Preview: Southend United vs West Ham United - prediction, team news, lineups

West Ham United will officially begin their preparations for the 2026-27 campaign with a pre-season friendly against Essex outfit Southend United on Saturday afternoon.

The Hammers are preparing for life back in the Championship following their relegation last term, while Southend - now managed by Kieron Dyer - will attempt to secure a return to the Football League in the new campaign.

Match preview

Southend's 2025-26 season ended on a positive note, beating Wealdstone in the FA Trophy final at Wembley to secure silverware, but that success was not enough for Kevin Maher to keep his job, with Dyer now in charge of the Blues.

Dyer - a 33-time England international and former Premier League star - has arrived at Roots Hall tasked with securing promotion back to the Football League, with Southend spending the last five campaigns in the National League following their relegation from League Two in 2020-21.

The Essex outfit kicked off their preparations for the new season with a 2-1 defeat to Cambridge United in a behind-closed-doors friendly on Tuesday afternoon.

Southend are now preparing to face West Ham, Northampton Town, Leyton Orient and Aveley before starting their National League campaign against Altrincham on August 8.

The Shrimpers have had a big turnaround this summer already in terms of players, with nine new signings being made thus far, including Rayan Oyebade on loan from West Ham.

The visitors, meanwhile, are preparing for life back in the Championship following their relegation from England's top flight at the end of last season.

West Ham finished 18th in last season's Premier League table, two points behind London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, with the Hammers therefore returning to the Championship for the first time since 2011-12.

There had been speculation surrounding the future of head coach Nuno Espirito Santo, but the 52-year-old is set to remain in charge heading into the new season, and West Ham will be among the favourites to win the Championship in 2026-27.

The Hammers will take on Southend, Stevenage, Rangers and Magdeburg in friendlies before facing Portsmouth in the EFL Cup on August 8, with that match coming eight days before their Championship opener away to Burnley.

West Ham have only made one signing so far this summer, bringing in Keiber Lamadrid on a permanent basis from Venezuelan outfit Deportivo La Guaira following a loan spell, while Mateus Fernandes is their biggest departure, with the midfielder joining Tottenham in an £85m deal.

Southend United friendly form:

Team News

Southend are expected to have a number of new players on display this weekend, including Vontae Daley-Campbell, who has arrived from Chesterfield.

Anthony Hartigan and Daniel Cox should also be among the new players to feature, while Oyebade could potentially face his parent club.

There should also be a spot in the attack for Charley Kendall, who has signed a new contract with the Blues until the end of next season.

As for West Ham, captain Jarrod Bowen is set to feature from the first whistle, with the attacker left out of the England squad for the 2026 World Cup.

There remains speculation surrounding Bowen's future, but the forward should be involved from the start here.

West Ham are believed to have played a behind-closed-doors friendly against Colchester United on Tuesday, with Niclas Fullkrug said to be among the goalscorers in a 3-2 success for the Hammers, and he could again feature at Roots Hall.

However, Tomas Soucek is injured, while Edson Alvarez, El Hadji Malick Diouf, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Crysencio Summerville will all be absent due to their involvement in the 2026 World Cup.

Southend United possible starting lineup:

Duncan; Daley-Cambell, Goodliffe, Taylor, Cox; Hartigan, Coker, Chambers-Parillon; Kendall, Cardwell, Stone

West Ham United possible starting lineup:

Hermansen; Walker-Peters, Kilman, Mayers, Scarles; Magassa, Potts, Kante; Bowen, Fullkrug, Pablo

We say: Southend United 1-3 West Ham United

West Ham are expected to have a strong team on display in this match, and the Hammers should ultimately have too much quality for their National League opponents.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.