Everton confirm date of first game at new Bramley-Moore dock stadium

Everton are to stage the first game at Bramley-Moore dock stadium next month in preparation for their move to the Liverpool waterfront.

Everton will run three test events to obtain the licence and safety certificates required to operate at full capacity next season. The first will be held on Monday 17 February when the club’s under-18s will play a friendly in front of 10,000 spectators. The opponent has yet to be announced.

In the second, Everton’s under-21s will play a friendly before a 25,000 crowd, in late March or early April depending on the successful completion of the first test event, and a third game at close to or full 52,888-capacity will be held later in the season. No competitive matches can be held at this stage.

The 10,000 crowd for the first event will be housed in the South Stand of the £800m development, including the rail seating area. The club hope to open the entire stadium for the second test event, with reduced capacities in each stand. Tickets for the first two games, priced £5 for adults and £2.50 for concessions, will be allocated via a ballot that opens on Friday.

Everton’s manager, Sean Dyche, meanwhile, has said there have been no inquiries for Dominic Calvert-Lewin in this transfer window despite the striker approaching the end of his contract. Calvert-Lewin’s deal expires at the end of the season and the Serie A leaders Atalanta are reportedly interested in the 27-year-old. But Dyche said: “There has been no contact from anyone. There is bound to be rumour and conjecture – that is the nature of it.”

Dyche also claimed Everton were unlikely to take disciplinary action against Neal Maupay over his latest social media dig at his parent club. The striker, who scored once for Everton and is on loan at Marseille, wrote on X after Sunday’s 2-0 defeat by Nottingham Forest: “Whenever I’m having a bad day, I just check the Everton score and smile.”

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Dyche is unconcerned by the £15m flop’s comments. “I think it is fair to say there is a bigger picture to Everton Football Club that I am focusing on and I don’t think I need to be too worried,” he said. Asked whether any disciplinary action would follow, Dyche replied: “I don’t think we’ll be worried about that.”

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