Wrexham’s Hollywood Owners Face Mysterious New FA Cup Challenge After Stunning Forest Victory

Who’d have thought that two Hollywood heavyweights would rewrite the narrative of a historic Welsh football club? Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have injected fresh vigor into Wrexham, and their latest triumph—a breathtaking upset over Premier League contenders Nottingham Forest in the nail-biting third round of the 2025-26 FA Cup—just adds another spellbinding chapter to their fairy tale. With the FA Cup draw settled, the Red Dragons’ path forward is clear, and these silver screen owners are fully aware of the challenge awaiting them as they prepare to square off in round four—an encounter loaded with promise and stakes alike. LEARN MORE .

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s fairytale run as Wrexham owners continues, most recently highlighted by the club’s stunning elimination of Premier League side Nottingham Forest in the third round of the 2025-26 FA Cup. With the draw now complete, the Hollywood duo know who the Red Dragons will face next in the fourth round.

Forest traveled to the Racecourse Ground in Wales on Friday to face Wrexham in the FA Cup third round, a match Reynolds made sure not to miss, watching from the stands. After a thrilling 3–3 draw through 120 minutes, goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo emerged as the hero, making decisive saves from Igor Jesus and Omari Hutchinson to secure a 4–3 victory on penalties.

With the draw finalized, Wrexham are set to host Ipswich Town in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday, February 14. The Tractor Boys currently sit third in the EFL Championship and represent a significant challenge, aiming to build momentum after their own strong performances earlier in the competition.

Wrexham and Ipswich have already met this season in the Championship, most recently in November, when Ipswich dominated possession and outshot Wrexham 19–2, though the match ended in a scoreless draw. Now riding a five-game winning streak that includes the victory over Forest, Wrexham enter the matchup with confidence, while Ipswich narrowly escaped the previous round with a tight win over League One side Blackpool.

Ryan Reynolds watching Wrexham vs. Nottingham Forest from the stands.

Reynolds attends FA Cup thriller with a special guest

Although McElhenney was unable to attend, Ryan Reynolds was prominently spotted cheering on his club and became one of the evening’s notable figures. After the match, Wrexham head coach Phil Parkinson shared details of a pregame conversation with the co-owner: “I had a chat with him before the game and it was great to see him over here with his family.

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“I think Ryan’s mum was here tonight, which was for the first time. So it’s really special and I hope they’ve enjoyed the night. I’m sure that on the flight back home tonight, they’ll be having a few glasses of wine to celebrate,” Parkinson added, reflecting on a historic night in Wales.

Complete FA Cup fourth-round draw

With only the match between Salford City and Swindon Town remaining (scheduled for January 20), the FA Cup fourth-round draw is as follows:

• Wrexham vs. Ipswich Town
• Liverpool vs. Brighton
• Stoke City vs. Fulham
• Oxford United vs. Sunderland
• Southampton vs. Leicester City
• Arsenal vs. Wigan Athletic
• Hull City vs. Chelsea
• Burton Albion vs. West Ham
• Burnley vs. Mansfield Town
• Norwich City vs. West Brom
• Port Vale vs. Bristol City
• Grimsby Town vs. Wolves
• Aston Villa vs. Newcastle United
• Manchester City vs. Salford or Swindon Town
• Macclesfield vs. Brentford
• Birmingham City vs. Leeds United