Norwich City's pre-season schedule comes to an end with FC St Pauli's visit to Carrow Road on Saturday, August 3 (KO 3pm), presented by Eleven Sports Media.
The City squad continued their Sky Bet Championship preparations with a 2-2 draw against Europa League side Hoffenheim in Austria in midweek.
The Opposition
Bundesliga and Canaries TV commentator Dan O'Hagan has offered us his insight into the club from the St Pauli district of Hamburg.
The return of FC St Pauli to the Bundesliga is very exciting - and long overdue. Returning to the top flight after a 13-year absence, the club made up for successive promotion near misses by clinching the 2.Bundesliga title in dramatic fashion on the final day of the season, coming from a goal down to win 2-1 at Wehen Wiesbaden with the decisive goal eight minutes from time scored by City old-boy Danel Sinani.
St Pauli is, even by German standards, a unique football club. And not just because they're one of very few clubs (go on, name another) who play in Brown. The club's fanbase is unapologetically political, the team of Hamburg's working class with a distinct and proud left-leaning outlook, symbollised by the skull and crossbones logo many of the travelling fans will be wearing in Norwich on matchday. The stadium regulations at the passionate Millerntor-Stadion were the first in Germany to explicitly prohibit sexist and racist words and behaviour, and fan culture at the club remains at the forefront of inclusivity and social cohesion in their home city and beyond.
Losing promotion-winning coach Fabian Hürzeler to Brighton this summer is undeniably a blow, and the Brown-Whites will embark on their top-flight return under Alexander Blessin whose best work has come in Belgium with Union Saint-Gilloise and was schooled in the Red Bull system, coaching youth teams at RB Leipzig.
Of the promotion heroes, Josh Sargent's former Werder Bremen team-mate Johannes 'Jojo' Eggestein will be itching to have another crack at the Bundesliga having never quite nailed down a regular place there with northern rivals Bremen while ex-Canary Sinani will hope for more minutes than he managed last season.
In terms of transfers, exciting winger Morgan Guilavogui has arrived from Lens and right-back Fin Stevens has been recruited from Brentford as St Pauli bid to make an impression on the Bundesliga. The fight for the goalkeeper's jersey is causing interest with the new acquisition Ben Voll making the most of the game time afforded to him by a minor knee injury to established number one Nikola Vasilj. "Class from day one" is Blessin's verdict on Voll, who has never played above the third tier in Germany.
Results in pre-season have been mixed, with the undoubted highlight a 1-0 win over French giants Lyon in their Austrian training camp, with the late winner a world class finish into the top corner from 17-year-old rookie Marwin Schmitz.
Quite how St Pauli will fare back in the Bundesliga remains to be seen, another 'Kult' club 1.FC Union Berlin's rise and consolidation will be viewed as an example of what is possible, but without doubt the story of their return to the ranks of the German elite will be one worth following.
How to Follow
Supporters may purchase an individual match streaming pass for this game for £5.
Or you can follow live updates on the official Norwich City X account.
Supporter Information
Ticketing
Supporters are advised to purchase their tickets in advance of the day.
You can do so by clicking HERE or by calling the ticket office on 01603 721902 (option 1).
Stevenage (Carabao Cup)
Mascot packages for our first home game of the season, the Carabao Cup first round tie against Stevenage, are still available.
For more information, or to book your place on this unique matchday experience, click HERE.
Roadworks
Supporters attending the fixture are advised of road works taking place at the Martineau Lane/Trowse Bypass junction. Please allow additional time for your matchday journey if travelling via this route.
The junction will remain open at all times, but lane restrictions will be necessary to provide safe working zones for operatives.
The works are expected to be in place until mid-August.
Parking update
From the start of the 2024/25 season, County Hall car park will be accepting CASH ONLY for matchday parking. No credit/debit cards will be accepted. The charge will remain at £6 per car.