Crystal Palace will face RC Lens and FC Famalicao in Group A of the Como Cup on Tuesday, 28 July, giving Pierre Sage an immediate pre-season reunion with his former club in Italy.
Palace confirmed the tournament format as part of their 2026/27 preparations, with the Eagles heading to Lake Como for an event running from Tuesday, 28 July to Saturday, 1 August.
The sharpest detail for supporters is the opener. Sage’s side will meet RC Lens at the Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium at 18:00 BST, just weeks after the Frenchman’s move from Lens to Selhurst Park. Palace then face Portuguese side FC Famalicao at 19:30 BST on the same evening.
Sage gets a useful early test
The group format is unusual: each side plays two 45-minute matches, with draws settled by penalties. Final placement games later in the tournament will run for 90 minutes.
For Palace, the value is obvious. Sage gets a compressed look at his squad against European opposition before the Premier League season, while supporters get an early read on how quickly his ideas are landing.
The RC Lens match carries extra edge because it puts Palace’s new manager straight across from the club he left after winning the Coupe de France and finishing second in Ligue 1. Palace said all their Como Cup matches will be streamed live on Palace TV+ in the official Como Cup schedule announcement.
