Wrexham Fever is coming to the U.S. with a whole lot of momentum.
Last Thursday, tickets to Wrexham AFC’s July 19 match against Chelsea FC at the University of North Carolina’s Kenan Stadium went on sale. By midday on Monday, the game was completely sold out.
“It’s no surprise that the pairing of global football and one of American college football’s great venues is a hot ticket,” said Steve Hogan, CEO of Florida Citrus Sports, which is organizing the match with Unified Events. “This a must-see match on the summer soccer calendar in America.”
UNC is just the first stop on Wrexham’s first American tour: The Red Dragons will play MLS reserve team LA Galaxy II in Los Angeles on July 22, followed by Manchester United in San Diego on July 25.
It’s all part of a huge coming-out party for the small Welsh side, which was purchased by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney in February 2021 for a reported $2.5 million.
The club has gained additional media exposure through FX’s docuseries “Welcome to Wrexham,” which Reynolds and McElhenney created to document their ownership of the team.
In April, Wrexham secured promotion to EFL League Two by clinching the National League title with a 3-1 win over Boreham Wood. On Tuesday, the team paraded through the streets of Wrexham with the championship trophy — amid plans to take the celebration to Las Vegas soon after.