Wrexham AFC – the third oldest football club in the world after Notts County and Stoke City – has undergone a remarkable revival under the ownership of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. However, other invested parties fly under the radar, and here, we investigate how they fit into the overall ownership structure.
The Full Structure of Investors at the Club
After more than 15 years in the lower divisions, the Red Dragons have risen from the National League to League One in successive seasons. Alongside their on-field success, Wrexham’s historic Racecourse Ground is being redeveloped, and the club has become the focus of the hit FX docuseries Welcome to Wrexham, which has attracted fans from across the globe.
The transformation began in February 2021 when McElhenney and Reynolds completed their $2.5 million takeover from the Wrexham Supporters Trust. They aimed to restore the club’s fortunes and reinforce its importance within the local community while sharing its story around the globe.
British actor and writer Humphrey Ker, now Wrexham’s executive director, played a key role in the process. Having worked with McElhenney on Mythic Quest, he introduced him to football during their work breaks and helped steer the search for a club to buy. In an interview with BBC Sport, Ker explained that Wrexham was chosen after meeting criteria such as facilities, fan base, history, and potential. “It wasn’t about glamour,” he said. “It was purely a desire to find a place that wore its heart on its sleeve as a football town and that needed a bit of a helping hand.”
Additional Stakeholders
Since taking control, McElhenney and Reynolds have sold two minority stakes to outside investors.
In April 2024, the owners of Mexican club Club Necaxa (Al Tylis and Sam Porter) acquired a 5% share in Wrexham. The deal also saw Reynolds and McElhenney take a small stake in Necaxa, forming a cross-club partnership.
In October 2024, the Allyn family – former owners of global medical device company Welch Allyn – bought another minority interest through Red Dragon Ventures, a joint venture with Reynolds and McElhenney. Kaleen Allyn now appears as a director on the club website.
In a club statement, Wrexham said the investment would “help fuel the club’s lofty ambitions, as well as those of the broader Wrexham community.”
“Wrexham has earned the world’s attention, and we will focus on bringing on board world-class partners to help with the next phase of our growth,” said McElhenney and Reynolds. “We have been fortunate to get to know the Allyn family, and their intelligence, kindness and commitment have blown us away.”
Commercial Partners
While no other ownership stakes exist, Wrexham has secured several major sponsorships. United Airlines is the club’s front-of-shirt sponsor in a deal that Global Data value at around $400,000. Meta Quest sponsors the back of the shirts. Gatorade is the official drinks partner. STōK Cold Brew holds naming rights to the Racecourse Ground. Local brewery Wrexham Lager sponsors the Yale Stand.
Meanwhile, Disney, through its FX network, owns the exclusive rights to the documentary streaming phenomenon Welcome to Wrexham. This series reportedly earns more than $530,000 per episode. Although the club does not profit directly from the show, it continues to benefit from global exposure and a rapidly expanding fanbase.
We hope you enjoyed reading “Who Else Owns Wrexham AFC?”. Click here for of our articles about Wrexham AFC.
