The Short Answer
Wrexham AFC is a football club from Wrexham, north Wales — one of the oldest professional football clubs in the world, founded in 1864. A Wrexham fan (called a "Red Dragon" or simply a "Red") supports the club through its dramatic, often painful, always passionate journey through the English football pyramid.
Why Americans Know Wrexham
In 2020, Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney agreed to buy the club for £2 million, completing the takeover in February 2021. FX's docuseries Welcome to Wrexham followed what happened next — promotion, heartbreak, more promotion, and a fan base that spread worldwide. The show has now run for five seasons on FX and Hulu, and has been renewed through Season 8.
What Does "Welcome to Wrexham" Mean?
"Welcome to Wrexham" is the title of the documentary and, for many fans, a greeting: an invitation to a town of about 65,000 people that suddenly found itself on American television. The series covers the matches, but it spends just as much time with the players, staff, bar owners and supporters. In the US it streams on Hulu and Disney+ — see our Welcome to Wrexham guide for every season.
The Thor Connection
The phrase "Wrexham fan Thor" comes from a joke at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2026. Ryan Reynolds turned up in the audience of Marvel's Hall H panel dressed as Deadpool and asked the Avengers cast where Thor was and why he was crying — a reference to the scene in Deadpool & Wolverine where Chris Hemsworth's Thor is seen in tears. Paul Rudd's reply: "He's a Wrexham fan?" The line was a dig at the emotional rollercoaster of supporting Reynolds' club, and it spread quickly online.
What Kind of Club Is Wrexham?
- Founded in 1864, making it the oldest club in Wales and one of the oldest professional clubs in the world.
- Currently in the EFL Championship. English football is a pyramid of leagues: the top 3 teams in each league usually move up and the bottom teams drop down each season. The Championship is the second tier, one step below the Premier League. Our league explainer covers how it works.
- Plays at the Racecourse Ground (STōK Cae Ras), capacity around 10,700 — the oldest international football stadium still in use.
- Colors: red and white.
How to Follow Wrexham as a US Fan
- Where to watch live games in the US: see our how to watch guide.
- Time zones: a 3pm UK Saturday kick-off is 10am ET / 7am PT. Our fixture list shows every game in US time.
- The official club site: wrexhamafc.co.uk.
- The Wrexham subreddit, r/WrexhamAFC, for match-day threads.
- Local supporters clubs: find a US supporters club near you.
Famous Wrexham Fans
The best-known Wrexham fans are the owners, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, and their wives Blake Lively and Kaitlin Olson, who appear regularly in the documentary. Beyond Hollywood, the real story is the fan community itself — the town supporters who kept the club alive through 15 years outside the Football League, now joined by fans from every US state.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Wrexham fan called?
Wrexham fans are known as the Red Dragons, or simply "Reds", after the club nickname taken from Y Ddraig Goch, the red dragon on the Welsh flag.
What does Wrexham fan mean?
A Wrexham fan is a supporter of Wrexham AFC, the football club from Wrexham in north Wales founded in 1864. Since the Welcome to Wrexham documentary, the term also covers the club's large international and American fan base.
What is Welcome to Wrexham about?
Welcome to Wrexham is an FX documentary series following Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney's takeover of Wrexham AFC in 2021 and the club's rise from the fifth tier of English football to the EFL Championship.
Who owns Wrexham AFC?
Wrexham AFC is owned by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, who completed their takeover in February 2021. The Allyn family, owners of Welch's, took a minority stake in 2024.
Why did Ryan Reynolds buy Wrexham?
Rob McElhenney wanted to tell the story of a club rooted in its community and recruited Ryan Reynolds as co-owner. They chose Wrexham for its long history, its historic stadium and its loyal fans, and paired the investment with a documentary that brought the club global attention.
Where can I watch Welcome to Wrexham in the US?
In the United States, Welcome to Wrexham airs on FX and FXX and streams on Hulu and on Disney+ with a Hulu bundle.
What league is Wrexham in?
Wrexham AFC play in the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football, after three consecutive promotions between 2023 and 2025.
Who are Wrexham's rivals?
Wrexham's biggest rival is Chester FC, just across the English border — the fixture is known as the Cross-Border Derby. Shrewsbury Town and Tranmere Rovers are also traditional rivals.