Watch Middlesbrough vs Wrexham for free as the Red Dragons travel to the Riverside in the first round of the Carabao Cup, with FourFourTwo bringing you all the details on live streams and TV channels, wherever you are in the world.
Middlesbrough vs Wrexham: key information
Both teams’ sole aim for the season will be promotion to the Premier League, so this cup clash should provide a useful barometer of how they stack up against another side likely to challenge towards the top of the Championship.
While the focus will be on their respective league openers next weekend, this Friday-night clash presents both Middlesbrough and Wrexham with a great chance to hit the ground running.
Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information you need to watch Middlesbrough vs Wrexham online, on TV, and from anywhere.
Can I watch Middlesbrough vs Wrexham for free?
Yes! In the UK, free-to-air broadcaster ITV is showing at least one game per round in this season’s Carabao Cup – and Middlesbrough vs Wrexham is their chosen first-round match.
You can watch live on ITV1 or on the ITVX free streaming service at no cost (pre-registration is required). Kick-off is at 8pm BST.
Not in the UK? Use NordVPN to unlock your ITVX stream from anywhere in the world.
Watch Middlesbrough vs Wrexham from anywhere
Away from home right now? You don’t have to miss Middlesbrough vs Wrexham. The solution to your geo-restriction nightmares is a Virtual Private Network (VPN), a piece of software that can set your devices to appear to be in any country in the world.
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How to watch Middlesbrough vs Wrexham in the UK
Middlesbrough vs Wrexham is being shown live on Sky Sports in the UK, as well as on ITV.
The clash at the Riverside is live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football.
Fans in the UK can watch every single Carabao Cup game on Sky Sports during the 2026/27 season, so you won’t miss a minute. Plans start from £35 a month, or £22 a month for new Sky TV customers.
Abroad? Use NordVPN to access your usual stream.
How to watch Middlesbrough vs Wrexham in the US
Middlesbrough vs Wrexham is available to watch on Paramount+ in the US, with kick-off at 3pm ET.
Paramount+ plans start at $8.99 a month and include live coverage of select Carabao Cup and EFL matches, plus every single Champions League game and much more.
Outside of the US? Watch Middlesbrough vs Wrexham on Paramount+ with NordVPN.
How to watch Middlesbrough vs Wrexham in Australia
Fans in Australia can watch every Carabao Cup match live on beIN SPORTS this season, including Middlesbrough vs Wrexham.
The game kicks-off at 5am AEST (Sat) and will be live on beIN SPORTS 3, as well as on the beIN Sports Connect streaming platform.
Plans start from $15.99 a month or $159.99 a year, and you can also take advantage of a one-week free trial.
Away from Australia? Get NordVPN to access your usual beIN SPORTS stream.
Middlesbrough vs Wrexham: Preview
Middlesbrough fans will hope 2026/27 proves a cathartic season after experiencing heartbreak several times in the closing weeks of last term.
Kim Hellberg’s side fell short of automatic promotion despite sitting in the top two of the Championship for 35 of the 46 matchdays, before losing in the play-off semi-finals to Southampton – only to receive a lifeline after their opponents were kicked out over the ‘Spygate’ saga. Boro supporters who thought that was a sign it would be their year then saw their dreams crushed in brutal fashion at Wembley, as Oli McBurnie’s 95th-minute winner snatched promotion for Hull City in the play-off final.
Middlesbrough have since lost talismanic midfielder Hayden Hackney to Everton but they have strengthened elsewhere, most notably with the signing of Tottenham Hotspur striker Will Lankshear for an initial £10m that could rise to £20m with add-ons. The 21-year-old is highly-rated and scored 12 goals in all competitions for Oxford United last season, despite their relegation from the Championship.
Lankshear will be itching to open his account for his new club as Boro aim to lay down a marker ahead of their league opener at home to Lincoln City next Saturday.
SEE ALSO Carabao Cup TV Guide
Facing Middlesbrough may conjour thoughts of ‘What if?’ for Wrexham, whose 2-2 draw with Boro in North Wales on the final day of last season saw them miss out on a play-off place (they would have finished sixth, ahead of Hull, if they’d won).
That being said, it was a strong first campaign back in the second tier for Phil Parkinson’s men, who have since embarked on a globe-trotting pre-season tour which included wins over Manchester United in Helsinki and Leeds United in Tampa, Florida.
Wrexham’s final friendly in the US was only last Sunday, against Sunderland, so it will be a quick turnaround for this Carabao Cup clash, especially with a squad that is largely unchanged from 2025/26 – despite boasting the Hollywood millions of co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
Parkinson is still looking to strengthen so his starting XI could look very different by the end of the transfer window, but this is a chance for his existing players to cement their place for the trip to Welsh counterparts Cardiff City in the opening Championship game of the season on August 17.
FourFourTwo’s prediction
Middlesbrough 2-1 Wrexham
Boro might just have the edge here, with Lankshear a good bet to get on the scoresheet.
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