‘Welcome to Wrexham’ sets up Cardiff clash

The fifth season of the delightfully comedic real-life football series Welcome to Wrexham turns the club’s push towards the Premier League into another high-pressure chapter after three consecutive promotions carried the Red Dragons from non-league football to the Championship.

The eight episodes, streaming exclusively on Disney+, follow Wrexham AFC through the 2025/26 campaign, in which a reshaped squad faces stronger opposition, rising costs and mounting expectations. Construction of the new Kop stand also reduced ticket availability while interest in the club continued to grow.

The real-world story resumes tonight (17 August 2026), when Cardiff City host Wrexham in the opening fixture of their 2026/27 Championship campaigns. Kick-off is scheduled for 21:00 SAST, according to the English Football League.

The all-Welsh contest pits the capital against the city regarded as the birthplace of Welsh football. Cardiff and Wrexham are also the two most successful clubs in Welsh Cup history, with 22 and 23 titles respectively. Despite the strong north-versus-south rivalry, league meetings have been rare: the clubs last faced each other in league competition in 2002.

That history gives the fifth season added weight. The documentary shows how quickly Wrexham’s ambitions have changed under celebrity owners and co-chairmen Rob Mac (star of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) and Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool). Access to the dressing room, club offices and wider community keeps the focus on the people carrying those expectations.

The season also follows Wrexham AFC Women as the team competes near the top of the Adran Premier under a new coach and with a permanent home.

For viewers preparing for tonight’s Welsh showdown, Welcome to Wrexham offers the story behind the badge before another chapter begins on the pitch.