The 2025–26 season was the 161st season in the history of Wrexham Association Football Club, and the club's first season back in the Championship, the second tier of English football, since 1981–82, following successive promotions from the National League three years earlier, League Two two seasons earlier, and from League One in the preceding season.
Wrexham finished 7th in the league, the highest finish in the club's history, but narrowly missed out on the promotion play-offs. The Red Dragons advanced to the fifth round of the FA Cup and bowed out in the fourth round of the EFL Cup.
The season was chronicled in the fifth season of the documentary series Welcome to Wrexham.
First-team squad
PlayerDate of birth (age)Previous clubSigned onContract endsGoalsGoalkeepers 1 GK Arsenal 1 September 2023 30 June 2027 121 021GKLeicester City1 July 202530 June 20279025GKPlymouth Argyle15 July 202430 June 202710031GKTranmere Rovers3 September 202530 June 202600Defenders2DFManchester City21 August 202530 June 20293933CBLeicester City2 July 202430 June 20274114CBAcademy1 February 202130 June 2029192135CBBlackburn Rovers1 September 202530 June 202743112RWBManchester City1 September 202531 May 202632013LBEmpoli18 July 202530 June 202811124DFPlymouth Argyle2 August 202430 June 202744029RWBSolihull Moors24 February 202330 June 2027112434CBAcademy1 July 202330 June 202691 26CBBristol City1 February 202630 June 202990Midfielders10AMSheffield Wednesday23 July 202530 June 2028461714MFBolton Wanderers21 July 202530 June 202839115MFCharlton Athletic6 July 202430 June 202894418DMCoventry City1 September 202530 June 202830020CMRotherham United9 August 202430 June 2028781622DMBurton Albion31 January 202230 June 2027115827CMNottingham Forest24 July 202530 June 202845437CMBristol City25 October 202430 June 202772347MFHull City24 January 202530 June 2027613Forwards7FWBarnsley2 February 202630 June 202913116FWBurnley31 January 202530 June 202626219FWSheffield United5 August 202530 June 2028431328FWReading31 January 202530 June 2028661733FWIpswich Town14 August 202530 June 2029418 11FWSheffield Wednesday2 February 202630 June 202930Out on Loan –RMAcademy1 July 202230 June 202792 –CMHull City9 December 202230 June 20268812 –CBLeicester City1 August 202530 June 202760 –FWAcademy1 July 202130 June 202600 –FWWest Bromwich Albion30 August 202430 June 2027163 –FWPlymouth Argyle16 June 202530 June 2028101 –DFAcademy1 July 202530 June 202600 –AMLuton Town8 July 202230 June 202715341 –MFAcademy1 July 202530 June 202600 –FWCambridge United23 July 202130 June 2027172110 –FWAcademy1 July 202530 June 202600 –DFAcademy1 July 202530 June 202600 –MFAston Villa15 July 202430 June 2027271
Transfers and contracts
In DateNameFromFeeRef. 16 June 2025 CF Ryan Hardie Plymouth Argyle £700,000 1 July 2025 GK Danny Ward Leicester City Free 18 July 2025 LB Empoli £2,177,000 21 July 2025CMGeorge Thomason Bolton Wanderers£1,200,00023 July 2025AMJosh Windass Sheffield WednesdayFree 24 July 2025 CM Lewis O'Brien Nottingham Forest £5,000,000 1 August 2025 CB Conor Coady Leicester City £2,000,000 5 August 2025 FW Kieffer Moore Sheffield United £2,000,000 14 August 2025FWNathan Broadhead Ipswich Town£10,000,000 21 August 2025 CB Callum Doyle Manchester City £7,500,000 1 September 2025 CDM Ben Sheaf Coventry City £6,500,000 CB Dominic Hyam Blackburn Rovers £2,700,000 3 September 2025 GK Reuben Egan Tranmere Rovers Free 1 February 2026 CB Zak Vyner Bristol City £1,500,000 2 February 2026 FW Davis Keillor-Dunn Barnsley £2,000,000 FW Bailey Cadamarteri Sheffield Wednesday £1,000,000 Expenditure: £44,277,000
Out DateNameToFeeRef.26 June 2025CBWill Boyle Shrewsbury Town –3 July 2025GKLuke McNicholas Forest Green RoversUndisclosed 19 July 2025 RB Luke Bolton Mansfield Town 26 August 2025 FW Jack Marriott Reading 8 January 2026 CF Jake Bickerstaff Cheltenham Town – 2 February 2026 LWB Jacob Mendy Peterborough United
Loaned in DateNameFromDate untilRef. 1 September 2025 RWB Issa Kaboré Manchester City 31 May 2026
Loaned out DateNameToDate untilRef. 23 June 2025 CF Paul Mullin Wigan Athletic 5 January 2026 1 August 2025 CF Jake Bickerstaff Cheltenham Town 8 January 2026 7 August 2025 CF Modou Faal Port Vale 23 January 2026 13 August 2025LBSebastian Revan Burton Albion31 May 2026 16 August 2025 RW Callum Edwards Southport 1 January 2026 1 September 2025 CB Thomas O'Connor Peterborough United 2 February 2026 LWB Jacob Mendy Peterborough United 2 February 2026 9 January 2026MFAlex Moore Colwyn Bay 31 May 2026FWRio Owen Caernarfon TownDFTom Kelly Bootle23 January 2026 10 January 2026 DF Max Purvis Flint Town 31 May 2026 23 January 2026 DF Tom Kelly Bala Town 26 January 2026 CM Andy Cannon Burton Albion 29 January 2026 DF Conor Coady Charlton Athletic 30 January 2026 CF Paul Mullin Bradford City 2 February 2026 AM Elliot Lee Doncaster Rovers RM Harry Ashfield Cheltenham Town FW Ryan Hardie Huddersfield Town CF Modou Faal Cheltenham Town
Released / Out of Contract DateNameSubsequent clubJoin dateRef.30 June 2025 AM Josh Adam Dynamo České Budějovice 1 August 2025 CF Sam Dalby Bolton Wanderers 1 July 2025 CM Jordan Davies Fleetwood Town 27 August 2025 CB Harry Dean Bala Town 2 July 2025 CF Steven Fletcher Retired GK Brad Foster Ross County3 July 2025 GK Liam Hall Sheffield United 3 October 2025 GK Mark Howard Salford City22 July 2025 29 August 2025 CF Ollie Palmer Swindon Town 29 August 2025 1 September 2025 DM George Evans Burton Albion 1 September 2025 4 September 2025 CB Eoghan O'Connell Barnsley 6 January 2026 17 January 2026 LWB James McClean Derry City 17 January 2026
New contracts DateNameContract untilRef.16 May 2025DFAaron James30 June 2026 5 July 2025 GK Callum Burton 30 June 2027 8 August 2025 DM James McClean 30 June 2027 16 January 2026 DF Max Cleworth 30 June 2029 19 January 2026CMMatty James30 June 20276 February 2026GKReuben Egan30 June 202623 February 2026MFGeorge Dobson30 June 2028CMOllie Rathbone30 June 2028
Pre-season and friendlies On 12 May, Wrexham announced they would visit Australia and New Zealand as part of their pre-season preparations, with friendlies against Melbourne Victory, Sydney and Wellington Phoenix. On 7 July, Wrexham also announced that Ben Foster and Ben Tozer are set to appear at exclusive soccer camps on Wrexham Down Under Tour. On 21 July, a trip to Netherlands to face FC Groningen was confirmed.
Competitions
Overall record
Championship
League table
Results summary
Results by round
Matches The league fixtures were released on 26 June 2025.
FA Cup
Wrexham were drawn at home to Nottingham Forest in the third round, home to Ipswich Town in the fourth round and home to Chelsea in the fifth round.
EFL Cup
Wrexham were drawn at home to Hull City in the first round, away to Preston North End in the second round, home to Reading in the third round and to Cardiff City in the fourth round.
Statistics Appearances and goals Players with no appearances are not included on the list; italics indicate a loaned in player
|colspan="14"|Players who featured but departed the club during the season:
Goals RankPos.Nat.No.PlayerChampionshipFA CupEFL CupTotal 1 FW 10 Josh Windass 16 1 0 17 2 FW 19 Kieffer Moore 11 0 2 13 3 FW 33 Nathan Broadhead 7 0 2 9 FW 28 Sam Smith 8 1 09 5 MF 20 Ollie Rathbone 7 1 0 8 6 MF 27 Lewis O'Brien 4 0 0 4 7 DF 2 Callum Doyle 2 1 0 3 DF 4 Max Cleworth 3 0 0 3 9 FW 9 Ollie Palmer 0 0 2 2 MF 47 Ryan Longman 2 0 0 2 MF 15 George Dobson 2 0 0 2 12 MF 14 George Thomason 1 0 0 1 MF 38 Elliot Lee 0 0 1 1 FW 9 Ryan Hardie 0 0 1 1 MF 45 Harry Ashfield 0 0 1 1 DF 13 Liberato Cacace 0 1 0 1 DF 5 Dominic Hyam 0 1 0 1 MF 37 Matty James 1 0 0 1 Own goals 5 0 0 5 Total 69 6 9 84
Assists RankPos.Nat.No.PlayerChampionshipFA CupEFL CupTotal 1 DF 12 Issa Kaboré 8 0 0 8 2 MF 27 Lewis O'Brien 7 0 0 7 3 MF 10 Josh Windass 5 1 0 6 4 FW 33 Nathan Broadhead 4 1 0 55 DF 7 James McClean 2 0 2 4 MF 14 George Thomason 4 0 0 4 DF 4 Max Cleworth 4 0 0 4 MF 15 George Dobson 2 2 0 4 FW 19 Kieffer Moore 4 0 0 4 10 DF 2 Callum Doyle 1 1 1 3 11 MF 29 Ryan Barnett 0 0 2 2 MF 37 Matty James 2 0 0 2 MF 47 Ryan Longman 1 1 0 2 FW 28 Sam Smith 2 0 0 2 15 MF 38 Elliot Lee 0 0 1 1 DF 24 Dan Scarr 1 0 0 1 DF 2 Callum Doyle 1 0 0 1 MF 20 Oliver Rathbone 1 0 0 1 Total 49 4 6 59
Clean sheets RankPos.Nat.No.PlayerChampionshipFA CupEFL CupTotal 1 GK 1 Arthur Okonkwo 9 1 0 10 2 GK 21 Danny Ward 3 0 0 3 GK 25 Callum Burton 0 0 1 1 Total 12 1 1 14
Hat-tricks PlayerAgainstResultDateCompetitionRef. Kieffer Moore Coventry City 3–2 (H) 31 October 2025 Championship
Disciplinary record Pos. Nat. No. Player Championship FA Cup EFL Cup Total GK 1 Arthur Okonkwo 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 DF 2 Callum Doyle 6 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 1 DF 3 Lewis Brunt 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 DF 4 Max Cleworth 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 DF 5 Dominic Hyam 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 DF 7 James McClean 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 MF 10 Josh Windass 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 DF 12 Issa Kaboré 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 MF 14 George Thomason 2 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 4 0 0 MF 15 George Dobson 8 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 8 0 1 MF 18 Ben Sheaf 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 FW 19 Kieffer Moore 5 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 MF 20 Ollie Rathbone 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 DF 24 Dan Scarr 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 MF 27 Lewis O'Brien 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 FW 28 Sam Smith 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 MF 37 Matty James 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 MF 38 Elliot Lee 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 MF 47 Ryan Longman 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 Total 71 0 1 3 0 1 2 0 0 76 0 2
Home attendance CompetitionTotalMatchesAverageChampionship 23 FA Cup 3 EFL Cup 3 Total29
References