Wrexham 2026/27 Season Preview
Championship Preview
Wrexham 2026/27 Season Preview - Predictions, Breakdown and Everything you Need to Know
Where Did Wrexham Finish Last Season?
Expectations surrounding Wrexham were high heading into last season. After securing three consecutive promotions and rising from the National League to the Championship in just three years, many pundits and media outlets were eager to see whether Phil Parkinson's side could continue their remarkable ascent, and possibly get promoted for a fourth time in a row.
Among supporters, however, the mood was far more cautious. Most fans were simply hoping the club could establish itself in the second tier and avoid an immediate relegation battle. Instead, Wrexham exceeded those expectations, finishing seventh and narrowly missing out on the play-off places by just two points.
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)I am completely gutted by today’s result but incredibly proud of our season. We’ve come a long way in five years and this was the best result in our 150+ year history. More to do. But for now, we have so much to be proud of, Reds. pic.twitter.com/qPQywrC0mA
— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) May 2, 2026
Parkinson spent heavily in the summer to strengthen his squad, bringing in 13 new players ahead of the campaign. Among the headline arrivals were Kieffer Moore and Josh Windass, who quickly became key figures in the side. Moore finished the season with 11 goals, while Windass enjoyed an outstanding campaign, scoring 17 times.
The defence was also reinforced with the arrival of Callum Doyle from Manchester City for what was then a club-record fee of £7.5 million. That record would not stand for long, however, as Parkinson later secured the signing of North Wales-born forward Nathan Broadhead from Ipswich Town for £10 million.
Best Result: Wrexham 5 - 3 Ipswich Town (Moore 6’, Windass 37’, Thomason 66’, Doyle 75’, Broadhead 86’).
Worst Result: Wrexham 1 - 5 Southampton (K. Matsuki 12', F. Downes 22', C. Larin 61', R. Stewart 81', F. Azaz 83').
Who Have Wrexham Signed in the Summer Transfer Window So Far?
In
Danny Imray - Crystal Palace, Undisclosed
Total Spent: Unknown
Out
Thomas O’Connor - Peterborough United, Free
Paul Mullin - Rotherham United, Free
Andy Cannon - Fleetwood Town, Free
Max Purvis - Dinas Bangor, Free
Tom Kelly - Bala Town, Free
Mo Faal - Port Vale, Loan
Jay Rodriguez - Released
Callum Edwards - Released
Reuben Egan - Released
Total Received: £0
Wrexham 2026/27 Squad List
Goalkeepers: Arthur Okonkwo, Danny Ward, Callum Burton
Defenders: Callum Doyle, Max Cleworth, Zak Vyner, Dominic Hyam, Conor Coady, Lewis Brunt, Dan Scarr, Liberato Cacace, Seb Revan, Danny Imray, Ryan Barnett, Aaron James
Midfielders: Ben Sheaf, George Dobson, Joe Rees, Lewis O’Brein, George Thomason, Oliver Rathbone, Matty James, Alex Moore, Ryan Longman, Josh Windass, Elliot Lee, Harry Ashfield
Attackers: Nathan Broadhead, Bailey Cadamarteri, Keiffer Moore, Sam Smith, Davis Kiellor-Dunn, Ryan Hardie
Wrexham 2026/27 Home, Away and Third Kits
Home Kit
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)The new Wrexham 26/27 Home kit by Macron has been unveiled during the club’s summer tour in the United States.
— Football Shirt Culture (@footballshirt) August 1, 2026
Read more: https://t.co/qecUlbESsH#Wrexham | Football Shirt Culture | Soccer Jersey | Camiseta de Futbol pic.twitter.com/CbWBdpy0Kd
Away Kit
(
)Ein Tir, Ein Hysbryd.
— Wrexham AFC (@Wrexham_AFC) July 11, 2026
Our @MacronSports 2026/27 away kit is here 🤩
🔴⚪ #WxmAFC pic.twitter.com/65HVzCUozw
Third Kit
TBA
What is Wrexham’s Opening Championship Fixture?
Cardiff City vs Wrexham AFC | Cardiff City Stadium | Monday, 17th August, 22:00
How Can I Watch?
All of Wrexham’s games are available to watch on Sky Sports, with the majority available on the ‘Watch EFL’ and a select few being given full TV coverage.
What Are Wrexham’s First Five Fixtures?
- Cardiff City vs Wrexham - Monday, 17th August
- Wrexham vs Watford - Saturday, 22nd August
- Wrexham vs Birmingham City - Friday, 28th August
- Millwall vs Wrexham - Wednesday, 2nd September
- Swansea City vs Wrexham - Saturday, 5th September
When do Wrexham Play Rivals Cardiff City and Swansea City?
Wrexham don't really have any traditional derby fixtures in the Championship. Their fiercest rivals are still Chester, but that fixture has been buried beneath years of Wrexham's rise through the divisions. The two sides last met in 2018, when Wrexham ran out 2-0 winners, and with Chester still some way below the Football League, there is little chance of that rivalry being reignited anytime soon.
Because of that, I think Wrexham's biggest games this season will be against fellow Welsh clubs Cardiff City and Swansea City. Neither fixture has the history or hostility of Wrexham versus Chester, but both carry an extra edge. For the first time in a long time, there is a genuine battle to establish who can call themselves Wales' leading football club. For the past two decades, that title has belonged to Cardiff or Swansea, with both clubs enjoying spells in the Premier League and establishing themselves as Championship regulars. Wrexham are now knocking on that door.
Last season's meetings with Swansea showed just how competitive these fixtures can be. The Swans edged the first encounter 2-1 at the Swansea.com Stadium (and yes, it will always be the Liberty Stadium to me), before Wrexham responded with a 2-0 victory at the Cae Ras thanks to a Nathan Broadhead strike and a Liam Cullen own goal. If last season was anything to go by, this year's Welsh battles should be among the highlights of Wrexham's campaign.
(
)FT: Wrexham 2-0 Swansea City
— Only Swans (@onlyswanss) March 13, 2026
The Swans taste defeat in Wrexham.
Thoughts on the match? ⬇️🦢 pic.twitter.com/9fpQ9zIIub
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Cardiff City vs Wrexham AFC | Cardiff City Stadium | Monday, 17th August, 22:00
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Wrexham AFC vs Cardiff City | Cae Ras | Saturday, 6th March, 15:00
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Swansea City vs Wrexham AFC | Swansea.com Stadium | Saturday, 5th Septemeber, 22:00
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Wrexham AFC vs Swansea City | Cae Ras | Saturday, 10th April, 15:00
Last 5 Meetings vs Cardiff City
- 2025/26: Wrexham 1-2 Cardiff (League Cup)
- 2003/04: Wrexham 2-2 Cardiff, Wrexham Win on Penalties (FAW Premier Cup)
- 2001/02: Cardiff 2-3 Wrexham (Division Two)
- 2001/02: Wrexham 1-1 Cardiff, Cardiff Win on Penalties (FAW Premier Cup)
- 2001/02: Wrexham 1-3 Cardiff (Division Two)
Last 5 Meetings vs Swansea City
- 2025/26: Wrexham 2-0 Swansea (Championship)
- 2025/26: Swansea 2-1 Wrexham (Championship)
- 2005/06: Wrexham 1-2 Swansea (FAW Premier Cup)
- 2004/05: Swansea 2-1 Wrexham (FAW Premier Cup)
- 2002/03: Wrexham 0-0 Swansea (Division Three)
Who is Wrexham’s Manager for the 2026/27 Season?
Phil Parkinson
The architect behind Wrexham's remarkable rise, Phil Parkinson has guided the club from years outside the Football League to the brink of the Premier League.
Parkinson has built a reputation as one of the finest managers in the English lower leagues. Beginning his managerial career with Colchester United in 2003, he led the U's to an unlikely promotion to the Championship before going on to manage Hull City, Charlton Athletic, Bradford City, Bolton Wanderers and Sunderland.
Long before arriving in North Wales, Parkinson had already established an impressive CV. He won promotions with Colchester, Hull and Bolton, while also writing himself into football history by leading League Two Bradford City to the 2013 League Cup final, becoming the first manager to take a fourth-tier side to a major domestic cup final in more than 50 years.
Since taking charge of Wrexham in 2021, Parkinson has elevated his reputation even further. Under his leadership, the Red Dragons have achieved three successive promotions and recorded the highest league finish in the club's history. In doing so, he has earned legendary status among the Wrexham faithful, joining the likes of Arfon Griffiths, Brian Flynn, Dixie McNeil and Joey Jones as one of the most revered figures the club has ever known.
Who is Wrexham’s Player to Watch?
Sam Smith
With Wrexham's squad packed full of quality, identifying one standout player is no easy task. Much like last season, success is likely to depend on the collective rather than one individual. If I had to single out one player, however, it would be Sam Smith.
Smith arrived from Reading during the January transfer window in 2025 for a then club-record fee of £1 million. He joined after an impressive spell in Berkshire, where he scored 26 goals in 59 League One appearances over two seasons. He wasted little time making an impact in North Wales, netting seven goals in 18 appearances during the second half of the campaign as Wrexham secured promotion to the Championship.
The step up in quality made life more difficult. Increased competition for places meant Smith found himself in and out of the starting XI during the early months of last season, but he gradually worked his way back into Phil Parkinson's plans. He ended the campaign with eight goals in 40 appearances, a respectable return in his first season at Championship level.
Now 28, Smith is entering what should be the peak years of his career. He possesses the pace, movement and finishing ability to trouble Championship defences, and after 18 months at the club he has a far greater understanding of what it means to represent Wrexham. With another full pre-season behind him and greater experience of the division, I expect Smith to become an even more influential figure in the 2026/27 campaign. If Wrexham are to mount another push towards the play-offs, their number nine is likely to play a leading role.
Wrexham 2026/27 Season Prediction
Entering a second season in the Championship after such a remarkable first campaign makes Wrexham one of the hardest teams in the division to predict.
As a lifelong Wrexham fan, I should probably acknowledge my bias before making any predictions. So, let me get the unrealistic one out of the way first: we'll wrap up the Championship by February, win the FA Cup, lift the League Cup and probably have Phil Parkinson knighted while we're at it. Right, now that's out of my system, here's what I actually think.
The Championship looks even stronger this season. West Ham, Burnley and Wolves have all dropped down from the Premier League, while Cardiff City, Lincoln City and Bolton Wanderers have come up looking to establish themselves. It is another brutally competitive division, and there will be very little margin for error.
That said, Wrexham have already shown they belong at this level. The squad has quality throughout, Parkinson has proved time and again that he can build competitive teams, and with one or two more additions before the transfer window closes, there is every reason to believe the club can enjoy another strong season.
My head tells me Wrexham will finish just outside the play-off places again, somewhere between seventh and ninth. My heart, however, says they might just sneak into sixth and give themselves a shot at promotion. Whether they would have enough to survive the play-offs is another question entirely, but after everything this club has achieved over the past few years, I have learnt never to completely write them off.
Football Park’s prediction: 7th
Harry Pascoe 
Alec Hayward 
