Why Wrexham Have Added Surprise Friendly After Competitive Season Starts

The Red Dragons will begin the 2026–27 campaign against Middlesbrough in the Carabao Cup this weekend but still have one friendly to play after that.

Wrexham will play an extra friendly match next week. | Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Wrexham will face Wigan Athletic in a behind-closed-doors friendly next week, giving Phil Parkinson’s side one final opportunity to build match fitness ahead of the new Championship season.

The Red Dragons returned from their U.S. preseason tour on Sunday night after a 1–0 defeat to Sunderland in Philadelphia. Parkinson will welcome his players back to training in midweek before Wrexham travel to Middlesbrough for their Carabao Cup first-round tie on Friday night.

Although the trip to the Riverside Stadium marks the opening of the competitive season, Parkinson has already indicated he will treat the match as an additional preseason fixture. Wrexham’s priority remains the Championship, with the club focused on making a strong start when they visit Cardiff City on Monday, Aug. 17.

Wrexham are expected to field an experimental lineup against Middlesbrough, with several players then set to get further minutes against Wigan next Monday.

---

Wrexham Add Important Friendly to Schedule

Wrexham played four Premier League teams during the preseason schedule. | Terence Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Speaking after Sunday’s defeat to Sunderland at Subaru Park, Parkinson revealed details of the upcoming friendly against League One side Wigan Athletic.

“Taking everything into account in terms of the traveling in between, the lads have been brilliant; they really have,” he told the club’s official media. “They have tackled every session, they have been brilliant going out into the communities we have been at, and they have represented their club very well.

“We go back now. Middlesbrough on Friday and then we play Wigan on Monday. The Friday game is the Carabao Cup, but the Wigan game has got a lot of importance as well because we need to make sure, as we go into the week of the Cardiff game, we have got another block of minutes in the lads’ legs.”

---

Parkinson Verdict on Preseason

Wrexham have played five official preseason friendlies this summer. | Marcin Golba/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Wrexham went unbeaten through their first three preseason matches, drawing with Wisła Kraków before beating Manchester United and Leeds United. The Red Dragons then suffered narrow defeats to both Liverpool and Sunderland to bring their official preseason schedule to a close.

Reflecting on the club’s third U.S. tour, Parkinson surmised: “On the whole, it has been a good tour for us. We have really enjoyed it. Starting in Tampa, it was a very entertaining game against Leeds. We have come out on the wrong side of two defeats against Liverpool and Sunderland, but it wasn’t for the lack of trying.

“We have had some good moments in the games. The first half today was difficult. It was windy, the pitch was a bit slow, and the game was quite slow. In the second half, we got more aggressive with our pressing and had opportunities to get back into the game. We got through the tour with very few injuries, the lads got plenty of minutes in their legs, and we go back to Wrexham in good spirits.”

---