The summer time of soccer continues — that’s the tagline Wrexham are adopting for a tour to construct on the males’s World Cup, in addition to the membership’s sturdy North American hyperlinks.
Tampa, New York and Philadelphia will host Phil Parkinson’s aspect, who flew throughout the Atlantic on Wednesday for a visit that includes a trio of friendlies towards Premier League opposition — Leeds United, Liverpool and Sunderland.
As with the membership’s two earlier jaunts to the United States in 2024 and 2025, an assortment of characters acquainted to viewers of Welcome to Wrexham may also be heading to the east coast, together with Wayne Jones, the ever-popular landlord of The Turf pub, plus former promotion heroes Steven Fletcher, Ben Tozer and Ben Foster.
A package launch at NASDAQ, the second-largest inventory alternate in the world, will embody photos of the new dwelling shirt being beamed round Times Square, together with a purple carpet occasion in Brooklyn on the eve of Wrexham enjoying at Yankee Stadium, additional underlining the world attain of a membership owned by Hollywood stars Rob Mac and Ryan Reynolds.
“Everyone is very excited for the tour,” says Rob Faulkner, Wrexham’s chief enterprise and communications officer. “Wrexham has built a loyal fanbase in North America and this is a great way of staying connected.
“The intention is to continue a wonderful summer of football. The World Cup was brilliant, all those full stadiums and great matches. Now there’s a chance to enjoy even more in cities that weren’t a World Cup host venue.”
Wrexham will turn into one of the few soccer groups to play at the iconic Yankee Stadium (Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
“The planning began a year ago, when we were on tour in Australia and New Zealand, and the question asked was whether the market would be saturated following the biggest football tournament globally.
“But the feeling is there’s plenty of room for both. Especially in the towns and cities where people were caught up in World Cup fever but could not attend games. What a perfect time to bring Wrexham here after we visited the west coast in 2024.”
Wrexham are actually arriving at an opportune time. Football is booming in the States on the again of a World Cup that noticed followers flock to video games.
In complete, 6,810,966 followers watched the expanded 104-game format throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico, creating a median attendance of 65,490, the second highest of all time behind USA 94.
Tapping additional right into a market that has already proved profitable — 57.7 per cent of Wrexham’s annual turnover of £33million ($44m) in the 2024-25 League One promotion season got here from outdoors Europe and the United Kingdom, with North America the key driver — can solely assist these well-stated Premier League ambitions of the membership’s homeowners.
Likewise, strengthening additional the bond with an American fanbase initially drawn in by watching the documentary, which, in April, was renewed for another three years until 2029.
Paul McCord, a former NFL coach with a Super Bowl title to his name, lives in Tampa along with his spouse Mindy and son LJ, and is eagerly trying ahead to Saturday’s tour opener towards Leeds at Raymond James Stadium.
Paul McCord and household on one of their journeys from the U.S. to Wrexham (Richard Sutcliffe/The Athletic)
Having visited north Wales 4 occasions, he has made lots of pals, and he’s throwing a celebration to welcome them to Florida on the eve of the Leeds match.
“The club is the ultimate community get-together,” says McCord, a member of the teaching workforce who took the Baltimore Ravens to Super Bowl glory in 2001. “The players treat each kid waiting to meet them like their own little brother.
“Mulls (Paul Mullin) made such an impression on LJ (during a post-match kickabout on the 2023 tour) that he took up soccer. We follow the players who have come and gone like family. They’re all special to us.
“My family have travelled to Wrexham three times and I’ve gone once on my own to explore and walk the town. Quite honestly, I feel like I live there, and I would be proud to live there, because of the type of neighbours that we have met over the years.”
Last summer time, Wrexham supervisor Parkinson carried out his press duties in the shadow of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, just some days after doing related with the Australian media outdoors the iconic Flinders Street Station in Melbourne.
There has additionally been a stroll alongside Hollywood Boulevard along with his gamers to savour in 2023, even taking time to pose for a photograph with Reynolds’ star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, plus visits to Levi’s Stadium and BC Place, World Cup venues in Santa Clara and Vancouver.
But make no mistake — Parkinson and his gamers worth these world excursions as an opportunity to put together for the upcoming season.
“We are here to work,” says the 58-year-old. “The precedence is ensuring these video games are at the depth ranges we want them to be, as it is a important interval.
“Preparation is key. The details of the training and the travelling have to be right. Everything has to run smoothly or we risk paying the price later.”
With that in thoughts, Wrexham’s head of soccer operations, Adam Greaves-Smith, flew out to all three host cities this yr. Everything from coaching services to travelling occasions from the inns to the stadia have been assessed to be sure there are no undesirable surprises for the squad on arrival.
In distinction to final yr’s tour in the Southern Hemisphere winter, temperatures are anticipated to be above 30C (86F).
Training has been tailored, with early morning and night classes scheduled. Wrexham may also keep in Florida for longer than is common on these excursions to take benefit of the glorious coaching services, solely flying up to New York the day earlier than the Liverpool match.
Logistical classes have been realized from earlier excursions, notably the first trip to the U.S. that saw Wrexham rack up the air miles by criss-crossing the nation for fixtures in North Carolina, Los Angeles, San Diego and Philadelphia.
Wrexham head coach Phil Parkinson with co-owner Rob Mac throughout the membership’s 2024 tour (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
The intensive travelling and Wrexham’s late return to the UK — lower than per week earlier than the 2023-24 League Two season kicked off — have been seen as contributory elements to an opening-day 5-3 loss against Milton Keynes Dons.
The same drawback has emerged, thanks partly to the two-week hole between the first aggressive video games for Premier League sides and people in the divisions under. Wrexham journey to Middlesbrough on Friday, August 7 for a Carabao Cup first-round tie that has been introduced ahead to be proven stay on Sky Sports and ITV. The Premier League kicks off on August 21.
With the remaining tour sport towards Sunderland happening on August 2, Parkinson and his gamers received’t be again in the UK till the Monday morning (August 3) — leaving underneath 5 days to put together.
It’s not a perfect state of affairs, although Parkinson hardly ever prioritises the early rounds of the Carabao Cup anyway. He made 11 modifications for last year’s first-round tie against Hull City, which Wrexham won on penalties.
“Commercially, these trips are so important,” says Parkinson, whose aspect begin their Championship marketing campaign two days after most of their friends thanks to the journey to Cardiff City being chosen for stay broadcast on Monday, August 17.
“So, we decided to use our Carabao Cup tie almost as if it is our last pre-season friendly. Everyone is in agreement.”
What received’t be compromised on the tour of the U.S. is the recruitment operation. If something, this space has proved to be enhanced on earlier excursions, with key decision-makers Parkinson, chief government Michael Williamson and director Shaun Harvey all in the similar place.
It was an identical story final summer time when the time distinction again dwelling to Australia and New Zealand ranged between 9 and 11 hours, that means potential targets and brokers have been simply getting up as the Wrexham occasion ought to have been going to mattress.
“My sleep pattern never quite got where it should have been after operating almost on UK time in Australia,” provides Parkinson. “I was on the team coach to training a few times and almost falling asleep.
“But there were big benefits — we had everyone together who was involved in transfers. We were continually reviewing signings as a staff. We got a lot done out there in Australia, formulating the squad.”
After ending seventh in the Championship final season, the membership’s highest inserting, Wrexham received’t be repeating the 13 signings made last summer in an attempt to bridge the considerable gap in quality from League One, 11 of whom arrived after the tour Down Under had ended.
Sam Smith and Wrexham fell simply quick of their battle for a play-off place final season (Michael Steele/Getty Images)
Instead, the core of the squad is already in place, with Parkinson focusing on sure key areas.
“It’s nice to take away what is effectively a new squad this time,” he provides. “Most of last summer’s signings missed the Australia trip so this will be their first time. They will get to see just how popular Wrexham are in America.
“I’ve come back from previous tours and tried to explain to people about what we’d seen and experienced. Until you see it for yourself, it’s hard to get a handle on.”
Chief enterprise and communications officer Faulkner, who alongside CEO Williamson met tour agent TEG Sports in Melbourne for dinner a yr in the past to begin planning the 2026 tour, is equally excited.
“I had a taster last year in Australia and New Zealand,” says the former UEFA and Inter government who joined Wrexham in October 2024. “We were playing local teams and yet the crowd was split at least 50-50 in all three games.
“In New Zealand, we probably had more than 50 per cent of the crowd against Wellington Phoenix. Most had the shirt on, they all wanted to meet Wayne from The Turf and the players.
“Then, the next thing you know, someone you met on the other side of the world is suddenly walking towards you in Wrexham, having got really engaged with the club at a pre-season friendly. Amazing.
“It’s why these tours are so important, especially with the new stand going up and an extra 7,500 seats being available after the coming season. Once that happens, we will have capacity to finally start to satisfy the strong demand, both internationally and locally.”
