Wrexham Stuns Birmingham City In Dramatic FA Cup Clash
Wrexham AFC, the Welsh club co-owned by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, pulled off a stunning 2-1 victory over Birmingham City in the FA Cup semifinals on Saturday. The match, played at London's Wembley Stadium, marked Wrexham's first semifinal appearance in 98 years and sent shockwaves through English football.
The underdog victory is trending in the U.S. due to Wrexham's growing American fanbase, fueled by the popular FX docuseries "Welcome to Wrexham." Reynolds and McElhenney's involvement has transformed the fifth-tier club into a global phenomenon, with Saturday's match drawing record U.S. viewership for an FA Cup game.
Birmingham City, a Championship side two divisions above Wrexham, took an early lead through striker Scott Hogan. But Wrexham equalized before halftime through Paul Mullin, then secured the historic win with a 78th-minute header from defender Ben Tozer.
The result sets up a fairytale final against either Manchester City or Chelsea on May 21. Wrexham becomes the first non-league team to reach the FA Cup final since 1914, when they lost to Burnley. Reynolds tweeted "I can't feel my face" after the match, while McElhenney called it "the greatest day of my life."
American soccer fans flooded social media with reactions, with #Wrexham trending nationwide on Twitter. ESPN reported a 320% increase in U.S. viewership compared to last year's semifinals. The match was particularly popular in Reynolds' home state of Michigan and McElhenney's native Pennsylvania.
Birmingham City manager John Eustace called the loss "devastating" but praised Wrexham's performance. The Championship club now faces scrutiny from fans after becoming the latest professional side to fall to the Hollywood-backed underdogs.
Wrexham's run has captured imaginations worldwide, with their FA Cup matches generating higher U.S. ratings than some Premier League games this season. The club's stateside popularity shows no signs of slowing, with merchandise sales up 740% year-over-year according to Fanatics.
The final on May 21 is expected to shatter U.S. viewership records for the tournament, with Fox Sports already planning expanded coverage. For Wrexham's American owners and their growing legion of fans, the fairytale continues with English football's most prestigious trophy now within reach.
