Cardiff City v Wrexham, 20:00 BST kick-off
First league meeting between the sides for 24 years
Cardiff hand Championship debut to new signing Jack Moylan
Kieffer Moore starts for visitors against former club
More than 33,000 tickets sold for Cardiff City Stadium
Cardiff v Wrexham (20:00 BST)
Iwan Roberts
Former Wales striker on BBC Radio Cymru
I don't think Cardiff will struggle, we've spoken about consolidation but I think they're better than that.
Looking at the three Welsh clubs in the Championship, I do think they'll finish the lowest of the three, but there is no way in my opinion that they'll be fighting relegation.
Cardiff City v Wrexham (20:00 BST)
Gareth Vincent
BBC Sport Wales at Cardiff City Stadium
Image source, Getty ImagesCardiff and Wrexham meet in English football's second tier for only the ninth time tonight.
The most recent encounter at this level was in November 1981, when Wrexham triumphed 3-1 at the Racecourse.
Cardiff won the reverse fixture earlier in the season - and the Bluebirds have tended to have the better of this particular Welsh derby down the years.
There have been 30 league meetings in all, with 16 Cardiff wins compared to only eight for Wrexham.
Another Bluebirds success this evening would represent a dream start to the season as they attempt to re-establish themselves in the Championship, where Phil Parkinson's team will expect to be among the promotion contenders this season.
Cardiff City v Wrexham (20:00 BST)
Image source, Getty ImagesAt multiple stages of matchday 46 last season, Wrexham were in the play-offs.
But by the end of their 2-2 draw with Middlesbrough, they had been pipped to sixth place by Hull City.
Nevertheless, the 2025-26 campaign was immensely encouraging for Phil Parkinson's side.
And their aim this season is pretty clear. Read our season preview in full below.
Read more: Fine-tuning and a clear target - Wrexham's season aim
Cardiff v Wrexham (20:00 BST)
Nathan Blake
Former Wales striker on BBC Radio Wales
It's a hell of a fixture to begin with for both teams.
I've played in this fixture many times and I can tell you that it is very much so a derby so I'm really looking forward to it.
And a Cardiff win would be nice to start the season.
Cardiff City v Wrexham (20:00 BST)
Phil Parkinson was grateful for the warm welcome he received behind the scenes at Cardiff City last weekend when he watched the Bluebirds in action against Swindon Town.
Here's what the Wrexham boss had to say ahead of tonight's match.
Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson on the club being excited by their first fixture
Cardiff City v Wrexham (20:00 BST)
Image source, Huw Evans Picture AgencyJack Moylan certainly had mixed fortunes at the start of his international career with Republic of Ireland.
The midfielder scored a hat-trick on debut against Grenada in May but was sent off during his side's victory over Qatar just 12 days later.
He scored on his competitive Cardiff debut in last week's 3-2 first round EFL Cup win over Swindon Town.
But tonight he'll get his first taste of league action with the club, and an all-Welsh contest to go with it.
"You get out of bed in the morning to play games like these," he said.
"It's a great game to settle into and you don't want to be anywhere else in the country this weekend."
Cardiff City v Wrexham (20:00 BST)
Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency/Getty ImagesThings have changed significantly since the most recent league meeting between these two sides.
Cardiff ran out 3-2 winners on that occasion at Ninian Park in March 2002.
And there is far more than just Welsh derby bragging rights at stake tonight.
Ahead of kick-off, why not read our full match preview below.
Cardiff City v Wrexham (20:00 BST)
Image source, Getty ImagesIt was League One Cardiff who claimed the bragging rights last time around.
Brian Barry-Murphy's men secured an impressive 2-1 win at Wrexham in the fourth round of the EFL Cup on 28 October last year.
Yousef Salech opened the scoring for the visitors, although former Bluebird Kieffer Moore equalised shortly after half-time.
But Will Fish bagged a late winner for Cardiff who progressed into the quarter-finals, where they put in a valiant display in a 3-1 loss to Premier League Chelsea.
Cardiff City v Wrexham (20:00 BST)
Image source, Getty ImagesZak Vyner knows a lot about Cardiff City having faced the Bluebirds on numerous occasions while with former club Bristol City.
The defender says Wrexham cannot afford to underestimate Brian Barry-Murphy's side tonight.
"They're going to be a good team, they pass the ball around, with good players," he said.
"They came up from the division below, straight away they bounced back and you can't underestimate any team that does that.
"I think they're going to be a good side and we've just got to go ready to snub their threats and impose ourselves."
Cardiff City v Wrexham (20:00 BST)
Brian Barry-Murphy let slip that he took a look at some of the predictions for the campaign ahead when facing the media in his press conference ahead of tonight's match.
The Cardiff boss says he is determined to prove the doubters wrong after reading some had tipped his side to be relegated from the Championship.
Boss tells Ian Hunt he's relishing City's Championship return, and the big Wrexham opener
Cardiff City v Wrexham (20:00 BST)
Gareth Vincent
BBC Sport Wales at Cardiff City Stadium
Image source, Getty ImagesGoalkeeper Anthony Patterson makes his Wrexham debut following his move from Sunderland, with fellow summer recruit Danny Imray starting at right wing-back.
Phil Parkinson's other new recruit, Ben Whiteman, begins on the bench as the Wrexham boss fields a team with plenty of Championship know-how.
Kieffer Moore leads the line against his former club with Nathan Broadhead offering support to his fellow Wales international.
Josh Windass, Liberto Cacace and Ben Sheaf are among the Wrexham absentees.
Wrexham: Patterson, Vyner, Hyam (capt), Doyle, Imray, Rathbone, O'Brien, James, Thomason, Broadhead, Moore.
Subs: Ward, Cleworth, Keillor-Dunn, Whiteman, Cadamarteri, Dobson, Scarr, Smith, Longman.
Cardiff City v Wrexham (20:00 BST)
Gareth Vincent
BBC Sport Wales at Cardiff City Stadium
Image source, Huw Evans Picture AgencyBrian Barry-Murphy includes summer signing Jack Moylan in his Cardiff City starting side, while Calum Scanlon goes straight in having rejoined the Bluebirds on loan on Saturday.
With Calum Chambers injured and Rubin Colwill on the bench, Perry Ng captains Cardiff.
With Will Fish and Dylan Lawlor also sidelined, Joel Bagan looks set to start alongside Gabriel Osho in central defence wth Scanlon at left-back.
Cardiff are light on resources, hence they have 15-year-old defender Noah Ayadike - as well as 17-year-old Rob Tankiewicz - on the bench.
Cardiff City: Trott, Ng (capt), Osho, Bagan, Scanlon, Robertson, Moylan, Ashford, Willock, Tanner, Salech.
Subs: Tyrer, R Colwill, Turnbull, J Colwill, Tankiewicz, Davies, Anyadike, Kpakio, Robinson.
Cardiff City v Wrexham (20:00 BST)
Image source, Huw Evans Picture AgencyGood evening folks!
What a way to round off the opening weekend of Championship action.
We have an all-Welsh affair here in Cardiff tonight as the Bluebirds host Phil Parkinson's Wrexham.
It is the first league meeting between the pair in 24 years, and it's fair to say there is a whole lot more than Welsh bragging rights at stake tonight.
So let's get stuck in, starting with the team news...
| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| |
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| |
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| |
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| |
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| |
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| |
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 0 |
| |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 0 |
| |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 0 |
| |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 0 |
| |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 0 |
| |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 0 |
| |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 0 |
| |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | -4 |
|
Manager:Brian Barry-Murphy
Formation:4 - 1 - 4 - 1
Manager:Phil Parkinson
Formation:3 - 5 - 2
Manager:Brian Barry-Murphy
Formation:4 - 1 - 4 - 1
Manager:Phil Parkinson
Formation:3 - 5 - 2
Championship
All competitions
All competitions
This is the first league meeting between Cardiff City and Wrexham since 2001-02, when the Bluebirds won 3-1 away and 3-2 at home in the third tier.
Wrexham have lost their last three encounters with Cardiff City in all competitions, including a 2-1 home loss in the fourth round of the EFL Cup last season.
Cardiff won 17 of their 23 home games in EFL League One last season (D2 L4), including wins in each of their final three matches.
Wrexham finished seventh last season, winning just two of their final seven games (D2 L3); only once in the last seven Championship seasons has the side finishing seventh the season prior gone on to finish above 17th the following campaign (Middlesbrough fourth in 2022-23).
Only Zan Vipotnik (26) and Oliver McBurnie (24) were involved in more goals in the EFL Championship last season than Wrexham’s Josh Windass (21 – 16 goals, 5 assists). Four of his goals came from outside the penalty area, only Victor Torp and Ryan Manning (both 5) had more.
