On Saturday 9th August at 9.00pm, Palermo will host Manchester City at the Renzo Barbera stadium for the Anglo-Palermitan Trophy, a prestigious friendly match that pays tribute to the foundation of the Rosanero club, which has a strong bond with its English origins. This is a historic event for the city of Palermo and its team, which is preparing to face a world-class team, as rarely happened in the history of the club.
This will be a prestigious test against an elite team that, after taking part in the Club World Cup in the United States, will face Filippo Inzaghi’s players following their summer training camp in Valle d’Aosta. It will be the first opportunity of the season to welcome the new team home to the Viale del Fante stadium, for a big rosanero party.
The friendly match will be a significant milestone on Palermo’s journey towards celebrating its 125th anniversary on 1st November. It is a symbolic landmark that unites the past and the future, paying tribute to the Anglo Palermitan Athletic & Football Club, which marked the beginning of the Rosanero story in 1900. 125 years ago, it was the English men who brought football to the city with its first president, Vice-Consul Edward De Garston, and its first captain and coach, George Blake, who are remembered in the Palermo Museum. Today, Palermo and Manchester City, both part of the City Football Group family, celebrate the bond between the city and English influences, sharing a global vision and a sporting culture focused on growth, talent development and local identity.
CFG Global Football Technical Director Riccardo Bigon expressed his excitement for this all-CFG fixture: “It is with great pride that we can announce this historic meeting between two CFG clubs. From a technical perspective, this game offers an important opportunity for players to continue their pre-season preparations, for both managers to implement their ideas and for the respective squads to gel together on the pitch. However, this match also carries the cultural significance of two monumental clubs facing each other for the first time in history, with a nod to Palermo’s heritage and English roots. This is a match-up that both sets of fanbases can be excited about watching. The Anglo-Palermitan Trophy is another example of the vast possibilities that being part of City Football Group can unlock. We are all looking forward to seeing how the last three years of collaboration and knowledge sharing play out on the pitch”.
Ticket sales will begin shortly with a pre-emption period reserved for those who have already purchased a Palermo FC season ticket for the 2025/2026 season: all information will be communicated soon on palermofc.com.