Wrexham Clinches Third Straight Promotion, Set to Play in English Football’s Second Tier

WREXHAM, Wales — Wrexham fans had been warned not to storm the field — but there was no stopping them.
When the final whistle blew on Saturday, confirming the club’s promotion to English soccer’s second tier, the Racecourse Ground exploded with celebration. Red flares lit up the sky, Welsh flags waved proudly, and thousands flooded the pitch, ignoring all calls for restraint.

Wrexham’s 3-0 victory over Charlton sealed a dream scenario: finishing as League One runner-up behind Birmingham and securing their third straight promotion. Co-owner Ryan Reynolds, who along with Rob McElhenney has helped drive the club’s fairytale rise, called it “an impossible dream” that is now inching closer to reality.

“We said five years ago our goal was to make it to the Premier League,” Reynolds said. “There were understandably a lot of laughs, but it feels like a thing that could actually happen right now.”

The stakes had already shifted earlier in the day when Wrexham’s main promotion rival, Wycombe, suffered a 1-0 loss to Leyton Orient. That result meant Wrexham only needed a win to lock in promotion — and they delivered with style.

Oliver Rathbone opened the scoring with a stunning long-range strike in the 15th minute, and Sam Smith followed with a sharp volley just three minutes later. Smith then sealed the win — and the celebrations — with a headed goal in the 81st minute, sending chants of “We are going up” echoing around the stadium.

The promotion marks Wrexham’s return to the second tier for the first time since the 1981–82 season, an unimaginable turnaround for a club that was battling in non-league football just four years ago.

Striker Sam Smith, who scored twice in the match, captured the feeling perfectly:

“The stadium and atmosphere are incredible. It’s a massive club and a big project. This will be a special week now.”

Reynolds and McElhenney, who purchased the club for $2.5 million in 2021, have turned Wrexham into a global story — helped along by the hit docuseries Welcome to Wrexham. Before kickoff, Reynolds was seen posing for selfies with fans and even serving drinks behind the bar at the nearby Turf pub, adding to the carnival atmosphere.

Manager Phil Parkinson, who masterminded the latest success, credited the Hollywood owners for their deep commitment to the project:

“The owners have done an amazing job. They trust us with the football decisions, and that’s why we’ve had success over the last three years.”

For long-suffering fans who stuck with the club through 15 hard years in the National League, this promotion is especially sweet.

“This is for those supporters who stood strong behind their club during really tough times,” Parkinson said. “They deserve tonight.”

With Wrexham now just one step away from the Premier League, the impossible dream feels more real than ever.