Wrexham AFCWrexham AFC holds the distinction of being the oldest professional football club in Wales and the third-oldest professional club in the world. Founded on October 4, 1864, by members of the Wrexham Cricket Club at The Turf Hotel, the team established a deep historic identity tied to its signature red and white kit. The club plays its home matches at the Racecourse Ground, officially recognized as the world's oldest international football stadium still in continuous use.
Despite competing within the English football league system throughout its history, Wrexham AFC established an unprecedented domestic legacy by winning the Welsh Cup a record 23 times. These victories granted the club frequent entries into European competition, culminating in a historic run to the quarter-finals of the European Cup Winners' Cup during the 1975–76 season. Under manager John Neal, the side eliminated Swedish club Djurgårdens IF and Polish side Stal Mielec before narrowly falling to eventual champions Anderlecht.
One of the most iconic moments in English football history occurred on January 4, 1992, during the third round of the FA Cup. Wrexham AFC, then bottom of the fourth division, famously upset reigning English champions Arsenal 2–1 at the Racecourse Ground, driven by a memorable free-kick from veteran Mickey Thomas and a late winner by Steve Watkin. Other seminal figures in club lore include 1970s goalscoring icon Dixie McNeil and defender Joey Jones, a European Cup winner with Liverpool FC who enjoyed multiple spells with his hometown club.
A global resurgence began in November 2020 when the club was acquired by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. The high-profile takeover provided financial stability, international exposure, and successive promotions back into the English Football League (EFL), blending 19th-century tradition with a modern sporting phenomenon.