The Bluebirds will kick-off their pre-season preparations with a home clash against FC Midtjylland on Saturday afternoon.
Cardiff City vs. FC Midtjylland
Saturday, 11th July 2026
12:30pm KO
Cardiff City Stadium
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For those unable to attend on matchday, Cardiff City TV will be live streaming the fixture worldwide (excluding Denmark) for £5. Click here to buy your Match Pass.
KNOW YOUR OPPONENT | CLUB PROFILE
One of the most successful Danish clubs in modern times, FC Midtjylland come into Saturday's clash as the reigning Oddset Pokalen (Danish Cup) champions.
Formed in 1999 as a result of the merger between Ikast FS and Herning Fremad, Midtjylland have grown to become a leading force in Danish football over the past 15 years, with four Danish Superliga titles. Their first championship success was back in 2014/15, with further league victories in 2017/18, 2019/20 and 2023/24.
Nicknamed 'Ulvene' (the Wolves), Midtjylland play their home matches at the 12,055 capacity MCH Arena in Herning. Their home colours are red and black, and their main rivals are Viborg FF.
KNOW YOUR OPPONENT | ON THE TOUCHLINE
Mike Tullberg was appointed as Midtjylland Head Coach in September 2025.
The 40-year-old (born on Christmas Day, 1985) featured as a striker in his playing days, turning out for the likes of Grenaa IF and Aarhus Gymnastikforening in his native Denmark.
Tullberg also spent time on loan in Italy with Reggina, as well as a brief, seven-game spell on loan in Scotland with Hearts.
The Dane moved into coaching with the U19 side of Rot-Weiß Oberhausen, the German team with whom he had finished his playing career.
In 2019, Tullberg was appointed as boss of Borussia Dortmund II, the reserve side of the German giants, following in the footsteps of David Wagner, Daniel Farke and Jan Siewert, who would all later go on to manage in English football.
Tullberg had a three-game spell as interim boss of the Dortmund first team in January 2025, before departing for Midtjylland nine months later.
KNOW YOUR OPPONENT | SEASON REVIEW
2025/26 was a successful campaign for our Danish opponents, who picked up their seventh major domestic trophy.
Having finished as league runners-up to F.C. København in 2024/25, Midtjylland started strongly again last time around, losing just one of their opening 15 matches. They finished the regular season four points behind Aarhus, who would go on to win the title at the end of the Championship round.
A goalless draw between Midtjylland and Nordsjælland on May 10th handed the title to Aarhus, meaning that Ulvene would have to settle for a second consecutive season in second place.
However, they did secure silverware in the Danish Cup, defeating København 1-0 in the Final at Parken Stadium. Lee Han-beom was the hero for Midtjylland, scoring in the 82nd minute to seal the trophy.
In the UEFA Europa League, Midtjylland won qualifiers against Hibernian, Fredrikstad and KuPS to enter the League Phase. They finished third, behind Lyon and Aston Villa, defeating the likes of Nottingham Forest, Celtic and Dinamo Zagreb, with a narrow loss to our upcoming summer opponents, AS Roma.
However, it was Forest who would have the last laugh: Midtjylland won the first leg of their Round of 16 tie at the City Ground, but the Premier League outfit bounced back to win 2-1, then 3-0 on penalties in the second leg, ending the European adventures of our weekend visitors.
Nevertheless, their Danish Cup exploits mean that Midtjylland will be involved in European action once again this term. They are set to face Beşiktaş in the Europa League second qualifying round, with the first leg on July 23rd and the return clash on July 30th.
KNOW YOUR OPPONENT | FAMILIAR FACE
Several Midtjylland men have been competing at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including Lee Han-beom and Cho Gue-sung (South Korea), Denil Castillo (Ecuador) and Martin Erlić (Croatia), and therefore won't be joining the rest of their teammates in South Wales.
However, one man that City supporters might recognise is midfielder, Philip Billing. Born in Copenhagen, Billing joined Huddersfield Town as a youth player in 2013 and went on to make his Terriers' debut in April 2014.
The dynamic box-to-box man scored a memorable goal here at CCS for Town back in 2016, netting his second Huddersfield goal in some style with a sweet volley from range, though Neil Warnock's side would triumph 3-2.
A key man in Town's rise to the Premier League, he later joined AFC Bournemouth in the summer of 2019 and spent six years on the South Coast, making over 200 appearances for the Cherries before returning to his native Denmark last summer. He netted a second career goal at CCS in September 2021, the only goal in a 1-0 win for Scott Parker's side.
Now aged 30, Billing played 36 matches for Midtjylland last term, scoring three goals and assisting four.