How ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ kickstarted a $250-million economic boom for Welsh town

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“Welcome to Wrexham” is an award-winning documentary series that chronicles the ups and downs of a soccer club in North Wales. It’s not a reality show or a scripted program.

It’s real life.

One of the challenges of documenting real life is that events unfold naturally, and we have to catch up. That’s the case with “Wrexham,” which begins its fifth season on Thursday on FXX and Hulu. By the time viewers tune in, they’ll already know the outcome: despite their best efforts, the team won’t make the playoffs needed to advance to the Premier League.

It wasn’t the fairytale finish Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney envisioned, but it’s a fitting conclusion to the story they started when they took ownership of the team five years ago.

Reynolds believes there’s something uniquely captivating about sports, explaining that the uncertainty of the result is what draws people in. He says, ‘That lack of control is the whole reason we watch.’

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Wrexham’s impressive run of yearly promotions, fueled by investment from its famous owners, came to a halt on Saturday, with the team now settled in the Championship, the second tier of English football.

Beyond the love story, “Welcome to Wrexham” wasn’t truly about the sport itself. Like life, the show focused on what really happens. And in life, success isn’t always guaranteed – it’s the experiences along the way that matter most, not just the final result.

That’s a much more romantic story. It’s also the one the show has been telling since the start.

The real heart of Wrexham isn’t just the soccer team, it’s the town itself and the people who call it home – many of whom happen to play the sport. Wrexham is a historic town, dating back to medieval times, and for generations, its identity was tied to coal mining, then steel and manufacturing. But by the 1980s, those industries had largely disappeared, leaving Wrexham facing the same struggles as many other working-class towns worldwide after the decline of traditional manufacturing.

By 2022, Wrexham had the third-lowest employment rate in Wales.

Like the town itself, the local soccer team had seen better days, dropping to the fifth tier of English soccer. When Reynolds and McElhenney purchased the team and started filming their documentary series, they aimed to turn both the team and the town around.

McElhenney explained that the narratives surrounding the team are constant, both on and off the field. He emphasized that they’re documenting more than just a football club; they’re telling the story of a hard-working town in North Wales.

Honestly, I think that’s the more compelling part of the whole story. After the first season of the Wrexham docuseries dropped in September 2022, a University of Michigan study showed Google searches for the town itself shot up around 30%. But it gets even better – as the series went on, they actually saw real improvements in things like job numbers, the average income per person, social services, and even mental health within the community. It’s not just a feel-good story about football; it seems to have genuinely boosted the town!

Today, the area is a popular destination for tourists in Wales, welcoming over 2 million visitors each year. This represents a 20% increase since 2021, and is bringing in over $250 million in revenue.

The team achieved an unprecedented feat in English soccer, getting promoted three years in a row – moving from the National League all the way up to the EFL Championship. They were just one step away from reaching the Premier League, the highest and most profitable soccer league globally.

Honestly, as a fan, it’s hard to think of a sports story that’s been this incredible. The whole thing has just been so dramatic, with everything on the line – not just for the team, but for the entire community that supports them. It’s more than just a game, you know?

Season 5 continues to document Wrexham’s season, even though we know the outcome: they drew with Middlesbrough in their last game. This allowed Hull City to win and secure the final spot in the playoffs, where the winner would advance to the Premier League.

Reynolds expressed his extreme disappointment on social media, saying he was “completely gutted” by the result. However, it’s possible he was focusing on the wrong thing.

After the game ended and fans left the stadium, many headed to a lively downtown area. This area now boasts a community market, a cultural center, and an art gallery. Close by, new spaces dedicated to art, film, and media have emerged, including a street art walk and plans to revitalize historic buildings.

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Los Angeles has announced plans for 10 official World Cup watch parties. Fans can watch the games on big screens at various locations throughout the city. Details about the dates and venues have been released.

Wrexham is feeling optimistic and energized as it competes to become the UK City of Culture in 2029 – a title that would bring over $13 million for a year of exciting events designed to boost the town. Even a soccer match result couldn’t diminish that positive spirit.

I was really interested to hear Ryan Reynolds explain what he and his partner were hoping to achieve with the club. Basically, they didn’t just want to buy it, they wanted to really become a part of the community and help it grow. And the big goal, as it should be, is to make sure the club can thrive on its own for years to come – to build something sustainable.

People don’t typically enter this field expecting to make money.

People often enter this field wanting to make a difference, and Reynolds and McElhenney have certainly done that, even though they haven’t quite reached the highest level of competition yet.

Enjoyed the latest ‘On Soccer’ column by Kevin Baxter? Each week, it offers an inside look and shares interesting stories. You can also hear from Baxter on this week’s episode of the “Corner of the Galaxy” podcast.

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2026-05-12 14:31