Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney's UEFA dreams with Wrexham dashed by FA ruling

Since taking ownership in 2020, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have been at the forefront of a modern fairy tale with Wrexham AFC, aiming to restore the Welsh club to its former glory. However, a recent decision by the English Football Association (FA) has dealt a significant blow to their aspirations of bringing the club to a UEFA competition in the near future.

The Football Association of Wales (FAW) recently proposed the creation of a revamped Welsh League Cup, designed to bring together the best teams in the country to compete for a prestigious national trophy.

The plan included the participation of the four Welsh clubs currently playing in the English Football League (EFL)—Cardiff City, Swansea City, Newport County, and Wrexham—alongside the 12 JD Cymru Premier (Welsh first division) teams.

The restructured competition was set to include 16 teams starting from the 2026-27 season when the JD Cymru Premier expands to 16 clubs. Beyond the allure of a £3 million ($3.6 million) prize and a metal trophy, the proposed tournament offered a tantalizing reward: qualification for the UEFA Conference League. For Wrexham and their ambitious owners, it was a potential gateway to European competition.

Described as a “game-changer for Welsh soccer” by FAW chief executive Noel Mooney, the competition promised to reinvigorate Welsh football and elevate its standing on the international stage. However, the FA ultimately rejected the proposal, extinguishing Wrexham’s hopes of participating in UEFA tournaments in the short term.

FA blocks Welsh clubs’ participation

Despite strong backing from the FAW, the English FA blocked the four Welsh EFL clubs from participating in the revamped Welsh League Cup. Citing concerns about conflicts between the English and Welsh football systems, the FA ultimately denied the request.

In a detailed statement, the FA explained its reasoning: “The FA board has considered a request made by four Welsh clubs to take part in a restructured version of the FAW League Cup which would provide an opportunity to qualify for UEFA competition.

“Following careful consideration, taking into account various factors including equal opportunity for clubs to participate in the same competitions, for the same rewards on an equal basis; concerns raised by stakeholders regarding competition integrity, fixture congestion and player welfare, and the impact on the standing of existing competitions, the FA board has rejected the request.

“It was noted that it is open to the Welsh clubs to choose whether or not to participate in the English or Welsh system based on their own assessment of the relative merits of participation in each system, but if they choose to participate in the English system they must do so on the same basis as the English clubs which participate in that system,” the statement ended, addressing an unbalance in the opportunities for this 4 Welsh sides and the English clubs.

Currently sitting 3rd in EFL League One with 52 points in 27 games, Wrexham remains a strong candidate for promotion to the Championship alongside Birmingham City and Wycombe Wanderers. While the FA’s decision may have delayed their European ambitions, the club’s rise under Reynolds and McElhenney continues to gain momentum.