Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s Wrexham AFC lose out on Premier League spot and whopping paycheck


It’s a bad day to be Ryan Reynolds.

In 2021, the Deadpool actor purchased Welsh football club Wrexham AFC, alongside friend, Rob McElhenney.

Over the past four years, the pair have worked to build the team up in what has been referred to as one of the greatest stories in sport, but today, that team lost them $250 million.

Tough day to be Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds. (Getty)

Wrexham has climbed up from non-league football to being on the precipice of joining the Premier League.

But the fate of the team rested entirely on their latest match-up against Middlesbrough, which unfortunately did not go their way, ending in a 2-2 draw.

Sadly for Reynolds and McElhenny, Wrexham has missed out on securing its Premier League spot, a place which experts have estimated would have been worth about $250 million.

“I am completely gutted by today’s result but incredibly proud of our season,” Reynolds shared in a post made on X (formerly Twitter).

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“We’ve come a long way in five years and this was the best result in our 150+ year history. More to do. But for now, we have so much to be proud of, Reds.”

Reynolds and McElhenney’s purchase of the club saw them take a touch of Hollywood into the sporting world.

In 2022, they released the first season of their hit show, Welcome To Wrexham. 

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 28: Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds attend FX's "Welcome To Wrexham" FYC Eventat Chloe's at Golden Road Brewing on April 28, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
McElhenney and Reynolds have combined their entertainment experience and their love for the sport with their TV show Welcome to Wrexham. (Getty)

Part documentary and part reality TV, the show is now in its fifth season, documenting the pair’s takeover of the club.

While Reynolds and McElhenney aren’t the first celebrities to purchase a sporting team – just look at what Elton John did with Watford FC or even Russell Crowe and the South Sydney Rabbitohs – they are the first to flip the script in terms of combining the sport with their experience in the entertainment industry.

Welcome to Wrexham has been a massive hit worldwide, securing record financial results for the club, increasing merchandise and sponsorship deals, and even boosting local tourism.

Wrexham co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac celebrate after VAR ruled the first Wrexham goal onside.
We imagine this will be the reaction to season five’s streaming numbers. (PA Images via Getty Images)

So, while Reynolds and McElhenney may have suffered a brutal $250 million loss, it’s not all bad news.

The new season is about to hit streaming, and since we know the world loves an underdog, we think it’s safe to assume that this loss could mean an even more interest in Welcome to Wrexham. 

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