FOOTBALL fans surely know that the EFL Championship is no less exciting than the Premier League. After all, the second-strongest English division features interesting and unique teams. One of the teams that has attracted attention in recent years is Wrexham A.F.C., which, together with Swansea City, represents Wales in the Championship.
Until 2020, only its loyal fans knew about this club. But the situation suddenly changed after Wrexham was acquired by an American-Canadian acting duo, Rob McElhenney (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) and Ryan Reynolds. And the new owners immediately got down to business.
Gradual rise
The team from the city of the same name in northern Wales was founded in 1862. Today, Wrexham A.F.C. is not only the oldest Welsh club, but also one of the top five longest-running football clubs in the world.
Wrexham A.F.C. has been Welsh champion twice and has won the Welsh Cup 23 times. On the international stage, the team’s most successful season was 1975/1976, when it reached the quarterfinals of the Cup Winners’ Cup. The club also caused a sensation in the 1984/85 season when it defeated Porto 1-0 at home.
A defining new chapter in the Wrexham promotion history began in the 2022/23 season, when the club won the National League (fifth division) and earned the right to compete in League 2. The following season saw further progress, with a second-place finish and promotion to League 1.
Then came the 2024/2025 season, in which Wrexham A.F.C. finished second again, earning another promotion. In many ways, the club owes a debt of gratitude to its head coach, Phil Parkinson, who was not afraid of change and took over the team at the start of its evolution.
EFL Championship
The 2025/26 season in the Championship was Wrexham’s first after a 43-year hiatus. However, Philip Parkinson’s team is still moving forward confidently.
Before the start of the tournament, the management announced plans to secure their place in the Championship. But it seems that the players have a different point of view. After all, just three years ago, Wrexham A.F.C. was one of many representatives of the amateur championship, and it has since risen rapidly and consistently in class.
If the club celebrated Christmas in 11th place in the table with 34 points, then at the beginning of February, Wrexham A.F.C. was already sixth, having scored 47 points. The gap between them and the current leader, Middlesbrough, is still 14 points.
The last match played was extremely important for Reksem. After all, they were visited by their neighbor from above and by their direct competitor, Millwall. If successful, Parkinson’s boys would have found themselves in the playoff zone. But instead, they suffered a disappointing 0-2 defeat.
However, it is too early to be upset. There are still 15 rounds to play, which is actually a third of the championship, and everything can change. In their next match, the Welsh will play away against Bristol City on February 17.
There are also representatives of Rotherham in the Top 10 best forwards in the EFL Championship. Forward and Wales national team player Kiefer Moore is ninth with 10 goals.
Latest transfers
It is not surprising that a team with ambitious owners wants to move forward. Therefore, it is necessary to be active in the transfer market. And the management understands this.
In the 2025/2026 season, Wrexham A.F.C strengthened significantly. The most expensive acquisition was left winger Nathan Broadhead from Ipswich, for whom the club paid £8.5 million. Central defender Callum Doyle moved to the Welsh club from Manchester City.
FA Cup surprise
The Emirates FA Cup has already given fans several sensational surprises. One of them was created by Wrexham A.F.C., who defeated Nottingham Forest in the round of 32. The teams finished regular time at 3:3, with Wrexham leading 3:1. However, the Welsh team was more accurate in the post-match penalty shootout.
No less impressive was the victory on February 13 in the 1/16 finals of the cup. In a home match, the Wrexham A.F.C. defeated Ipswich 1:0, continuing their progress in the competition and solidifying their reputation as the tournament’s most dangerous “giant-killers”.
The future of the Red Dragons
Despite a recent defeat to Millwall, Phil Parkinson’s team continues to show incredible progress, rising from amateur status to sixth place in the Championship in just a few years. Ahead of the fans lies the decisive third of the season – 15 rounds that will show whether the Welsh club can aim for another historic promotion.
