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Wrexham set for ‘special’ US return – Parkinson
Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson says the club feel "privileged" to have been invited back to the United States for another high-profile pre-season tour, following the success of previous visits driven by the Welsh club's global profile under owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. The trip carries added significance given the difficulty of arranging fixtures and travel this year because of the World Cup, and Parkinson wants his squad to appreciate the scale of the opportunity as they prepare for a second successive season in the Championship.
Wrexham fly out this week to face three Premier League sides: Leeds United in Tampa on 26 July, Liverpool in New York four days later, and Parkinson's former club Sunderland in Philadelphia on 2 August, home city of co-owner Rob McElhenney. The club previously toured the US in 2023 and 2024, playing the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea to large crowds, before switching to Australia and New Zealand for pre-season in 2025. Forward Ryan Hardie will miss the tour with a thigh strain, while Ryan Longman is set to return to full training and Elliot Lee, absent for last week's 1-0 win over Manchester United in Helsinki, will travel to maintain his fitness and stay in contention.
In short
- Wrexham head to the US for pre-season tour against Premier League clubs.
- Games against Leeds, Liverpool and Sunderland from 26 July to 2 August.
- Ryan Hardie ruled out injured; Elliot Lee travels despite fitness doubts.
Explained simply
Wrexham is a Welsh football club that plays in the English Football League Championship, the second tier of professional football in England. The club has become internationally famous since being bought by Americans Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, whose celebrity status has significantly raised its global profile.
The club has taken pre-season tours to the United States before, in 2023 and 2024, where it played against top English teams in front of large audiences. These trips have become a regular part of how Wrexham prepares for the season and reflect the worldwide interest in the club.
Before the competitive season begins, football clubs use pre-season matches to build team fitness and develop their tactical approach. Because international schedules are disrupted by the World Cup this year, arranging matches against top-tier opponents becomes more difficult than usual.
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