Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, after Wrexham success, purchase stake in Liga MX’s Necaxa
Wrexham AFC earned a second consecutive promotion earlier this month to reach the third tier of English Soccer
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, after an incredible run with Wrexham AFC in Wales, are getting in on Liga MX.
The Hollywood stars purchased a minority stake in Liga MX’s Necaxa, Variety reported Monday. The deal was in the works “for months, and finalized recently,” according to ESPN. Specifics on their investment are not known, though the investment was made through their R.R. McReynolds Company, which owns Wrexham.
Reynolds and McElhenney are just the latest celebrities that have bought into Necaxa recently. Actress Eva Longoria was among the ownership group that purchased a 50% stake in the club in 2021. Other celebrities and athletes like Kate Upton, Odell Beckham Jr., Justin Verlander, Victor Oladipo and Shawn Marion, among others, have made smaller investments. It’s unclear what role Reynolds and McElhenney will have with the franchise, if any.
Necaxa, which fell to Monterrey 5-2 on Saturday, currently holds a 7-6-4 record and sits in ninth in the Liga MX standings. The club, which is based in Aguascalientes in Central Mexico, finished in last in the standings in 2023. Necaxa has won three Liga MX titles — their most recent win was in 1998 — and two CONCACAF Champions Cups. Their Liga MX title drought is the second longest in the league among clubs who have won a championship.
As of 2022, Necaxa was valued at over $200 million, according to Sportico. By comparison, the lowest-valued MLS team was most recently listed at $400 million by Forbes. Two MLS clubs are listed with a value of more than $1 billion.
Reynolds and McElhenney purchased Wrexham for $2.5 million in 2020. Since they acquired the club, it has been promoted twice and drawn international recognition — thanks in part to the “Welcome to Wrexham” documentary series the two have produced on FX. Wrexham will compete in the third tier of English soccer next season after picking up back-to-back promotions for the first time in club history.
