West Ham United can confirm the development team’s pre-season schedule ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.
Mark Robson’s young Hammers will test themselves against teams across the English football pyramid with a welcome preparation ahead of Premier League 2 and Papa Johns Trophy campaigns.
West Ham start their pre-season against Varnama National League side Ebbsfleet United, with a trip to Kent scheduled for Tuesday 25 July.
Ebbsfleet finished top of National League South last season with 32 wins from their 46 matches, securing promotion to the fifth tier of English football.
![celebration against Fulham](https://cdn.whufc.com/sites/default/files/2023-02/u21scele1220.jpg)
Three days later, the U21s travel to EFL League Two outfit Colchester United for a fixture on Friday 28 July.
Colchester United finished 20th last season, taking 49 points, including 12 wins, across a hard-fought campaign in which they secured their EFL status.
The fixture will also mark a return to the club Dan Chesters spent the first half of the 2022/23 season on loan at. Meanwhile, Will Greenidge, who joined the U’s in January, could feature against his former side.
The U21s will also face Isthmian Premier League outfit Canvey Island with a fixture set for Tuesday 8 August.
Canvey Island reached the play-offs in the Isthmian Premier League last season but fell narrowly short of promotion to National League South.