European football returns to Wrexham. Can the women’s side make Champions League history?
European football returns to Wrexham this week with the size of the task facing the hosts clear on their Women’s Champions League debut.
Not only is it seven years since a Welsh team won a qualifying match in the continent’s premier competition — but opponents FC Pyunik, the free-scoring Armenian champions, triumphed at this same stage last year when beating NSA Sofia from Bulgaria.
Nevertheless, do not expect Jenny Sugarman’s side to be overawed, not after making history last spring by lifting the Adran Premier League title for the first time following a tremendous two-way tussle with holders Cardiff City.
“We’re all for making history,” says Faye Knox, whose 19 goals in 24 appearances after signing from Bolton Wanderers in October last year proved instrumental to the push for success that also saw Wrexham land the Adran Trophy.
“The Champions League was definitely something I thought about before moving to Wrexham. It played a part in my decision (to sign). You don’t get this opportunity often, no matter what level you play at in the football pyramid.
“Our obvious target is to get a win (against Pyunik), get a result, take Wrexham as far as we can.”
Pyunik arrive with a formidable record, having won all 18 league games last season, scoring 107 goals.
Then there are the recent struggles for Welsh teams at this level, Cardiff Met being the last team from the country to triumph in 2019 and even then they failed to progress from a four-team group.
Five years — and eight games — have passed since an Adran Premier side even scored in Europe’s blue riband competition, Chloe Chivers netting for Swansea City in a 4-1 defeat to CSKA Moscow.
Wrexham, though, will be buoyed by a stunning debut season for head coach Sugarman, whose arrival a year ago came with just one player under contract.
“She’s amazing,” says Knox, a former Wales under-19 international. “What stands out for me is that she’s so good at managing different characters. People underestimate how important that is. You can’t manage everyone the same, expecting them all to be at their optimal.
“Some people react differently to things, some people understand things differently. Some need extra time. She’s really good at understanding the different personalities.
“In other teams I’ve been in before, some coaches have struggled with that concept. For me personally, I can do my best and perform to my optimal because she allows me to through the way she guides me and makes me better.”
Wednesday’s historic tie is the first competitive European match played at The Racecourse in 31 years. That was a goalless draw for the men’s team against Petrolul Ploiesti in August 1995 being followed by a 1-0 loss in Romania to exit the now defunct Cup Winners’ Cup at the qualifying stage. This match is the latest notable step forward for a women’s setup that was in effect mothballed just a decade ago due to a lack of funds.
Relaunched in 2018, Wrexham’s revival picked up speed after Hollywood’s arrival three years later. Promotion to the Welsh top flight, primarily an amateur and semi-professional competition in contrast to the fully professional Women’s Super League (WSL) in England, followed in 2023 to set up a push for silverware that bore fruit earlier this year.
Now comes the ultimate test of trying to earn a place among Europe’s elite in the Champions League group stage. The potential path is long and demanding, starting with the visit of Pyunik on Wednesday evening for a first qualifying round clash that will see the winners take on either Northern Ireland’s Glentoran or Latvian side Riga. This Group 3 final between the two victors will be staged at The Racecourse on Saturday.
Should unseeded Wrexham upset the odds to win both games, a semi-final against Danish champions Koge would be next up in another mini-tournament featuring Gintra of Lithuania and Scotland’s Hearts.
Prevail again and one final hurdle would remain: a two-legged final qualifier play-off for the right to join the likes of holders Barcelona and Manchester City, the English champions, in the group stage.
Moments after Wrexham had been paired with Pyunik in last month’s draw, experienced defender Sarah Harvey, who has played in the Champions League for Georgian side Samegrelo, admitted to not knowing too much about the Armenian champions. Now, though, this has changed.
“Since the draw, we’ve gone into a lot of detail about them,” says Knox. “Specifics on what they are good at, things that we can exploit in their game. A lot of video has been involved along with a lot of hard work from the staff to put something in front of us that can be analysed to a good level.
“They play in a four-team league and did well in the Champions League last year, scored a lot of goals, so we have to try and nullify them.”
Wrexham’s preparations for their European bow included a trip to the Republic of Ireland, where matches were played on the Wednesday then the Saturday against Cork City (0-0) and Cork City Under-23s (5-0) to mirror this week’s quick turnaround.
A final warm-up friendly was held on home soil last Thursday against Sporting Club Jacksonville, the touring USL Super League side running out 5-0 winners at The Rock, a 3,000-capacity venue now owned by Wrexham where the women’s team are usually based.
“It promises to be a great occasion,” says Knox about Wrexham’s upcoming European assignment. “We’re playing at home, in front of all our fans. Huge for the club and huge for Wales that we get to host.
“Playing in front of our fans is a privilege. In women’s football it (a sizeable following) doesn’t happen a lot. All the fans who turn up to watch us have lives outside football and yet they’re there on a Wednesday night.
“I don’t think they are aware how much that means to us. And how much of a difference they make. I also know psychologically, it impacts the other team and gives us an edge. It would be great to make some more (history) and perform.”
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
Wrexham FC, Women’s Soccer, Championship
2026 The Athletic Media Company
