Preview: Wrexham vs Leeds United - prediction, team news, lineups

Leeds United will play their first friendly of 2026-27 pre-season on Sunday, when they meet Wrexham in Florida.

The Welsh outfit have already played twice this summer, beating Manchester United last time out, while their opponents will begin preparations for the upcoming Premier League campaign.

Match preview

Leeds United will play their first friendly ahead of their second straight Premier League season on Sunday as part of a USA trip across late July and early August.

Their first term back in England's top flight was a positive one last time around, finishing 14th on 47 points from their 38 games, eight points clear of the relegation places.

In those games, Daniel Farke's team managed 11 victories alongside 13 defeats, while also progressing to the FA Cup semi-final with wins over Derby County, Birmingham City, Norwich City and West Ham United before falling just short in a 1-0 defeat to Chelsea at Wembley in April.

Their season then ended with a defeat to West Ham United, ending an eight-match league unbeaten streak, and Daniel Farke's men now gear up for another top-flight term with optimism having made a positive start to their summer transfer window.

Leeds United will bid to get up and running in the United States with a win in their first outing in Tampa before taking on Sunderland and Liverpool next week.

Their opponents, meanwhile, come into their third friendly on the back of a positive start to pre-season as they build towards another Championship campaign.

Wrexham enjoyed a pleasing first season in England's second tier on the back of three straight promotions, eventually finishing seventh having earned 71 points from their 46 matches.

That did end with a slight feeling of disappointment for the Red Dragons, though, as they finished with a draw and a defeat and fell two points short of the playoff spots, denying them a fourth consecutive climb in their journey to the Premier League.

Phil Parkinson's side have since regrouped and begun to prepare for another fight for promotion, beginning with a goalless draw against Wisla Krakow before taking on Manchester United in Helsinki and managing a 1-0 victory thanks to Sam Smith's first-half goal.

They now also head to the United States for games with Leeds United, Liverpool and Sunderland before kicking off in the EFL Cup and Championship in mid-August with the hopes of making another statement against top-flight opposition on Sunday.

Wrexham friendlies form:

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Leeds United friendlies form:

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Team News

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Wrexham started at near full strength against Manchester United before making 11 changes during the game, and Phil Parkinson should opt for a similar setup on Sunday while making some rotations.

Full-back Liberato Cacace missed their first two friendlies after being away at the World Cup with New Zealand, but he is in the travelling squad and should make a first appearance of pre-season.

Sam Smith should continue in attack after his decisive goal last time out, while Bailey Cadamarteri, Nathan Broadhead, Kieffer Moore, Josh Windass and Davis Keillor-Dunn will also compete to earn the manager's favour at the top end of the pitch ahead of the new season.

Daniel Farke should rotate his Leeds United squad throughout Sunday's game in their first friendly, with Noah Okafor the only notable absentee from the travelling group, having been given an extended break after reaching the World Cup quarter-finals with Switzerland.

They come into pre-season with some changes to last term's squad, with key defender Pascal Struijk having departed while the Peacocks have bolstered their ranks with Tarik Muharemovic and winger Harry Wilson, who arrived as a free agent after notching 10 goals and seven assists for Fulham in the Premier League in 2025-26.

He may get a first start in attack alongside Welsh compatriot Daniel James and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who marked his debut Leeds campaign with 14 top-flight goals last time around, while Sean Longstaff should be fit to play a part in midfield after missing the end of the season with a hernia.

Wrexham possible starting lineup:

Okonkwo; Vyner, Hyam, Doyle; Barnett, O'Brien, Dobson, Cacace; Broadhead, Smith, Windass

Leeds United possible starting lineup:

Darlow; Rodon, Bijol, Muharemovic; Bogle, Ampadu, Tanaka, Justin; James, Calvert-Lewin, Wilson

We say: Wrexham 1-1 Leeds United

Wrexham have already got up and running in pre-season and certainly have the quality and depth to test a Leeds United side who play their first game since May in the United States.

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