Wrexham AFC, a Welsh soccer team owned by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, has been promoted to a higher league after 15 years in the fifth tier. The duo bought the beleaguered team for $2.5m and chronicled their efforts in a TV show called “Welcome to Wrexham.” Reynolds and McElhenney were on hand for the team’s historic 3-1 win against Boreham Wood on April 22, 2023, and fellow actor Paul Rudd also attended. The club saw an explosion in season ticket sales after the celebrity co-owners brought in new players, a new coach, worldwide recognition, and big-name sponsorships like TikTok and Expedia.
The “Ted Lasso” Effect
Wrexham AFC, a Welsh soccer team that had been relegated by regularly dismal play and disinvestment to a fifth-tier league for 15 years, has won itself promotion to a higher league. The team’s co-owners, actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, were on hand for the historic 3-1 win against Boreham Wood on April 22, 2023, and fellow actor Paul Rudd also attended. The A-list owners, who were beloved in the small town after buying the club, made their way onto the field as the celebrations unfolded and were photographed kissing the trophy.
Reynolds and McElhenney shelled out $2.5 million for Wrexham AFC and documented their efforts in an FX Network show called “Welcome to Wrexham.” The duo bought the beleaguered team, with a history stretching back to 1864, in November 2020, with a promise to restore it to its former glory. They even brought in new players, a new coach, worldwide recognition, and big-name sponsorships like TikTok and Expedia.
To the EFL
The club saw an explosion in season ticket sales after the celebrity co-owners took over, with fans keen to be part of the club’s revival. The team’s success on the pitch also helped, with Wrexham ending the 2022-23 season as champions of the Vanarama National League, earning promotion to the English Football League.
Reynolds, whose business interests include tequila and the recently sold Mint Mobile, and “Always Sunny in Philadelphia” star McElhenney were ecstatic as they shared a long embrace after the final horn sounded and victory was assured. McElhenney appeared to wipe away tears as fans around them erupted in thunderous cheers and raced onto the field to celebrate. Wrexham’s promotion is a major achievement for the club and its owners, who promised to restore it to its former glory. With the team’s success on the pitch and its growing popularity off it, the future looks bright for Wrexham, and its fans will be hoping for more success in the years to come.