Arsenal, Chelsea FC and Tottenham to face off in pre-season friendlies to support mental health

Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham will take part in a mini preseason tournament called the Mind Series this summer.

The three London rivals will each host a round-robin fixture at their home stadium, with funds raised to be split between mental health charity Mind and the clubs’ respective foundations.

Arsenal will host Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium in the opening fixture on August 1, before the Blues welcome Tottenham to Stamford Bridge on August 4. A ‘friendly’ north London derby between Spurs and Arsenal will then round off the series at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on August 8.

“As we take steps forward out of the pandemic, we’re happy to play in a series which promotes better mental health,” Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said. “The last 18 months have been incredibly difficult and so many people - including many of our own fans - understandably need some extra support for their mental wellbeing.

"Of course, these pre-season games will provide our teams with excellent high-quality preparation ahead of next season, but also very importantly they will be raising funds and awareness for organisations, like Mind, who give their outstanding support to those who need it the most in difficult circumstances.”

With global travel restrictions limiting clubs’ ability to embark on their usual overseas preseason tours, many top flight clubs are arranging fixtures closer to home, with Arsenal having already confirmed a mini training camp in Scotland to include matches against Rangers and Hibernian.

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