The remarkable rise of Wrexham AFC through English football's leagues, powered by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, has taken another surprising turn. Despite the club's wealthy celebrity backing and global commercial success, it has received nearly £18 million in nonrepayable grants from Welsh taxpayers.
Substantial Public Funding for Celebrity-Owned Club
According to UK government state aid disclosures, the League Two club secured the substantial funding through Wrexham County Borough Council from the Welsh government. This represents far more direct aid than any other football club in Britain has received through these channels.
The funding was part of a £25 million Welsh government grant intended to redevelop the area around Wrexham General train station, which neighbours the club's Racecourse Ground stadium. However, the council had not previously disclosed that most of this money would go directly to the football club rather than general station improvements.
Hollywood Backing Meets Public Money
Wrexham's ownership situation makes this funding particularly noteworthy. The club is owned by Reynolds, star of the billion-dollar Deadpool franchise, and McElhenney, creator and star of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, who completed their takeover in 2021.
The public money flowed even as the owners produced four series of the Disney TV documentary Welcome to Wrexham, which chronicled their "fairytale" takeover and reportedly attracted up to 5 million viewers per episode. While the club doesn't directly profit from the series, other companies owned by the stars are believed to have benefited from lucrative production deals.
The Hollywood connection has also helped Wrexham secure sponsorship agreements with global brands including Meta, United Airlines, and TikTok – partnerships that would be coveted even by Premier League teams.
Financial Experts Question Funding Priority
Football finance expert Stefan Borson, head of sport at law firm McCarthy Denning, expressed concerns about the arrangement. "This looks like an £18m nonrepayable subsidy to a privately owned business now flirting with a £350m valuation," he stated.
Borson questioned why funding a stadium stand for wealthy private owners would be a government priority, noting that taxpayers won't be repaid or directly profit from the club's success, despite the owners benefiting from the improved facilities for decades.
The grant comes at a challenging time for local public finances. Wrexham.com recently reported on an alleged "budget crisis" in some city schools, with possible spending cuts to address a £3 million deficit. Council leader Mark Pritchard warned that "redundancies will be inevitable" without increased funding from the Welsh government.
Stadium Development and Economic Justifications
The council defended the funding, emphasising that it came entirely from Welsh government grants rather than council budgets. A spokesperson stated that the Racecourse Ground represents "an important cultural and heritage asset" for Wrexham that deserves protection.
The redevelopment aims to bring the stadium up to international standards, enabling it to host international matches again. The club must make the venue available for other sporting events and concerts, which the council claims will create "additional benefits for the residents of north Wales."
A Wrexham AFC spokesperson highlighted that the improvements would catalyse job creation and provide an economic uplift to the region through increased visitor numbers attracted to international events.
Competitive Advantage and Wider Context
The £18 million grant provides Wrexham with a significant advantage over rival clubs without access to similar state support. Stockport County, which finished just below Wrexham and missed out on promotion to the Championship, generated £9 million in revenues for the year ending June 2024.
Other football league clubs received substantially less through state aid disclosures: Plymouth Argyle (£2 million), Swansea City (£400,000), and Bradford City (£670,000).
The funding records show two direct grants from the council to Wrexham AFC Limited: £3.8 million in February 2022 and £14 million in September 2023. The council argued that redevelopment to UEFA standards was "commercially unviable" without public support, though the club's 2024 accounts indicated that increasing stadium capacity was fundamental to its long-term business plan.
Despite not receiving direct revenue from Welcome to Wrexham, the global exposure has dramatically boosted the club's commercial performance. Turnover surged from £10.5 million in 2023 to £26.7 million in the year to June 2024, with the Financial Times reporting potential revenues reaching £50 million in the most recent period.
The Welsh government maintained that public funding made the crucial difference between meeting league requirements and achieving international fixture standards, creating an economic boost for the region through a "fitting landmark for Wrexham."
