In July, we will kickstart our pre-season with a match-up against one of the most trending football clubs in world football, Wrexham AFC from Wales.
Get to know them a little better ahead of the clash on the 15th of July at Allianz Stadium.
History
Wrexham AFC was founded in 1864, making it Wales’ oldest professional Football Club and the third oldest in the world.
Founded by members of Wrexham Cricket Club at a meeting at the Turf Hotel, looking for a sport to fill the winter months, and also part-driven by a social group in the town looking to provide more enriching hobbies for Wrexham’s young men, the team played their first match on October 22, 1864, against the Prince of Wales Fire Brigade at the Racecourse.
With the exception of two seasons in the Welsh League between 1894 and 1896, both of which they won, Wrexham have otherwise played in English football competitions since first entering the Combination in 1890. They were elected to the Birmingham and District League in 1905 before becoming founding members of the new Third Division North in 1921.
Wrexham remained in the Football League from then until 2008, when they were relegated to the Football Conference, later renamed as the National League. They returned to the EFL after a 15-year absence with a record-breaking title win in 2023 – earning 111 points, the highest ever by a team in the top five tiers of English football.
They have since gained back to back promotions which will see them play their football in the English Championship which is a level they have not reached since 1978-1982.
In November 2020, shortly after football returned following the COVID-19 pandemic, actors Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds made a bid to take over ownership of the Football Club. After passing a supporter vote, the takeover was confirmed on February 9, 2021. As part of the takeover, the Club became subject of the award-winning Welcome to Wrexham documentary which will be filming their fifth season during the Wrexham Down Under Tour.
Stadium
The Racecourse Ground, officially known as STōK Cae Ras, is the historic home of Wrexham AFC and holds the distinction of being the oldest international football stadium still in use. Located in Wrexham, North Wales, it has been the club’s base since 1864 and has hosted numerous significant matches, including international fixtures for the Welsh national team..
The stadium’s record attendance stands at 34,445 for an FA Cup match against Manchester United in 1957, while its current capacity is approximately 12,600 following modern redevelopments.
Recent Success
Since the takeover from Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds the club has seen a huge rise in both results and interest from overseas.
The club was languishing in the National League for the 13 seasons in a row until the Hollywood takeover and since their promotion to League Two in 2023, they have swept aside the competition, and will play their football in the Championship in 2025/26 which is one tier below the Premier League.
No team in English Football League history has ever completed three promotions back to back until Wrexham did two weeks prior.
Off the pitch, since Reynolds and McElhenney took over the club, social media engagement has soared, with the club’s Instagram followers increasing by over 2,900% and Twitter followers growing by 1,040%.
Notably, Wrexham’s TikTok account, which had no followers before the takeover, now boasts 1.2 million followers and financially, the club’s valuation has skyrocketed from the £2 million purchase price to an estimated £100 million—a staggering 4,900% increase.
Honours
Third Division/League One – Champions 1977-78
– Runners Up 1932-33, 2024-25
Fourth Division/League Two – Runners Up 1969-70, 1992-93, 2023-24
National League – Champions 2022-23
The Combination – Champions 1900-01, 1901-02, 1902-03, 1904-05
Welsh Senior League – Champions 1894-95, 1895-96
Football League Trophy – 2004-05
FA Trophy – 2012-13
Football League North Cup – 1943-44
FAW Premier Cup – 1997-98, 1999-2000, 2000-01, 2002-03, 2003-04 (record)
Welsh Cup – 1877-78, 1882-83, 1892-93, 1896-97, 1902-03, 1904-05, 1908-09, 1909-10, 1910-11, 1913-14, 1914-15, 1920-21, 1923-24, 1930-31, 1956-57, 1957-58, 1959-60, 1971-72, 1974-75, 1977-78, 1985-86, 1994-95 (record 23 times)
