Sports story: Wrexham reaching the Premier League? It's not that simple!

Wrexham has become the most notable football team in England thanks to their remarkable feat of climbing three divisions in three years. But their Premier League ambition still faces many obstacles after losing 1-2 to Southampton in the Championship opener.

Actor Ryan Reynolds, who shares the role of Wrexham's co-chairman, expressed immense pride as his club reached England's second tier: "I remember my very first press conference here. A reporter asked me: How far do you think Wrexham's dream will go? I answered candidly: To the Premier League. Now, we've arrived in the Championship."

Comparisons with Ipswich Town

When Wrexham first secured promotion from the semi-professional National League to League Two, everyone wondered: Could Reynolds' Wrexham one day play in the Premier League? Now, they are just one season away from that possibility. However, the reverse could also happen: The intensity of the Championship could send Wrexham back down to League One. Their three consecutive promotions under manager Parkinson were partly fueled by virtually unlimited spending, but the situation in the Championship is different. For the first time since Reynolds and Rob McElhenney acquired the club in 2022, Wrexham finds itself at a disadvantage compared to other teams in their division.

This is easy to understand when you look at the statistics: Out of 36 teams promoted from League One to the Championship in the past 12 seasons, only one managed to achieve back-to-back promotions to the Premier League—Ipswich Town last season (though they were relegated). Ipswich's promotion story shares some similarities with Wrexham's. Ipswich moved up to the Championship after finishing second in League One in 2022-23 with 98 points from 46 matches, then reached the Premier League for the first time in over 20 years by finishing second in the Championship in 2023-24 with 92 points from 46 games. As for Wrexham, except for their first promotion which was dominant, their last two promotions saw them finish runners-up: Second place in League Two in 2023-24 with 88 points from 46 games and second in League One last season with 92 points from 46 games. CEO Michael Williamson remains cautious: "I have no doubt about our goal to reach the Premier League one day. But I want the club to make sure that when we get to the top division, we can stay up rather than be relegated after just one season."

Why is it so difficult for Wrexham to conquer the Championship?

Wrexham may have dominated League One, where most teams are simply fighting to avoid relegation. But the Championship is a different story, with clubs spending on wages and transfer fees at an estimated 121% of their revenue. This reflects the ambition of many teams to reach the Premier League as quickly as possible. There are multiple ways to secure promotion: either by finishing in the top two for automatic spots, or by winning the playoffs among those ranked third to sixth. Financially, Championship teams are clearly stronger than those from League One, partly due to parachute payments from the Premier League for clubs relegated to the Championship each season.

So how does Wrexham's financial situation compare to other clubs in the Championship this season? Although no official numbers have been released, Parkinson's squad has increased its transfer market value by 110.3%, the second highest in the Championship. Even so, Wrexham's squad is valued at just £24.8 million, almost eight times less than Leicester's £180 million squad. So far, Wrexham has brought in eight new signings for an estimated £13 million. However, their chances of promotion to the Premier League are only 3.6%. That figure shows just how far Wrexham's path to the Premier League remains, not just because of their defeat in the opening round of the Championship!