{"id":19627,"date":"2025-08-08T09:44:05","date_gmt":"2025-08-08T13:44:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2025\/08\/08\/efl-championship-kicks-off-this-friday-wrexham-eyes-another-promotion-as-american-strikers-make-their-mark\/"},"modified":"2025-08-08T09:44:05","modified_gmt":"2025-08-08T13:44:05","slug":"efl-championship-kicks-off-this-friday-wrexham-eyes-another-promotion-as-american-strikers-make-their-mark","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2025\/08\/08\/efl-championship-kicks-off-this-friday-wrexham-eyes-another-promotion-as-american-strikers-make-their-mark\/","title":{"rendered":"EFL Championship Kicks Off This Friday: Wrexham Eyes Another Promotion as American Strikers Make Their Mark!"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_74 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2025\/08\/08\/efl-championship-kicks-off-this-friday-wrexham-eyes-another-promotion-as-american-strikers-make-their-mark\/#Footy_Fix\" >Footy Fix<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2025\/08\/08\/efl-championship-kicks-off-this-friday-wrexham-eyes-another-promotion-as-american-strikers-make-their-mark\/#Forward_Front\" >Forward Front<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2025\/08\/08\/efl-championship-kicks-off-this-friday-wrexham-eyes-another-promotion-as-american-strikers-make-their-mark\/#Another_Premier_League_Promotion_Race_Begins\" >Another Premier League Promotion Race Begins<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2025\/08\/08\/efl-championship-kicks-off-this-friday-wrexham-eyes-another-promotion-as-american-strikers-make-their-mark\/#Wrexhams_EFL_Championship_Debut\" >Wrexham&#8217;s EFL Championship Debut<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2025\/08\/08\/efl-championship-kicks-off-this-friday-wrexham-eyes-another-promotion-as-american-strikers-make-their-mark\/#Top_Stories\" >Top Stories<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2025\/08\/08\/efl-championship-kicks-off-this-friday-wrexham-eyes-another-promotion-as-american-strikers-make-their-mark\/#Backline\" >Backline<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2025\/08\/08\/efl-championship-kicks-off-this-friday-wrexham-eyes-another-promotion-as-american-strikers-make-their-mark\/#The_Best_Bet\" >The Best Bet<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2025\/08\/08\/efl-championship-kicks-off-this-friday-wrexham-eyes-another-promotion-as-american-strikers-make-their-mark\/#%F0%9F%93%BA_NWSL_Returns_to_CBS_and_Paramount\" >\ud83d\udcfa NWSL Returns to CBS and Paramount+<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2025\/08\/08\/efl-championship-kicks-off-this-friday-wrexham-eyes-another-promotion-as-american-strikers-make-their-mark\/#What_is_the_CBS_Sports_Golazo_Network\" >What is the CBS Sports Golazo Network?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2025\/08\/08\/efl-championship-kicks-off-this-friday-wrexham-eyes-another-promotion-as-american-strikers-make-their-mark\/#Fan_Take\" >Fan Take<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p>Happy Friday and cheers to the start of Championship Opening Day for all those celebrating! England&#8217;s second tier kicks off a new season today, marking the beginning of an enthralling journey towards European club competitions. As the action unfolds, I&#8217;ve compiled an overview of what to expect as the season progresses.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Footy_Fix\"><\/span>Footy Fix<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><em>Always us\/east<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Friday, August 8th<\/strong><br \/>\n\ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddfa Friendly: Chelsea vs. Bayer Leverkusen, 2 PM<br \/>\n\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 NWSL: Houston Dash vs. North Carolina Courage, 8 PM (Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo Network)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Saturday, August 9th<\/strong><br \/>\n\ud83c\udff4 EFL: Southampton vs. Wrexham, 7:30 AM (Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo Network)<br \/>\n\ud83c\udff4 EFL: Norwich City vs. Millwall, 10 AM (Chase + Paramount +)<br \/>\n\ud83c\udff4 EFL: Stoke City vs. Derby County, 10 AM (Chase + Paramount +)<br \/>\n\ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddfa Friendly: Leeds vs. AC Milan, 10 AM<br \/>\n\ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddfa Friendly: Palermo vs. Man City, 3 PM<\/p>\n<p><strong>Sunday, August 10th<\/strong><br \/>\n\ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddfa Friendly: Borussia Dortmund vs. Juventus, 11:30 AM<br \/>\n\ud83c\udff4 Community Shield: Crystal Palace vs. Liverpool, 10 AM (ESPN+)<br \/>\n\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 NWSL: Chicago Red Stars vs. Bay FC, 2 PM (Chap, Paramount+)<br \/>\n\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 NWSL: Portland Thorns vs. Seattle Reign, 4 PM (Chap, Paramount+)<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Forward_Front\"><\/span>Forward Front<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Another_Premier_League_Promotion_Race_Begins\"><\/span>Another Premier League Promotion Race Begins<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>In the Championship, the race to the top is the richest endeavor in soccer. Securing a Premier League spot comes with a minimum prize of $295 million for the three teams that earn promotion. As the Championship season kicks off today, Birmingham City faces Wrexham\u2014a newcomer looking to stake its claim in the second division.<\/p>\n<p>Wrexham, backed by Hollywood owners, aims to make a mark in the Premier League after unprecedented back-to-back promotions. However, history shows that teams vying for playoffs typically earn an average of 78.625 points per season, while newly promoted teams average around 53.17 points\u2014with only three making it to the playoffs.<\/p>\n<p>Birmingham City, returning to the Championship after a stint in League One, finds itself in a promising position against recently relegated teams like Southampton and Leicester City. The opening match provides a chance for them to showcase their ambitions and talents, as noted by James Benge.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Update:<\/strong> Birmingham City responds to missing out on Ipswich recruit Tuba Akpom by signing German international Marvin Ducksch, who had an impressive goal tally in the Bundesliga.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Wrexhams_EFL_Championship_Debut\"><\/span>Wrexham&#8217;s EFL Championship Debut<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>This season serves as a testing ground for several American players eager to make the US Men\u2019s National Team for next year\u2019s World Cup. Stars like Josh Sargent (Norwich City) and Haji Wright (Coventry City) will look to seize opportunities, but with limited roster spots available, competition will be fierce.<\/p>\n<p>Currently, USMNT&#8217;s top forward position is uncertain due to injuries affecting key players Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi. This opens the door for American talents in the Championship to make their case, particularly for players like Damion Downs and Patrick Agyemang, who possess strong potential.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Eustace&#8217;s View:<\/strong> &quot;Training in this environment with our coaching staff will help Agyemang improve. There\u2019s no rush for him; he has the potential to be a real asset at this level.&quot;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Top_Stories\"><\/span>Top Stories<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Which Welsh club will rise to the Premier League next\u2014Wrexham or Swansea City?<\/li>\n<li>Seattle Reign&#8217;s Laura Harvey is rebooting the team earlier than expected.<\/li>\n<li>Tottenham struggles in the wake of losing Son Heung-Min, compounded by James Madison\u2019s injury.<\/li>\n<li>North Carolina Courage dismisses manager Sean Nahas without clear explanation.<\/li>\n<li>Manchester United is closing in on striker Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Backline\"><\/span>Backline<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Best_Bet\"><\/span>The Best Bet<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>EFL: Birmingham City vs. Ipswich Town (3 PM ET)<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Pick:<\/strong> Both teams to score (-116) &#8211; This opening clash between two eager Championship sides makes for an exciting match, with both teams highly motivated to secure points right off the bat.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For more expert picks and betting insights, check out the CBS Sports betting homepage.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%F0%9F%93%BA_NWSL_Returns_to_CBS_and_Paramount\"><\/span>\ud83d\udcfa NWSL Returns to CBS and Paramount+<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_the_CBS_Sports_Golazo_Network\"><\/span>What is the CBS Sports Golazo Network?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>\u2600\ufe0f <strong>Morning Footy (Weekdays 8 AM-10 AM):<\/strong> Start your day with highlights, interviews, and soccer\u2019s biggest stories on the Golazo Network, also available in podcast form.<br \/>\n3\ufe0f\u20e3 <strong>The Third Attack (Mon, Wed, Thu):<\/strong> Regular coverage of women&#8217;s soccer, including NWSL updates and analysis.<br \/>\n\u26bd <strong>Call It What You Want (Tue\/Thu):<\/strong> Join hosts for discussions around the upcoming 2026 World Cup and USMNT updates.<br \/>\n\ud83e\udd45 <strong>Scoreline (Daily):<\/strong> Stay updated on global soccer news and highlights with daily broadcasts.<\/p>\n<p>\ud83d\udcfa <strong>Viewing:<\/strong> The CBS Sports Golazo Network offers comprehensive coverage of soccer tournaments globally, available for free on the CBS Sports app, Pluto TV, and Paramount+.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Fan_Take\"><\/span>Fan Take<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>This news resonates with soccer fans as it highlights the competitive nature of the Championship and the potential for teams like Wrexham to elevate the league&#8217;s profile. Additionally, the emphasis on American players stepping up in this environment could reshape the landscape of U.S. soccer as they aim for national team spots ahead of the World Cup.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Happy Friday and cheers to the start of Championship Opening Day for all those celebrating! England&#8217;s second tier kicks off a new season today, marking the beginning of an enthralling journey towards European club competitions. As the action unfolds, I&#8217;ve compiled an overview of what to expect as the season progresses. Footy Fix Always us\/east [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":19628,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[1568,78,1095,34,40,481,2204,227,46,1780,45,3080,1833],"class_list":{"0":"post-19627","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-football","8":"tag-american","9":"tag-championship","10":"tag-efl","11":"tag-eyes","12":"tag-football","13":"tag-friday","14":"tag-kicks","15":"tag-mark","16":"tag-news","17":"tag-promotion","18":"tag-soccer","19":"tag-strikers","20":"tag-wrexham"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19627","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19627"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19627\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19628"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19627"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19627"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19627"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}