Nottingham Forest vs Leeds United: Match details
Nottingham Forest and Leeds United will kick-off on 22 August 2026 at 14:00 GMT (10:00 AM EST / 15:00 BST / 16:00 SAST).
Getty ImagesOpening weekend spark on Trentside
Nottingham Forest launch their 2026/27 Premier League campaign at home as they welcome Leeds United to the City Ground for Matchweek 1. Roared on by a passionate home support, Forest will aim to establish early dominance on Trentside and carry momentum into a demanding new domestic season. For Leeds, an opening day trip to Nottingham represents a immediate high-intensity benchmark to gauge their top-flight readiness right out of the gate.
Getty ImagesThe Tricky Trees' pre-season continental tests and strong home finish
Nottingham Forest enter the season opener off an extensive pre-season campaign across Europe. After kicking off their summer with victories against Notts County and Blackburn Rovers, Forest logged valuable minutes during a challenging tour in Portugal and tests against European opposition. They capped off their pre-season in fine fashion at home, securing a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen before putting on an impressive performance in a 2-0 win against Stade Brestois on August 16.
Getty ImagesThe Whites' statement wins in big-name friendlies
Leeds United stride into the City Ground boosted by an eye-catching summer pre-season slate. The Whites demonstrated serious attacking threat early in August with a stunning 4-2 victory against Liverpool, followed by a composed 2-0 win over RB Leipzig. After battling to a 1-1 draw against Manchester United in midweek, Leeds finalised their opening day preparations on August 15 in dominant fashion, dismantling FC Augsburg 4-0 to ensure their front line is firing on all cylinders.
Head-to-head history: Fierce battles with fine margins
Matches between Nottingham Forest and Leeds United have historically been high-octane encounters defined by frantic atmospheres and direct football. Intriguingly, both clubs will become intimately familiar with each other right at the start of the 2026/27 calendar, as they are set to meet twice in three days - following up this Premier League curtain-raiser with an immediate rematch in the EFL Cup second round at the City Ground.
Team news & squads
Nottingham Forest vs Leeds United Probable lineups
Manager
- O. Glasner
Oliver Glasner has one confirmed absentee for Forest's season opener, with Nicolo Savona listed as injured. No suspensions are in place for the hosts, and no probable starting XI has been confirmed ahead of kick-off. Further team news updates will be added closer to the match.
For the visitors, Daniel Farke is without goalkeeper Lucas Perri and winger Gabriel Gudmundsson, both of whom are sidelined through injury. Leeds have no suspended players, and no projected XI has been released at this stage. Updates will follow as the club provides more information.
Form
Nottingham Forest head into the new season with a mixed pre-season record of two wins and three losses from their last five outings. Their most recent result was a 2-0 win over Brest on August 16, which followed a 2-1 victory against Bayer Leverkusen four days earlier. Prior to those wins, Forest lost to Barcelona (0-1), Udinese (0-1), and Sporting CP (1-4), the latter a heavy defeat that raised early questions about their defensive shape. Across the five matches, Forest scored five goals and conceded seven.
Leeds United arrive in considerably stronger form, winning four of their last five pre-season fixtures. Their most recent result was a 4-0 win over Augsburg on August 15, while they also beat RB Leipzig 2-0 and Sunderland 1-0. A 2-4 victory over Liverpool stands as one of the standout results of their summer, though a 1-1 draw with Manchester United — recorded as a loss in the dataset — interrupted their winning run. Leeds scored nine goals and conceded one across their last four pre-season games.
Head-to-Head Record
Head to Head
The most recent meeting between these two sides came in February 2026, when Leeds United won 3-1 at Elland Road in a Premier League fixture. Before that, Nottingham Forest claimed a 3-1 home win at the City Ground in November 2025. Across the last five meetings — which include three Premier League clashes and one pre-season friendly — each side has won twice, with the records evenly split.