matters as much as the opposition. Brighton are preparing for a season that carries both Premier League pressure and UEFA Conference League demands.
Roma And Bologna Give Brighton European-Level Warm-Ups
The value is obvious. Roma bring elite European control, game management and penalty-box craft; Bologna offer a different Serie A rhythm, built around pressure, rotation and awkward midfield spacing.
For Brighton, this is not just supporter-facing scheduling. It is a stress test for a squad being rebuilt around Pascal Struijk, Costinha, Rodrigo Rego and a changing defensive core after Jan Paul van Hecke’s exit.
Read Brighton has already covered how Roma and Bologna give Brighton two European-level pre-season tests, and the official confirmation keeps that theme firmly in view.
The timing also matters because Brighton already know their Conference League play-off will follow quickly in August. Read Brighton has analysed how the Conference League calendar gives Hurzeler a clear summer deadline, with the play-off round set to shape the end of pre-season.
If Albion want Europe to feel like opportunity rather than disruption, Roma and Bologna now become the first serious checkpoints.
A friendly rarely defines a season. These two, though, should help show whether Brighton’s rebuilt squad is ready for the rhythm Europe demands.
