Apollo Sports Capital acquires minority stake in Wrexham AFC
Apollo Sports Capital has secured a minority holding in Wrexham AFC, marking another significant expansion of the American investment giant’s European football portfolio, reports BritPanorama.
Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney will continue as majority shareholders and joint chairmen of the Welsh club. The stake, reported to be under 10 per cent, represents a vote of confidence in Wrexham’s extraordinary trajectory.
The investment will channel funds towards the ongoing transformation of the Racecourse Ground, including the construction of a new Kop stand. There are ambitious aspirations attached to the stadium project, with Apollo Sports Capital hoping the redeveloped venue could be positioned to stage matches at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2035, should the home nations succeed in their bid to host the tournament.
Lee Solomon, an Apollo partner, described the arrangement as a “multi-faceted investment” designed to deliver “long-term, patient capital to help Wrexham reach its goals and to contribute to the ongoing revitalisation of the facilities and local economy.”
Apollo Sports Capital, estimated to be worth approximately $900 billion, brings considerable financial muscle to the partnership. The relationship between the investment firm and Wrexham’s celebrity owners is not entirely new; Al Tylis, chief executive of Apollo Sports Capital, has collaborated with Reynolds and McElhenney on previous football ventures.
Tylis serves as chairman of Mexican club Necaxa and participated in a consortium that invested in Colombian outfit La Equidad, both of which have received backing from the Hollywood duo. The firm has been expanding aggressively across European football, having recently agreed to acquire a majority stake in Atletico Madrid in a transaction valuing the Spanish club at more than €2 billion.
Wrexham’s ascent under Reynolds and McElhenney has been nothing short of remarkable since their £2 million acquisition in 2021. The club has achieved three successive promotions, rising from non-league football to the Championship under manager Phil Parkinson.
Commercial success has accompanied the sporting achievements. Shirt sales reached approximately 100,000 last year, with half purchased by overseas supporters, whilst revenue this season is projected to hit £50 million. The club currently sits tenth in the Championship, nine points clear of relegation and just three adrift of the play-off positions.
As the club aims for stability rather than immediate promotion, the blend of showbusiness and football at Wrexham continues to captivate both fans and investors alike. The road ahead remains challenging, with ambitions high and the stakes raised, but in this chapter of sport and entertainment, unexpected outcomes often become the norm.
