Eastleigh will host League Two side Crawley Town in a pre-season friendly on Saturday, July 25, ahead of the 2026/27 National League campaign. New Spitfires boss Matt Gray previously worked as an assistant coach under Dermot Drummy at Crawley between 2016 and 2017. This is the sixth pre-season friendly announced by Eastleigh, who will also face Sport Republic's Valenciennes at the Silverlake Stadium on Wednesday, July 22. Crawley, who narrowly avoided relegation to the National League, are the toughest English opposition the Spitfires are currently scheduled to face. They are currently coached by former Turkey international Colin Kazim-Richards, who has won two and drawn three of his seven games in charge. Eastleigh's announced pre-season schedule includes a match against Horsham at Fusion Aviation Community Stadium on Friday, July 10. The team will then face Poole Town at Tatnam Ground on Tuesday, July 14. Eastleigh's pre-season friendlies will be played at various stadiums, including the Silverlake Stadium, which will host the match against Valenciennes. The Spitfires will also face Bognor Regis Town at Nyewood Lane on Tuesday, July 28, and Farnham Town at The Memorial Ground on Saturday, August 1. With these friendlies, Eastleigh aims to prepare for the upcoming National League campaign, and the match against Crawley Town will be a key test for the team.