Wrexham AFC's Ollie Palmer poses for a selfie with fans, Melbourne, 2025. Photo: MARTIN KEEP / AFP
Saturday, 19 July
From 5pm
Sky Stadium, Wellington
Follow the live blog on RNZ
The Phoenix will be challenged for support when they play their first pre-season game in Wellington on Saturday.
The A-League club will meet Wrexham in a friendly with the Welsh side on a pre-season tour of their own down under and the "Red Dragons" supporters will be out in force and voice for the game.
After they were bought by Hollywood pair Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, the club rose to worldwide fame when they were featured in the television programme Welcome to Wrexham.
The club has also risen up the ranks with three successive promotions from non-league football to the English Championship.
Paula Smith is the co-ordinator of the local Wrexham supporters group, which has a couple of thousand followers in Australia and New Zealand.
Smith is from Wrexham, but has been living here for 17 years and has been a keen follower of the television series as for a long time as she was unable to see them play.
"The first job I ever had was in the butcher's market in Wrexham, so in one of the episodes they did a little tour and it made me a little homesick," Smith told RNZ.
"Being able to point out to the kids places I use to go, it has been a little bit surreal."
Wrexham captain James McLean, who has been with the club since 2023, admits its been a great ride to have been on.
"Where the club has gone in the last few years has been unimaginable," he said.
"I'm loving every second of it and the rest of the lads are as well and not just that but it has been a successful one and long may that continue."
Wrexham AFC's players before the football friendly against Melbourne Victory, 2025. Photo: MARTIN KEEP / AFP
Many football and non football followers have joined that ride, however, Phoenix defender Lukas Kelly-Heald has only ever watched a couple of the Welcome to Wrexham episodes. He said this game is a great opportunity for them.
"It's a great platform for us. New Zealand is kind of tucked away in the world so it is great that we're having a well sort after team over and hopefully we can put on a good performance," he said.
While there will be extra interest globally in the fixture, the Phoenix's English keeper Joshua Oluwayemi said it is just another game for him.
" You just take it on like every game is a game so you are going to give it your all," Oluwayemi said.
"You are going to give it your all whether it is a final or a preseason friendly."
While the Yellow Fever fans are known for their signing at Phoenix games, the Wrexham supporters have promised plenty of their own tunes.
Those attending the game will also be able to enjoy the taste of Wales with a replica of the Turf Pub to be set-up at Sky Stadium.
The pub sits next to Wrexham's Racecourse Ground and owner Wayne Jones has brought some of his memorabilia down under with him.
Welsh Dragon, Hamilton. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
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