Clapton Community FC vs New York International takes place on Saturday, July 18 2026 with a 3pm kick off at the Old Spotted Dog Ground, 212 Upton Lane, Forest Gate, East London, E7 9NP.
After the club’s jaunt to Gijón, it’s our turn to host overseas opposition at the Old Spotted Dog Ground, as the Clapton CFC Men’s First Team take on New York International FC in a friendly on Saturday, July 18.
The game provides a chance to welcome back a familiar face in the form of Josh Adejokun, our former striker, who should come up against his younger brother, Noah.
NYIFC play in the Metropolitan Conference Division of the American Premier Soccer League, the first level of semi-pro football in the States and nominally the fifth tier overall, so should be a tough test ahead of the new season.
It is the first time the CCFC Men’s First Team have played a non-English side at home since they took on UE Sant Miquel at The Stray Dog way back in April 2019.
NYIFC also become only the second club from abroad to play CCFC at The Old Spotted Dog, following the visit of FC St. Pauli’s women’s team three years ago.
Saturday is also the day before the World Cup Final, a tournament not only compromised by being hosted in Trump’s America, but by FIFA’s position on a whole range of issues.
So, if you want to see what international sporting solidarity can actually mean, come down to the Dog to experience our anti-final.
About the opposition
New York International FC were founded in 2019 by Nick Platt and run three men’s teams. Their lead team started off in the New York Cosmopolitan Soccer League before winning promotion in 2025 to the Metropolitan Division of the American Premier Soccer League (APSL), where they held their own in what is the first tier of US semi-professional football.
Their other two teams also had great success this season, with both sides gaining promotions within the Cosmopolitan League. Equally important is their work off the field, in particular with EV Loves NYC, a nonprofit mutual aid built around its provision of meals for New Yorkers experiencing food insecurity, with the players and staff volunteering, but also helping to secure $15,000 of local government funding for the next fiscal year.
The match also coincides with the annual 5km run in memory of former player Davide Giri, raising funds for Amici di Davide, (Friends of Davide) an association created in Italy by Davide’s family and friends to uplift Davide’s life and legacy.
Form guide
Clapton have won one friendly (UC Ceares), drawn one (Frenford) and lost one (Hashtag United) having won promotion to Step 5. NY International just finished in tenth place in the table.
Player/s to watch
It’s hard to look past the returning Josh Adejokun here, who was top-scorer for the team in the APSL. He was part of the CCFC side that won two promotions from the Middlesex County League until he moved to New York during the 2022-23 promotion campaign. He was then put in touch with NIYFC through fans of the New York Cosmos with CCFC connections, also firing them to promotion.
NYIFC have produced bios of the travelling squad on their Instagram page.
Entrance – where and when
Gates will open at 2pm for a 3pm kick off.
Spectator entry is via the Upton Lane gate, next to the Spotted Dog pub. 212 Upton Lane, E7 9NP (What3Words: option.dark.limes).
However…. it’s just a 30 second walk down the Walter Tull Way if you want to arrive via Disraeli Road, (E7 9JT, lifted.paying.influencing) instead.
Admission prices
No tickets are needed, just turn up and pay at the turnstiles.
Entry is pay what you want for all our pre-season friendly home games, however we would encourage people to pay the usual admission prices in order to help cover costs for this game and for the shortfall for our recent international trip to Gijón.
Standard: £5
Concessions: Pay what you can
Under 13s: Free
Concessions include:
- Clapton CFC members
- Newham residents
- Teenagers (13 to 19)
- Over 60s
- Students and apprentices
- Trade union members
- Unemployed people and those on low income
- People with disabilities and health conditions
- Refugees, asylum seekers and undocumented migrants
The concessions option is available to anyone who needs it. No ID is required to qualify for concessions, we will take your word for it. At the turnstile, just say that you are a concession (you don’t need to say which) and pay what you can for entry.
If you can afford it, however, please do pay the £5 standard price.
Public transport
There are 7 stations, on umpteen different lines, within walking distance of the Old Spotted Dog.
- Forest Gate (Elizabeth) – 14 minutes’ walk
- Wanstead Park (Suffragette) – 17 minutes’ walk
- Plaistow (District/Hammersmith & City) – 19 minutes’ walk
- Upton Park (District/Hammersmith & City) – 19 minutes’ walk
- Maryland (Elizabeth) – 22 minutes’ walk
- Abbey Road (DLR) – 26 minutes’ walk
- Stratford (National Rail/Mildmay/Elizabeth/Jubilee/Central/DLR) – 28 minutes’ walk
Buses
These bus services stop on Upton Lane (St Georges Road stop or Stratford School stop, 4 minutes’ walk away)
325 (from East Beckton or Prince Regent)
678 (From Beckton or Stratford)
These bus services stop on Romford Road (Disraeli Road stop, 7 minutes’ walk away).
25 (from City of London or Ilford)
86 (from Stratford or Romford)
425 (from Lower Clapton or Ilford)
These bus services stop on Woodgrange Road (Claremont Road or Romford Road stops, 11 minutes’ walk away).
58 (from Walthamstow or East Ham)
330 (from Forest Gate or Silvertown)
Bikes
You can park your bike on the new bike racks just inside the Upton Lane gates. There is space for around 50 bikes there. If further space is needed, you can lock your bike on the fencing outside the ground.
Parking
There is no parking on site but there is free on-street parking on the streets around the Old Spotted Dog Ground.
The streets to the north and west of the Old Spotted Dog Ground (e.g. Disraeli Road and Margery Park Road) are in the Stratford North East controlled parking zone. Parking is free on Saturdays and Sundays and after 6.30pm on weeknights.
The streets to the east of the Old Spotted Dog Ground (e.g. the streets around Stratford Academy, St Anthony’s and St Bonaventure schools) are in the Green Street North and Upton Park controlled parking zones. Parking is free on Sundays and after 6.30pm on weeknights.
Always check local signage for any changes. And if possible come by public transport, bike or walk.
Drinks
London’s oldest senior football ground has one of the best bars around, too.
The Clubhouse bar will be open an hour before kick off and will remain open after the full-time whistle with a wide range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks on sale.
It will be the first pouring of the very first batch of Hair of the Dog, the new bespoke lager named after a poll of CCFC members.
Made by Pretty Decent Brewery using Hallertau Mittelfruh hops, it will be available on both draught and in 440ml cans.
There is also the Old Scaffold Daze IPA and a Pretty Decent cider on draught at £5 per pint.
Due to our licence, we ask that you don’t bring your own booze in. The profits from the bar are invested in maintaining and improving the grounds.
Returnable pint and half-pint cups
The Clubhouse has ditched single use plastic and switching to returnable pint and half-pint cups.
Just pay a £2 deposit, which is refunded when you return the cup to the Clubhouse bar.
If you’d rather keep the cup, you’re welcome to take it home instead.
Hot drinks
We have coffee, tea, hot chocolate and Bovril in the Clubhouse on a ‘help yourself’ basis.
There’s no charge if you bring your own reusable cup. If you need a cup, buy one at the bar for £1 then refill it as many times as you like.
Please make sure any children using the water heater are supervised.
Water
We now have a tap to fill your water bottle on the left hand side of the Clubhouse bar. We also have a fountain on the front of the toilet block.
Food
Fusion Foods will be selling hot and cold food with meat, veggie and vegan options.
We usually have crisps, nuts, scampi fries and sweets on sale in the clubhouse.
Toilets
The new toilet block is now open next to the seated stand.
These are in addition to the toilets in the Clubhouse.
Merch for sale
The merch stall is open before the game and at half-time. The stall can be found inside the Clubhouse, on the stage. The merch stall is taking cards only at the moment.
Most of the merch is also available to buy online on our store page.
Matchday programme
No programme for friendlies, sorry.
Cash or card?
Both cash and cards are accepted everywhere in the ground – entrance, bar, and food stall – except the merch stall, which is card only.
Paying cash at the entrance is speedier for all, so if you can bring the right money in hard currency, we would appreciate it.
Hygiene bank collection
The hygiene bank collection is back at all home games, with a new permanent collection point inside the ground.
Our charity partners Magpie Project support mums and young children in temporary accommodation. They need:
● Toothpaste ● Toothbrush ● Shower gel ● Shampoo ● Deodorant ● Sanitary towel
Pitch access
During the game, everyone (kids and adults) needs to stay behind the fence and aware of the risk of being hit by a ball. Nobody should come on the pitch at half-time.
Children can play on the pitch after the game but adults should only be on there to supervise a child. Nobody should take any drinks onto the playing surface.
Children welcome
Prams and pushchairs are always very welcome at the OSD, but please avoid blocking walkways. Make sure all children are behind the perimeter fencing during games too please.
Dogs welcome
Spectators are welcome, in fact encouraged, to bring dogs to the OSD, but please keep on leads. It’s free entry for dogs.
Any questions?
If you have any further questions, look for anyone wearing a pink hi-viz vest or the bar staff who will be happy to answer.