Wrexham opens next season against ex-Premier League side Southampton

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Wrexham will play relegated Premier League team Southampton in its opening game of the season.

Wrexham will begin its first campaign in 43 years in English soccer's second tier away at St Mary's on Aug. 9.

The Welsh team has enjoyed a spectacular rise under celebrity co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. Just two years ago, Wrexham was playing non-league soccer in England's fifth tier.

After three straight promotions, it is one tier below the Premier League and faces a Southampton team that was rubbing shoulders with the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal last season.

The game will be screened live in the U.K., another sign of the growing interest in Wrexham.

Fixtures for the second-tier Championship were published on Thursday. Wrexham plays former Premier League champion Leicester on Sept. 30.

It plays Ipswich, also relegated from the top flight last season, on Nov. 22 and Sheffield United on Boxing Day.

The Championship is renowned as one of the toughest divisions in soccer. That was illustrated last season when Luton — in the Premier League a year before — dropped down to the third tier after back-to-back relegations.

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James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer