It´s been one of the most spotlighted stories in football over the last few years. Ryan Reynolds, Rob McElhenney and Wrexham AFC have taken the world by storm by climbing up the English Football ladder, and they are now closer than ever to promotion to the Premier League.
Premier League push coming
There is still a lot of business to tend to before a potential promotion, but one of the questions lingering around the StoK Racecourse, should Wrexham see them make that long awaited jump to top draw football this summer, is: will the club be ready to splash the cash to compete with the likes of Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool?
Extending our unbeaten away run to six 👏
Enjoy more stats from yesterday’s victory in our #WXMANORAK🔢
🔴⚪ #WxmAFC
— Wrexham AFC (@Wrexham_AFC) March 1, 2026
For Reynolds and “Rob Mac” this is a problem they have been longing to face. The two Hollywood stars took charge of the North Wales club in 2021, and have been the faces of the historic rise to the Championship. The journey has been captured by the “Welcome to Wrexham” documentary, and while the attention and the fame has accompanied them along the way, a potential jump to the Premier League would come with some important financial decision in the front offices.
Former Wrexham defender Frank Sinclair sees no other way for his ex-club to survive a sustained period at the next level without making some big investments, and breaking club records when it comes to transfer fees. “You’ve seen clubs that have been in the Football League and in the Premier League for hundreds of years that struggle – trying to stay in the league and become yo-yo clubs,” said Sinclair to GOAL.
Can Wales attract stars?
This has gone from a passion project to a project that has taken a club to new heights and there are no limits to the ambition of the owners and the Red Dragon fans. The next step maybe where to find funding for those potential mega million pound moves. “I don’t think Wrexham would want to be that, (being a yo-yo club) even though financially it’s very rewarding. But my take from the outside of what those owners want to do, they want to be a team that competes in the Premier League as well. And to do that, I’m not sure how much money they’d be actually able to spend because of the financial restrictions. But I’m sure they will spend their money and I’m sure they’ve got the backing and the support financially to try and compete in the Premier League,” said Sinclair.
Read more reaction from Phil Parkinson as we head into the FA Cup Fifth Round unbeaten in five 🗞️
🔴⚪ #WxmAFC
— Wrexham AFC (@Wrexham_AFC) March 1, 2026
Wrexham currently sit sixth in the Sky Bet Championship, four points ahead over Southampton for the final playoff spot, and just six points behind Middlesbrough who are second in the second division. The Welsh club have 11 matches left in the campaign, and will be hoping to finish in the Top 6, to guarantee a spot in the playoff at least, with an eye set on automatic promotion with a Top 2 finish. On top of that, they are gearing up for a FA Cup fixture against Chelsea on Saturday from Racecourse Ground.
The hypothetical questions could be a real concern in no time, but Sinclair wonders if those top summer targets would be interested in a move to Wales. “It’s always difficult to get top players to go to a city that’s not a popular city. When I’m thinking about your Londons, your Manchesters and those teams, Newcastle find it hard enough to get players to go all the way up to Newcastle to play because it’s a lifestyle. You’re signing for a lifestyle, not just your football on the pitch. So that ain’t going to be easy to do,” concluded the former Red Dragon.
Related stories
Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.
And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.
