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Wrexham Soccer Club’s Historic Rise Under Hollywood Ownership
Wrexham AFC, the Welsh soccer club owned by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, has made history as the first English team to secure three consecutive promotions in three years. The Red Dragons will now compete in the English Football League’s Championship, the second tier of English soccer, just one step below the Premier League, following their latest triumph over the weekend.
Since Reynolds, People magazine’s 2010 Sexiest Man Alive, and McElhenney, known for It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, acquired the club for $2.5 million in 2021, Wrexham’s value has skyrocketed. Bloomberg estimated the club’s worth at $133 million in March 2025, a staggering 5,200% increase in just four years. The club reported record revenue of $35.5 million for the year ending June 2024, a figure likely to grow this season due to their higher-tier competition.
The rapid rise brings challenges for the small club, whose average attendance of 12,757 would rank among the lowest in the Championship. Higher tiers mean greater expenditures, but the star power of Reynolds and McElhenney has attracted major sponsorships, helping to bridge the gap in gate revenue and fund pricier free-agent signings.
Wrexham’s success also highlights a broader trend of North American influence in English soccer. Reynolds (Canadian) and McElhenney (American) join American owners of top clubs like Liverpool, Leeds, and Birmingham City, all of whom have either clinched titles or are contending at the top of England’s top three divisions this season.
As Wrexham prepares for the Championship, the club’s Hollywood-backed fairy tale continues to captivate fans and reshape the landscape of English football.
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