Liverpool will return to Australia in July for two friendly matches to be played against Brisbane Roar and Adelaide United as part of the Premier League club’s preparations for the 2015-16 season.

It will be the second time in as many years that the five-times European champions will have visited Australia, following their hugely successful trip down under in July 2013, when over 95,000 fans turned out at the MCG to watch a team led by Steven Gerrard and featuring an appearance off by the bench by Luis Suarez beat Melbourne Victory 2-0. Neither will return this time.

“We visited Australia for the first time two years ago and the support we received from our Australian fans was incredible,” the Liverpool CEO Ian Ayre said. “Liverpool FC has over 600,000 supporters in Australia and we look forward to meeting as many of them as possible while we are in the country.

“Pre-season is an important time for the team as they prepare for the upcoming season and the matches against Brisbane Roar and Adelaide United are an exciting part of that preparation, giving our supporters a chance to see the team up close, no matter how far away from Anfield they live.”

The match against the Roar will take place on 17 July at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane before Adelaide Oval hosts the second game of the tour three days later. Both grounds have capacities of over 50,000 and both matches should sell out given the huge Australian interest in Liverpool.

The Merseyside club are not the only big European names set for Australia in July though – Manchester City, Real Madrid and AS Roma are also making the long trip to take part in the International Champions Cup.