The fixture list for the Southern League has been released as Real Bedford learn of their first opponents for their debut season at step three in Southern League Premier Central, while the Women face the challenge of the Women’s National League Southern Premier.
Real Bedford begin life at step three by hosting Spalding United at the Ledger Stadium on Saturday 9 August, before travelling to Needham Market three days later, a side who were relegated from National League North last season.
A tricky start to the league campaign continues with a trip to last season’s losing play-off semi finalists, Halesowen Town before Real host the losing play-off finalists, Kettering Town on Saturday 23 August.
The Pirates then travel to St Ives Town 48 hours later on the August bank holiday Monday.
There is also an interesting crossover, as Real Bedford travel to face Worcester City early in the calendar; a side who play their home games at the 12,067-capacity Sixways Stadium, ground sharing with Worcester Warriors, who will welcome Bedford Blues in Champ Rugby this season.
That game is on Saturday 20 September.
Real Bedford’s final league game is on Saturday 25 April with a trip to Bromsgrove Sporting.
The full 2025/26 fixture list for Real Bedford Men can be found here.
Real Bedford are here courtesy of a third straight non-league title, beating Berkhamsted by a mighty 15 points at the top of Southern League Central Division One, securing the trophy in front of Real’s American investors, the Winklevoss twins.
Read: Evans penalty seals Real Bedford’s third straight league title
Rob Sinclair’s side scored a mammoth 129 goals in 40 league games last season, and they have picked up from where they left off in the early stages of their pre-season campaign, scoring 11 goals in two games.
A 4-1 home win against Corby Town, managed by former Bedford Town number one, Gary Setchell was supplemented by a 7-1 away win against AFC Welwyn with goals from the usual suspects and new names pleasing Sinclair.
Joey Evans, who won the Southern League Central Division One golden boot last season, was on the scoresheet in the first game against Corby, alongside Tom Hitchcock and new faces, Sam Cartwright and Josh Allen.
Allen was in the goals early in the second game against Welwyn; scoring two more, alongside efforts for Isaac Galliford, Eniola Agemoh-Davies, Ben Stevens and new faces, Conor Tee and Ben Weyman as Real ran riot at step five, Welwyn.
Treks ahead for the Women
The fixture list for the Women’s National League was released on 15 July, and with Real Bedford Women also gaining promotion, to tier three of the Women’s football pyramid, they face some monster trips in the Southern Premier Division.
Charlie Bill’s side open their campaign away from home at AFC Wimbledon on Sunday 17 August before hosting Cheltenham Town the following weekend.
The opening month finishes with a trip to Lewes on 31 August.
In between the league campaign, the Women’s National League Cup kicks off, and Real will hope to match last season’s excellent cup run, where they reached the quarter-finals before losing out to Hashtag United of the tier above.
In this season’s group stage, they will face Norwich City, Cambridge United and Peterborough United for a place in the knockout rounds, with the first group game on 20 August at Rowley Park in Cambridge.
Amongst a host of established clubs at step three, Real Bedford Women are aiming for “consolidation” at this level, with the travel demands of the Southern Premier Division playing a part in what the club recognise as their biggest jump yet.
Read: Real Bedford prepare for life at tier three as Women aim for “consolidation”
They are in this division thanks to pipping Norwich City to the Women’s National League Division One South East title with a storming 11-1 victory against bottom side, London Seaward on the same weekend as the Men won their league.
Charlie Bill’s side were aiming for an unbeaten league season, but chronic unavailability on the final weekend left them short of players and saw them lose 3-1 at Dulwich Hamlet, although they were already promoted by this point.
Amongst a plethora of away trips this season are two treks to Devon with Plymouth Argyle (30 November) and Exeter City (22 March) waiting, alongside a journey to Wales to face Gwalia United, who Real beat in the Women’s National League Cup last season.
The full 2025/26 fixture list for Real Bedford Women can be found here.
Their pre-season campaign kicks off this Tuesday (22 July) as Real travel to Cambridge United for the first of what will be at least four fixtures against the U’s this season, before games against Fulham, Derby County and Loughborough Lightning.
