Southampton host Wrexham at St Mary’s Stadium on Saturday lunchtime in the opening game of the 2025-26 EFL Championship season. This fixture marks a meeting between two clubs coming in from different directions: Southampton were relegated from the Premier League last season, while Wrexham achieved promotion from League One, making this their first Championship campaign in over four decades.
Southampton enter the match with ambitions to bounce back quickly, guided by manager Will Still, who joined in the summer. Despite a tough previous season in the top flight, the squad retains some quality and experience, especially up top, where the likes of Cameron Archer, Adam Armstrong, and new signing Damion Downs represent an arsenal of firepower that few other sides can match.
Wrexham, meanwhile, continue their rapid rise up the English football pyramid, having secured three consecutive promotions. The Welsh side will be keen to make a solid start and have done some impressive business in the transfer market, most notably bringing in Josh Windass on a free transfer from Sheffield Wednesday and Conor Coady from Leicester for a modest fee.
Southampton's preseason results have been mixed, with the Saints recording a 2-1 win over Eastleigh, draws against Castellon (1-1) and Brighton (2-2), while also losing 2-1 to Espanyol. Wrexham, on the other hand, have lost all three of their preseason games, falling to defeats to Gronigen (3-1), Wellington Phoenix (1-0) and Sydney FC (2-1).
Wrexham's style under Phil Parkinson is centred around long balls and direct play, and while that's been very successful for them throughout their ascent up the EFL pyramid, they're probably going to need to evolve fairly significantly if they're to make a serious dent in this league. Southampton’s home advantage, Championship experience and notable quality advantage make them clear favourites, and while a side like Wrexham will not simply roll over, this should be three points for the Saints.
Southampton 3-1 Wrexham
