Even with four Premier League fixtures still to go, it looks like we can officially get excited over our pre-season plans.

With a big international tour returning to Asia already announced by the club, it looks like we have all of our opponents confirmed for our games over on the other side of the world.

As part of the club’s constant drive to boost revenue and commercial opportunities, it’s truly shaping up to be a big summer both on and off the pitch.

Celtic clash set to be announced

According to the i’s Mark Douglas, we’re set to announce a big pre-season game against Celtic as part of our summer plans building up to the 2025/26 season.

Set to take place at Celtic Park in July, it will be our first trip to the home of the Scottish champions since 2004.

Due to be announced “imminently” by the club according to Douglas, it could be similar to the Allan McGregor testimonial fixture against Rangers back in 2023.

On the day, we won 2-1 at Ibrox thanks to goals from Miguel Almiron and Harrison Ashby, so here’s hoping we enjoy similar fortunes for our next trip north of the border.

Asian tour details coming soon

Douglas has further confirmed that we’re set to announce the South Korean leg of our upcoming pre-season tour of Asia.

Douglas reveals “They (Newcastle) will take on Tottenham Hotspur and a representative side in Seoul in early August, following a game against Arsenal at Singapore’s National Stadium on 27 July.”

The appeal of playing Spurs in South Korea is huge, as the presence of Heung-Min Son could likely lead to a sell-out crowd wherever we play.

A lot of these new opportunities to play across the globe, thanks in part to our sponsorship with Adidas, will go a long way in helping us meet key commercial targets, including doubling our commercial revenue every two years.

Sela Cup weekender still set for this summer

Thankfully, the pre-season action isn’t just reserved for fans outside the North East, as the Sela Weekender and Sela Cup are both set to be held at St James’ Park.

The format is expected to follow last year’s event, where the men’s side will play two games against international opponents like Girona and Fiorentina, and the women’s side will also return to play at St James’.