Welsh football fans have been waiting for this one. Cardiff City host Wrexham at Cardiff City Stadium on Monday night in what is arguably the most anticipated opening fixture of the Championship season, and the first league meeting between the two clubs in over two decades.
Kick-off is at 8pm, with the match live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football. If you needed a reason to stay up on a Monday night, this is it.
Cardiff are back in the Championship after winning promotion last season under Brian Barry-Murphy, securing an immediate return to the second tier. Wrexham, meanwhile, have continued their remarkable rise through the football pyramid under Phil Parkinson, narrowly missing out on the Championship play-offs last term after back-to-back promotions that captured the imagination of football fans worldwide.
The last time these two clubs met in the league was March 2002. A lot has changed since then.
Parkinson has made no secret of how much this fixture means. Speaking ahead of the game, he said everyone was instantly buzzing when the fixture list came out. He also pointed to the bigger picture, noting that having three Welsh clubs in the Championship is enormous for the country. With Swansea City also in the division, there is a genuine mini-league within the league to keep Welsh fans gripped all season.
Wraxham have had a busy summer in the transfer market. Defender Danny Imray, midfielder Ben Whiteman and goalkeeper Anthony Patterson have all arrived, strengthening a squad that already had plenty of quality. Former Cardiff striker Kieffer Moore remains one of their biggest threats up front, which will add an extra edge to the occasion given his history with the Bluebirds. The one concern for Parkinson is Josh Windass, last season’s top scorer, who is currently struggling with injury and is a doubt for the match.
Cardiff have also been active ahead of the new season. Liverpool left-back Calum Scanlon has returned to the club on loan after playing a key role in last season’s promotion push, giving Barry-Murphy another option going forward.
The two clubs did meet more recently in the Carabao Cup last season, with Cardiff coming out on top 2-1 at the Racecourse Ground. Yousef Salech put the Bluebirds ahead, Kieffer Moore pulled one back for Wrexham, but Will Fish’s late volley settled it and sent Cardiff into the quarter-finals. Wrexham will be looking for revenge, and what better stage than a packed Cardiff City Stadium on a warm August evening.
The stakes feel bigger than just three points. Cardiff want to show they belong back at this level and can hit the ground running. Wrexham want to prove they are not just a feel-good story but a genuine Championship force. Both sets of supporters will be loud, passionate and desperate for bragging rights.
Whatever happens, Welsh football is in a good place right now. Three clubs in the second tier of English football, and the season starting with a derby. It does not get much better than that.