Aston Villa’s pre-season preparations take them to League Two Walsall on Tuesday evening — but fans hoping to watch Unai Emery’s side on traditional television will be left disappointed. The friendly at the Pallet-Track Bescot Stadium, kicking off at 7.30pm, will not be broadcast on Sky Sports, TNT Sports or any terrestrial channel in the UK. Instead, supporters must tune in via VillaTV, the club’s digital platform, where an Essential membership grants access at no extra cost. Non-members can purchase a match pass for £5.99. Fans in the United States face the same restriction, with no domestic broadcaster carrying the fixture. BBC Radio WM are expected to provide live updates, though no official radio commentary has been confirmed.
The match comes with Villa severely depleted — though the full extent of their absentees is unclear — while Walsall boast a fully fit squad. The disparity in resources between the Premier League side and their fourth-tier hosts adds intrigue to a game that will be watched remotely by those willing to pay.
“Aston Villa fans must pay £5.99 to watch pre-season friendly at Walsall; Tottenham debut Tonali and Fernandes against MK Dons.”
Across London, Tottenham Hotspur host MK Dons in their own pre-season outing, with two high-profile debutants in line. Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes are expected to make first appearances for the club, according to reports. The fixture offers Ange Postecoglou a chance to integrate the summer arrivals into his system as Spurs build towards the new campaign.
Both friendlies serve as early tests for sides fine-tuning tactics and fitness — but for Villa, the lack of free-to-air coverage might be the biggest talking point of the night.