Hammers to kick-off pre-season in Switzerland

West Ham celebrate scoring at Watford

West Ham United will begin their preparations for the 2019/20 campaign with a pre-season training camp in Switzerland.

The Hammers will spend eleven days in the Swiss Alps as Manuel Pellegrini puts his squad through their paces for the first time following the summer break.

Following a gruelling training programme, the camp will culminate with a friendly fixture across the Austrian border against SCR Altach on Thursday 11 July, with kick-off at 5.30pm local time.

Altach secured a ninth place finish in the Austrian Bundesliga this season and will welcome Pellegrini’s side to their CASHPOINT Arena home for their first pre-season run out.

Tickets for the match will be priced at €19 for adults, €15 concessions (students, 15-18 year-olds and over-65s), and €9 kids. Details of sales dates for West Ham fans will follow on whufc.com in due course.

The training camp marks a return to familiar ground for Pellegrini, who led the Hammers at the same Bad Ragaz venue last summer.

The manager said: "We are looking forward to returning to Bad Ragaz to begin our pre-season preparations in July. It is a facility and location that we know well, and one that gives us everything we require as a squad to ensure that we work in the best possible way. 

“We have been able to plan our pre-season schedule much earlier this year and the training camp in Switzerland is a vital element of the preparation. After our strong finish to the Premier League season, we can now enjoy the summer break feeling positive and confident, ready to start work together again on July 1."

Meanwhile, tickets are now on sale for the Hammers' fixtures in the Premier League Asia Trophy, which takes place in China in mid-July. Click here for full information.