Wrexham are preparing for life in the Championship after Phil Parkinson learned the 2025-26 fixture list.
Championship football was still a pipe dream for Wrexham fans when Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds completed their 2021 takeover.
Four years on, Wrexham fans were looking for the Championship fixture release on Thursday after three straight promotions.
Wrexham have been matched against Southampton on the opening day of the season, really hammering home the challenge ahead.
It’s just over two years since Wrexham’s memorable win over Boreham Wood to secure promotion from the National League.
Now, Wrexham are rubbing shoulders with Premier League regulars who will be gunning for promotion back to the top flight.
Wrexham’s toughest run in the Championship season
That opening day trip to Southampton will be a real test for Wrexham, and hosting West Bromwich Albion a week later isn’t much easier.
The Championship can be a brutal and unforgiving league, where it’s so easy to go on runs without wins.
Wrexham will hit some difficult points in the season, but one five-game run stands out to us as being especially tricky.
Wrexham host Swansea City on 14 March, as an all-Welsh battle takes place at the STōK Cae Ras.
It’s been a while since Wrexham faced Swansea and both sides will want bragging rights in the two meetings this season.
Just a week later, Wrexham take on Sheffield United away from home, with any trip to Bramall Lane considered tough.
The Blades are likely to be in the promotion hunt again, and Wrexham will visit at the business end of the season.
Add in the needle between the two sides from the FA Cup in 2023, and this trip to South Yorkshire will be a fascinating one.
April begins with a trip to West Bromwich Albion, before Southampton visit North Wales just three days later.
West Brom are something of a question mark under first-time manager Ryan Mason, but they certainly possess the quality to cause Wrexham problems at The Hawthorns.
We have already touched on Southampton’s quality, and facing them just days after the trip to West Brom is hardly ideal.
Birmingham City end this very tough run of games as Wrexham make the trip to St. Andrew’s.
Wrexham and Birmingham enjoyed a real battle in League One, which was fuelled by North American influence off the pitch.
Rob McElhenney and Tom Brady exchanged barbs last season, and that is likely to continue in the Championship.
Wrexham will hope to have something to play for at this late stage in the season, but recording significant points will be a real challenge.
Tough run on paper, but don’t count Wrexham out
On paper, this run looks tough, but Wrexham have managed to string so many wins together over the years.
Phil Parkinson won’t be looking too far ahead right now anyway, but he will go into any game with the mindset that Wrexham can compete.
Many thought Wrexham should stabilise in League One, given that clubs like Huddersfield Town and Bolton Wanderers would be in the mix.
Wrexham finished well clear of both sides and deservedly finished second in the table, so Parkinson will have belief in his players and his setup to get results.
Wrexham are a great unit and will be a tough proposition for any side in the Championship, with Parkinson no doubt looking to frustrate a few perceivably ‘bigger’ clubs this season while proving Wrexham belong at this level.