Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds announce Wrexham first and tell fans to 'witness history'
Wrexham co-owners Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds excitedly announced plans for the club's women's team to head out to America's west coast for a tour this summer - as fans were urged to 'witness history'.
With the Welsh side's men's team having undertaken pre-season trip stateside last season, Wrexham AFC Women are set to play three games across the pond in 2024. The Adran Premier team will head to Los Angeles face SoCal FC on July 19, before playing Tigres Femenil Under-19s on July 21.
From there, the Dragons will then set off for Portland, where they will come up against the Portland Thorns Academy on July 26. Wrexham's reputation having skyrocketed as a result of the club's newfound glamour, with the Wrexham men's team also heading to the US again this summer.
The club now boasts a cult following in the country, as a result of the chairmanship of McElhenney and Reynolds, alongside the successful 'Welcome to Wrexham' series. The men's team will play Bournemouth in Santa Barbara, followed by Chelsea in Santa Clara and the Vancouver Whitecaps in Vancouver too later this year.
In their typically amusing style, the club's co-owners heralded the milestone news of three women's fixtures being added to the 'Wrex Coast Tour' with a tongue-in-cheek address to camera. Recording an announcement video for the Red Dragons' YouTube page, they even had worked on a routine for the clip as their enthusiasm over the tour became clear.
McElhenney said: "Chances are, there are a lot of firsts throughout history that you have never been able to witness," before he and Reynolds proceeded to reel off examples of landmark feats such as the invention of the telephone, the first moon landings, alongside the first episode of 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia'.
Following on from this, the writer of that show then got down to business as he asserted: "You now have a chance to witness history being made. The Wrexham AFC Women are playing right here in the U.S. for the very first time, with Reynolds adding: Get your tickets now [...] and be part of history."
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Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney made an address to camera in the video
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney beamed with pride as they made a landmark announcement
Previously, the Hollywood pair had teased the prospect of the team following in the footsteps of Wrexham's men's outfit, who embarked on a tour of the US last year. They promised: "Beyond all of the wins at home, this tour is a fantastic way for Wrexham AFC Women to show the world what they're made of."
Adding to this, Wrexham AFC Women manager Steve Dale said: "Having heard the stories around the men’s tour last season, it is great that the women’s team will have the same opportunity. The time it will provide us to prepare for the upcoming league campaign will be vital in our quest to improve on our third position."
Meanwhile, the club's chief Marketing and Public Relations officer, Andrea Brimmer, added: "Our focus on elevating women’s sports makes Ally the perfect teammate to bring Wrexham AFC Women to the U.S. for the first time. The Wrex Coast Tour gives them the stage they have rightfully earned by capturing hearts with their stories and brilliant play."