Match Details

Nottingham Forest will host Leeds United on Saturday 22 August 2026 at the City Ground. The match kicks off at 15:00 BST, with referee Robert Jones and VAR Craig Pawson officiating. The last Premier League meeting between the clubs ended 3-1 to Leeds in February 2026.

Nottingham Forest Team News

Forest’s manager Oliver Glasner admitted the squad is “not at 100 %” but “on a good track” after implementing tactical changes. Ryan Yates is sidelined with a minor issue, and Nicolo Savona is ruled out after a setback in his knee-injury recovery. Glasner will likely start Ousmane Diomande, a £34 m arrival from Sporting CP, in a back-three. Xaver Schlager is also pushing for a first start in central midfield following the club-record sale of Elliot Anderson. The midfield battle will feature Nicolás Domínguez against James McAtee.

Leeds United Team News

Leeds’ new manager Daniel Farke confirmed that Gabriel Gudmundsson, Willy Gnonto, and goalkeeper Lucas Perri are all out with thigh injuries. Ilia Gruev’s involvement remains unclear after a long-term knee problem. Farke also confirmed that all other players, including new signing Nico Elvedi, are fit. James Trafford, a club-record £40 m signing from Manchester City, will make his full debut in goal, with Tarik Muharemović lined up to start at centre-back.

Form and Pre-Season

Forest finished 16th last season before parting with Vítor Pereira. Their pre-season included a 2-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen and a 2-0 victory over Brest. The switch to a back-three mirrors the system that brought Glasner success at Crystal Palace, and the arrivals of Diomande and Schlager suggest a squad being reshaped in that image.

Leeds finished 14th last season and reached an FA Cup semi-final. Their pre-season saw four wins in six fixtures, scoring 13 goals and conceding six. Highlights included a 4-2 comeback win over Liverpool in Chicago and a 4-0 win over Augsburg. Leeds have lost their opening league fixture in just two of their last 18 top-flight campaigns. Joe Rodon and Jayden Bogle both signed new contracts this week.

Predicted Line-ups

Nottingham Forest (3-4-2-1): Sels; Diomande, Milenkovic, Murillo; Aina, Sangare, Schlager, Williams; Ndoye, Gibbs-White; Jesus

Leeds United (3-4-2-1): Trafford; Rodon, Bijol, Muharemovic; Bogle, Ampadu, Stach, Justin; Wilson, Aaronson; Calvert-Lewin

How to Watch

The match falls under the Premier League’s traditional 3 pm Saturday blackout and will not be broadcast live in the United Kingdom.