Does Ryan Reynolds, the Owner of Wrexham A.F.C., Play Soccer? What to Know

A brand new documentary series on Disney Plus, Welcome to Wrexham, offers a glimpse into the latest chapter in the 158-year history of Wrexham A.F.C., a Welsh soccer club that won the Welsh Cup no less than 23 times.

In eight episodes, the docu-series captures Deadpool 3 star Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney's attempts to integrate themselves into the local community and carry out their tasks as the executive directors of Wrexham A.F.C.

Ryan skyrocketed to fame with roles in movies like Deadpool and Green Lantern. He and Rob McElhenney, the star of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, purchased Wrexham A.F.C. in 2020. And they are far from the only celebs to do own soccer teams.

Sir Elton John became the chairman of Watford F.C. in 1976. Christina Aguilera and Gabrielle Union own part of the National Women's Soccer League team Angel City FC.

But the decision to buy Wrexham A.F.C. does have an abrupt ring to it. And it doesn't seem like Ryan Reynolds was a huge soccer player in his adult life before he purchased the team.

Ryan and Rob have publicly admitted that they aren't completely up-to-scratch with the history of Wrexham A.F.C. As Ryan told The Times, he played soccer back when he was younger. But, he explained, he didn't really know much about how clubs are run. Acquiring Wrexham A.F.C. allowed him to pick up new community management and business skills.

"I had no football knowledge beyond playing as a kid,” Ryan said. "Slowly but surely, I engaged in everything from admin to community building and the business side, which I understand. Now my week is built around when Wrexham are next playing."

"We went into this expecting a fair amount of cynicism and caution,” Rob told The Times. "If a Hollywood star bought the Eagles I’d expect the same. We welcomed it. If you’re not fully invested in a club, you won’t care. Of course, the fans should care and ask a million questions. We realized that we could say everything, and it doesn’t mean anything until we deliver."

Welcome to Wrexham captures Ryan and Rob's experiences in the Welsh town of Wrexham. Ryan and Rob were appointed as the executive directors of the historic club in February 2022, and their journey wasn't quite as smooth as they hoped it to be.

According to the Independent, the duo received some verbal abuse the first time they attended the game against Maidenhead United. Comedian Humphrey Ker volunteered to act as the buffer between the A-listers and loyal Wrexham A.F.C. fans, reminding the stars that they should expect some flak from a portion of the crowd.

See how their soccer team-owning journey has panned out in Welcome to Wrexham, on Disney Plus now.