What is Welcome to Wrexham?

If you are not a big football fan this TV show might have passed you by. Although, thanks to the presence of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, Welcome to Wrexham has transcended the usual sports reality show audience.

Wrexham may have not featured heavily on the online sports betting sites before the two Hollywood stars got involved with the football club. But since they took over, there has been a queue of global brands wanting to be associated with what has now become a brand in itself. But just in case you don’t know much about the show – here’s our guide to Welcome to Wrexham.

The Basics

Wrexham is a non-league football club based in north Wales that has endured a tough time over the last few decades. One of the oldest clubs in the world, it nearly went out of business before the fans raised enough money for it to continue. It had struggled of late though – and it didn’t look like it was ever going to get back into the English Football League.

But two new owners, in the guise of film and TV stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, bought the club in 2021. With their financial backing, Wrexham has been revitalized and this FX show follows the fortunes of the club as it battles to climb back up the football pyramid.

Ryan and Rob

Just in case you were somehow unaware, Ryan is Ryan Reynolds – Hollywood star and most famously the face of Deadpool. Rob McElhenney is the creator and star of hit TV show It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, the longest running comedy on US television.

Rob McElhenney persuaded Ryan Reynolds to get involved in the project and the two of them have quickly come to love the town, the people of Wrexham, and the football club. It is genuinely heartwarming to see how much the potential success of the football team means to the two A-listers.

The People of Wrexham

Although Ryan and Rob are nominally the stars of Welcome to Wrexham, it is really not even the players or the club that really shine. Although it is interesting for even non-football fans to follow the fortunes of a club that has seen better times, it is the people of Wrexham that are the real stars of the show.

Throughout the series we see and hear from a variety of fans, volunteers and officials that live and breathe the club. The football team obviously means so much to the people of Wrexham and viewers are able to understand just how important it is to the very fabric of the place thanks to the way the show is filmed.

The Show

Over 18 episodes, Welcome to Wrexham has followed the exploits of Rob and Ryan – and how the club got on last (football) season. Without giving too much away, the series builds up to a thrilling climax, as we become witnesses to what could be the greatest moment in the football club’s recent history.

The majority of the early episodes concentrated on the two stars getting to grips with the club and the way it was run. The series then fell into a groove of following the results of the team, before the aforementioned climactic final episodes. There have also been some breakaway episodes during the run that concentrated on individual fans and even a spoof sports TV show fronted by Ryan and Rob.

The Future?

If you have watched the first series – or take an interest in lower league football in the UK – you will know how Wrexham’s season ended. Either way, there seemed to be enough scope for another series, as all the people involved are so likeable. Sports reality shows will always have some inbuilt drama and passion, after all.

The good news for the millions of fans who have taken the show and the club to their own hearts is that Welcome to Wrexham has indeed been green-lit for a second series. So now might be the time to take a look at a show that has boosted the finances, as well as the goodwill, of a relatively small Welsh football club. All episodes are currently available on Disney Plus in the UK.