How To Watch Wrexham AFC Games In The United States
International soccer has long had a small but mighty fanbase in the United States, but in 2020, the sport arguably hit a fever pitch. For one, "Ted Lasso" premiered to critical acclaim. In 2020, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney also made headlines when they announced their interest in buying the Welsh team Wrexham AFC, a deal that came to fruition in February 2021. A year after that, the pair's docuseries, "Welcome to Wrexham," premiered on FX.
The series follows the beleaguered soccer team under the new stewardship of Reynolds and McElhenney, neither of whom had any experience related to soccer or sports management upon buying Wrexham AFC. In the wake of the docuseries, support for the underdog team ballooned in the United States, with Wrexham AFC merchandise sales reportedly spiking by an average of 47% the day after each new episode aired.
That jump in popularity naturally led to a clamoring for streamable soccer games among U.S.-based fans. For the ongoing 2023-2024 English Football League Two season, American fans can watch Wrexham AFC exclusively via iFollow. In Fall of 2023, the soccer club secured a deal with the broadcasting company that ensured accessibility for fans in the United States. The platform offers three subscription tiers: a video season pass for $178, a monthly pass for $33, and a single match pass for $13. Since the current season has already begun, a discounted half-season pass is available for $112. ESPN+ also broadcasts a few EFL games each season.
American Wrexham fans can thank Ryan Reynolds
Getting Wrexham soccer on a streaming service was an uphill battle — one that was primarily waged by Ryan Reynolds. The actor had been trying to get the National League on a streaming site for months before brokering a deal. In 2022, he went to Twitter (now known as X) to vent at British sports broadcasting service BT Sport, as well as the league itself.
"After months of maximum effort, the decision (through inaction of the Vanarama National League) to not allow domestic/international streaming of matches of Wrexham and the other clubs in the league is truly baffling," the actor-turned-team owner tweeted, tagging BT Sport at the end of the post. He continued, "Depriving every team in our league the chance to expand the fanbase while adding to league revenue benefits everyone. This is a spotlight and a chance and we ask the National League to take it."
The ease of access is a boon to "Welcome to Wrexham," which returns for Season 3 in Spring 2024. The forthcoming season will track the club's continued success on the heels of its National League championship last season, as well as its aspirational climb toward the Premier League. If the team is successful in that endeavor, international fans will have an even easier time tuning into Wrexham soccer. The top tier of the English football league system streams on Peacock and YouTube TV, as well as select matches on cable.