By Amanda Langell
After securing back-to-back promotions in the last two years, Wrexham AFC will compete in League One for the 2024/25 season, and if the Red Dragons Hollywood-worthy run continues, they just might get promoted to the Championship.
At the end of 2020, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney purchased Wrexham AFC, the oldest club in Wales, for just $2.5 million. The two owners might not have been big soccer fans, but they decided to invest their time, energy, and capital into building a virtually unknown club into a global brand, and their efforts have already paid off.
As the Red Dragons climb the ranks of English soccer in front of thousands of new fans and dozens of cameras, they now have their sights set on the Championship, but getting there will be their toughest task yet.
Here's a breakdown of just how Wrexham AFC can get promoted to the Championship.
What league are Wrexham in?
Wrexham are in League One for the 2024/25 season. For the first time since 2004, the Red Dragons will compete in the third tier of the English football league system.
Just a few seasons ago, Wrexham were stuck in the National League, where they had been for the past 15 years. Then, in the 2022/23 season, the club secured promotion to League Two after tallying 34 wins and 111 points. Finally, the Red Dragons were back in the EFL.
Although Wrexham did not dominate League Two in the 2023/24 season like they dominated the National League a year prior, they still earned 88 points and finished second in the table, securing another promotion, this time to League One.
How can Wrexham get promoted in the 2024/25 season?
Wrexham will surely look to earn their third promotion in as many years next season. Except getting to the Championship is a much harder feat than getting to League One, so the Red Dragons will have to play their best soccer to even have a chance at promotion.
The two teams with the most points in League One will automatically reach the Championship. Typically, to finish atop the League One table, a club must earn anywhere from 90 to 100 points.
If Wrexham do not manage a first or second place finish, then they must be one of the next four teams in order to qualify for the play-offs. The winner of the play-offs among the third to sixth place teams will be the final side to get promoted to the Championship.
Based off the last few years, Wrexham will need to secure at least 76 points to be in contention for the play-offs.
Can Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney take Wrexham to the Premier League?
In theory, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney can take Wrexham to the Premier League. After all, the club is already now in League One, just two tiers away from the top flight of English soccer.
In just four years, the two owners also managed to quadruple Wrexham's total worth, earn close to 4 million new followers on social media, and create a docuseries that won five Emmy awards. Reynolds and McElhenney have proven they are all in on Wrexham, and will do whatever they can to help the club and the players keep progressing through the football pyramid.
It is worth noting, though, that getting to the Premier League is nothing like getting out of the National League. The competition in the Championship alone is something Wrexham has not experienced, let alone the talent in the most competitive league in the world.
As Wrexham experience League One in the 2024/25 season, they will ultimately show if they are worthy of a Championship or Premier League promotion.
This article was originally published on 90min.com as How can Wrexham get promoted to the EFL Championship? 2024/25 season.
