Wrexham's rise: club history, evolution & Premier League project
Wrexham AFC, the Welsh club owned by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, secures Championship football and keeps dreaming of the Premier League.
Founded in 1864, Wrexham Association Football Club boasts of being the third oldest professional club in the world. Throughout its history, the Welsh team has played memorable matches, such as the FA Cup victory against Arsenal in the early 1990s. In addition, the team became a local legend thanks to its 23 Welsh Cup titles, a record it still holds today.
The Racecourse Ground, considered the oldest active football stadium in the world, has not only witnessed historic goals, but also moments that celebrate the club's identity and resilience. Despite years in lower divisions, the spirit of Wrexham never faded.
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney: the Hollywood owners who changed the course of history
In 2021, the club's history changed radically with the arrival of actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, who acquired Wrexham AFC for £2 million.
Reynolds once said: "We didn't just buy a football club, we became part of a community." That vision has guided both of their management: investment in infrastructure, strategic signings and global marketing that put the Welsh club on the world map.
The climb to the top from fifth to Championship
When Reynolds and McElhenney took over, Wrexham was competing in the fifth division of English football. At the time, few could have imagined that in just three years the team would make such a meteoric rise through the professional leagues.
In 2023, the club sealed its return to English Football League football by being promoted to League Two. A year later, it repeated the feat with a direct ticket to League One. And in 2025, a resounding 3-0 victory over Charlton Athletic completed the trilogy of promotions that is now part of recent English football history.
From facing semi-professional teams, they now compete against clubs that not long ago were playing in the Premier League. The dream of reaching the top flight no longer sounds like a pipe dream, but rather an achievable goal.
An experienced and ambitious squad
Wrexham AFC has strengthened its squad with players who have extensive experience in the Premier League and Championship. In goal, Daniel Ward, formerly of Leicester and Liverpool, provides security. In attack, Jay Rodriguez, formerly of Burnley, and Welsh striker Kieffer Moore, who played for Bournemouth, Sheffield United and Ipswich Town, stand out.
The team also boasts the talent of Josh Windass, who played three seasons at Rangers, and the experience of James McClean, an Ireland international with over 100 appearances for Wigan, West Bromwich and Stoke. In defence, leadership comes from Conor Coady, a Liverpool youth product with eight seasons at Wolves.
Reflecting its ambitions, the club has recently been linked with a high-profile signing: Christian Eriksen, whose possible arrival would mark a decisive leap in the fight to reach the Premier League.
Disney's push with ‘Welcome to Wrexham’
The story of this journey would not have had the same impact without the Disney docuseries ‘Welcome to Wrexham’. The production transformed the club’s story into a global phenomenon. Thanks to the series, new sponsors, financial resources and players hungry for success came to the club.
This was accompanied by an explosion in fan support: attendance at Racecourse Ground multiplied, and matches that had previously barely been covered in local media began to be followed internationally. The stadium became a unique media stage: everyone from Paul Rudd to the Prince of Wales has been seen there.