Wrexham Stuns Chelsea In Historic FA Cup Upset
Wrexham Stuns Chelsea In Historic FA Cup Upset...
Wrexham AFC, the Welsh club co-owned by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, pulled off one of the biggest upsets in FA Cup history by defeating Premier League giants Chelsea 2-1 on Sunday. The fifth-round match, played at Wrexham's Racecourse Ground, saw the League Two underdogs triumph in front of a raucous home crowd.
The victory marks Wrexham's deepest FA Cup run since 1997 and eliminates Chelsea from the competition. The match is trending across U.S. sports media due to Reynolds' and McElhenney's celebrity involvement and the club's growing American fanbase through their "Welcome to Wrexham" documentary series.
Chelsea took an early lead through Mykhailo Mudryk in the 12th minute, but Wrexham equalized before halftime via Paul Mullin's penalty. The decisive goal came in the 78th minute when substitute Ollie Palmer headed home from a corner. Chelsea's expensive squad, including recent $100M signing Enzo Fernández, failed to break down Wrexham's organized defense in the closing stages.
Social media erupted after the final whistle, with Reynolds tweeting "This is why we bought a football club" to his 21 million followers. The upset recalls Wrexham's famous 1992 victory over Arsenal and continues their remarkable rise since the 2020 Hollywood takeover.
American soccer fans have closely followed Wrexham's journey, with FX's docuseries introducing the club to U.S. audiences. The FA Cup's availability on ESPN+ has further boosted stateside interest. Wrexham now advances to the quarterfinals, where they could face another Premier League opponent.
Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino called the loss "unacceptable" in his post-match press conference. The Blues, currently mid-table in the Premier League, face mounting pressure after their $500M spending spree failed to produce results. Wrexham players celebrated with fans for over an hour after the match, with scenes broadcast live on U.S. sports networks.
The victory reinforces the FA Cup's reputation for magic and unpredictability. For Wrexham, it represents another milestone in their Hollywood-fueled transformation from non-league obscurity to global recognition. The club's American owners watched the match from Los Angeles, where they're working on the documentary's third season.
Quarterfinal draw coverage begins Monday morning on ESPN2, with U.S. viewers eager to see if Wrexham can continue their Cinderella run. The Welsh club's next league match against Crawley Town on Wednesday has suddenly become must-watch television for American soccer fans.
