Wrexham's Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney help promote club globally

BBC News

02-05-2025

Five years ago, many tourists thinking of coming to the UK might not have even heard of Wrexham, let alone decided to visit.But thanks to the rapid rise of the north Wales city's football club - backed by Hollywood superstars - and an accompanying documentary series, people from across the globe are flocking to the area.Wrexham sealed a third consecutive promotion on Saturday, and will play in the Championship next season - one division below the promised land of the Premier League.The local council said the county has seen a 20% growth in visitor numbers year-on-year, largely due to the club's growing profile.International fans of actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have been making pilgrimages to Wrexham since they officially took over the club in 2021.Earlier this week, Reynolds revealed he was looking forward to "many more" years at the city after their latest victory.
"While they're here [visitors] stay in the Wrexham area and look at other sites we've got like the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct World Heritage Site, Erddig Hall, Chirk Castle," said councillor Nigel Williams. "They realise what a beautiful place it is."The lead member for business, economy and tourism said he believed the football club and its hit television series, Welcome To Wrexham, has gained the attention of people from around the world who have visited, keen on finding out what else the area has to offer.
Much of the international awareness of Wrexham comes from the FX documentary series Welcome to Wrexham, which is just about to start its fourth season showing life behind the scenes at the club.Browsing for a shirt at the Wrexham FC shop, Shane Lester from Australia said he had "never even heard of the place until we saw the documentary". "It's been really entertaining and because it gets shown after the results have happened, we haven't been following it like that, we're living it as we see it on TV."
But the bulk of the recent tourists are from the USA and Canada.One page of the club shop's visitor book has entries from Ontario, Virginia, Texas and Massachusetts.Brett and SallyAnne Andersson from California also credit the documentary for bringing them to Wales.SallyAnne said: "We've seen the show and figured we couldn't drive through without checking out the place. "I think they did a really good job on the show for Americans to teach them the game."The couple even went to watch Wrexham play Chelsea when the club toured the USA last summer, with Brett adding: "Phil Parkinson [Wrexham's manager] was right in front of us."
With Wrexham's upcoming Championship season now on the horizon, Reynolds himself has described his time with the club as "one of the greatest experiences of my life".Writing on X earlier this week, Reynolds said: "This club is the sum of its supporters."Before we showed up they'd saved it multiple times. It's a temple as much as a football pitch. Wrexham—AFC has been one of the greatest experiences of my life."He added: "It's hard to avoid immediately starting work on next season - but important to take the moment in. Looking back and looking forward feels really good right now."I think I speak for [McElhenney] when I say, thank you for the greatest four years and here's to many more."
Rob Clarke runs the Mad4Movies DVD and bookstore in the Butcher's Market, with the lifelong Wrexham fan making several appearances in the documentary. He said a hardcore of fans were there when the club was struggling through tough times but he was delighted new supporters are now along for the ride."The fact they're coming from all over the world is brilliant, the more the merrier," he said."They come in, put their money where their mouth is, come across to Wrexham, go in the club shop, spend money there - everyone's welcome. "It's brilliant to see."