Wrexham's Remarkable Ascent: Soccer's Underdog Challenges Southampton

Wrexham, the Welsh soccer team co-owned by celebrities Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, prepares to kick off its first season in English soccer's second tier after a 43-year absence. Its opening game pits it against Southampton, a team recently relegated from the Premier League, at St. Mary's on August 9.

The rapid ascent of Wrexham is nothing short of spectacular, considering it was playing in England's fifth tier just two years ago. With three consecutive promotions, Wrexham is now poised to take on teams that have recently competed at the highest level of English soccer.

The heightened interest in Wrexham is evident as their games, including matchups against former Premier League teams like Leicester and Ipswich, are being broadcast live in the U.K. As The Championship fixtures were released, it's clear that the division remains one of the most challenging in soccer, further intensified by clubs like Wrexham rising through the ranks.

(With inputs from agencies.)