Immoral business? Ryan Reynolds has sold part of Wrexham AFC after receiving an £18m government bailout
Article by Aurelian Botezatu – Published Tuesday, 09 December 2025, 10:57 / Updated Tuesday, 09 December 2025 11:11
Club Wrexham Championship (League 2) AFC, owned by actors Ryan Reynolds and Ron McElhenney, has been part-sold to an American investment fund, but the move comes months after it received an unconditional £14m government bailout, notes guardian Last year, the club received approximately 4 million more.
Wrexham AFC owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have sold part of the company's shares to US private equity group Apollo, less than three months after the football club received a £14m government bailout.
The Welsh club announced the investment from New York-listed investor Apollo Sports Capital on Monday.The value of the deal was not disclosed, but it was stated that Reynolds and McElhenney will remain majority shareholders.
According to the club, the investment will help fund the development of the Racecourse Ground stadium. Apollo is one of the world's largest investors, with up to $840 billion (£630 billion) in assets under management. The group previously extended a loan to Premier League club Nottingham Forest.
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Wrexham achieved successive promotions in the English football leagues, reaching the Championship, a success largely attributed to Hollywood owners: Ryan Reynolds (star of the “Deadpool” franchise) and Rob McElhenney (creator of “It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia”).
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The pair attracted major sponsors and significantly increased the value of the club, largely thanks to the popularity of Disney's 'Welcome to Wrexham' TV documentary.
Ryan Reynolds' club received grants of 18 million pounds from the state
It is assumed that the Apollo investment was influenced by the expectation of major government support. Wrexham AFC received grants totaling £17.8m in a short period: £14m on September 17 and £3.8m last year, according to state aid data published by The Guardian.
The nature of this support is exceptional for English football, notes the cited source, as it is a direct grant given to a football club. Comparatively, the database indicates that no other club received grants exceeding £2 million. Although other clubs have received substantial financial support from local councils, in those cases the authorities have usually retained ownership of assets such as stadiums.
25 Wrexham, the team patronized by Ryan Reynolds, promoted for the third season in a row / Photo: Imago
Football finance expert Stefan Borson said the Apollo investment raised questions about the council's arguments that the club needed millions of pounds in government funding.
“The Apollo investment is a significant milestone and has probably been made at a record valuation for a Championship club,” he said, referring to a Bloomberg report which valued Wrexham at £350m.
“This confirms Wrexham's commercial appeal to one of the world's biggest investors. Together with the existing owners, this provides the club with substantial funding to develop the stadium and target promotion to the Premier League.” However, in this context, the Apollo investment again raises questions about the need for the Welsh Government to provide an £18m grant“.
Wrexham are on an incredible journey and we are delighted to be part of it and support the club, the Wrexham community and Rob and Ryan. This is a multi-tiered investment whereby Apollo Sports Capital can provide long-term, patient capital to help Wrexham achieve its goals and contribute to the continued revitalization of its facilities and local economy.
– Lee Solomon, Apollo official
