Ryan Reynolds’ mammoth net worth after divorce as £100m boost in reach | Football | Sport
Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively are married (Image: Aeon, GC Imagesvia Getty Images)
Hollywood superstar Ryan Reynolds is set for another major financial windfall, this time through football. That’s thanks to Wrexham‘s fairytale rise, which now means they are just one step away from playing in the Premier League.
The Welsh side, co-owned by Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, enter the final day of the Championship season in sixth place, aware that victory could clinch a coveted play-off place. Wrexham are level on points with Hull City and only one point clear of Derby County, leaving no room for mistakes when they host Middlesbrough, who have already secured their own play-off spot. And with it arrives an eye-watering financial incentive.
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£100m jackpot within reach
Should Wrexham achieve promotion through the play-offs to the Premier League, they would unlock a financial windfall worth at least £100million in their first season alone. That figure is driven mainly by the Premier League’s global broadcasting deals, with clubs receiving huge central payments just for competing in the division.
Over a three-year period, including parachute payments in the event of relegation, the total value of promotion is estimated at £170m or more, with commercial revenue, sponsorship and international exposure driving that figure even higher. For Reynolds and McElhenney, it would mark a stunning return on their investment — and another chapter in one of football’s most incredible tales.
Since buying Wrexham in 2021 for just £2m, the Hollywood pair have overseen a meteoric rise. Three consecutive promotions have propelled the club from non-league football into the Championship, and they now stand on the verge of reaching the Premier League in just five seasons. The club is reportedly now valued at around £350m, a huge rise fuelled by success on the pitch and the worldwide exposure generated by the documentary series Welcome to Wrexham.
Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds are on the cusp of achieving something special with Wrexham (Image: Kya Banasko, Getty Images)
Remarkable net worth
Reynolds is estimated to be worth roughly $400m (£295m), cementing his position as one of Hollywood’s top earners. According to Forbes, the Canadian actor was the second highest-paid star in 2024, raking in around £79m and trailing only Dwayne Johnson in the rich list. Much of that income has stemmed from major projects, including box office smash Deadpool and Wolverine, alongside family film IF and the Emmy-winning documentary series Welcome to Wrexham.
Reynolds has also boosted his fortune through shrewd business ventures. He held up to a 20% stake in Aviation Gin before its sale in a $600m (£443m) deal in 2020. A further windfall followed in 2023 when he sold a major share in Mint Mobile to T-Mobile as part of a $1.35billion (£997m) agreement, reportedly earning him more than $300m (£220m).
Away from Hollywood, Reynolds has injected considerable funds into Wrexham AFC, with he and co-owner Rob McElhenney believed to have invested over £20m since their 2020 takeover. Yet, the journey hasn’t come without a cost. During a 2023 episode of Welcome to Wrexham, the pair revealed losses of around $12m (£8.9m), prompting Reynolds to joke: “I’m going to throw up.”
More recently, the club has landed a major financial injection of nearly £50m following investment from Apollo Sports Capital, after the Allyn family purchased a stake of around 15% in 2024. Having been bought for just £2m five years ago, Wrexham’s valuation is now reported to have rocketed to around £350m.
Ryan Reynolds and ex-wife Scarlett Johansson (Image: Kevin Mazur/WireImage)
Life with famous wife after Hollywood divorce
Reynolds has been married to Gossip Girl star Blake Lively since 2012, with the couple first crossing paths while filming Green Lantern. Their romance quickly attracted public interest and they became one of Hollywood’s most high-profile couples, exchanging vows in a private ceremony in South Carolina before welcoming four children together – James, Inez, Betty and Olin.
Lively has regularly been seen in north Wales cheering on Wrexham AFC at the Racecourse Ground and posted an emotional message following the club’s Championship promotion last year. “Back to back to back,” she wrote on Instagram. “History was made. Congratulations to @wrexham_afc. I will never forget the love and elation in that town today. Thank you for sharing it with us always.
“And to these two men, @robmcelhenney and @vancityreynolds … the love and respect that pours out of you each and together exponentially grows and creates more joy, more possibilities, more magic, more history. This picture feels to me like a painting of all you do for so many, while being so present and appreciative of every moment.”
Before his relationship with Lively, Reynolds enjoyed a string of high-profile romances. He was engaged to fellow Canadian Alanis Morissette after the pair met in 2002, though they parted ways in 2007. He was also romantically linked with celebrities including Sandra Bullock, Melissa Joan Hart and Charlize Theron before tying the knot with Scarlett Johansson in 2008.
Their marriage came to an end in 2010, with both citing gruelling work schedules and little time spent together as the driving forces behind the split. “We work and then go home,” Johansson later admitted. “I’d just stare at the wall for a few hours before I got to sleep.”
Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds barely knew each other before their football venture (Image: Carl Recine, Getty Images)
How did Ryan Reynolds meet Rob McElhenney?
While the pair have overseen one of football’s most extraordinary success stories, Reynolds and McElhenney barely knew each other when they first moved to purchase Wrexham, having exchanged only a handful of messages online.
In fact, the idea did not originate with Reynolds. It was McElhenney who pushed the move after teaming up with British writer and football enthusiast Humphrey Ker, who introduced him to the possibility of owning a club. Though not initially a football fan, McElhenney became intrigued by Ker’s passion for Liverpool FC, and during the coronavirus lockdown was encouraged to watch the Netflix documentary Sunderland ‘Til I Die.
The series marked a pivotal moment, sparking the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia star’s desire to pursue club ownership and even document the experience himself. After establishing a budget, Ker helped identify suitable clubs, with Wrexham standing out as an intriguing prospect thanks to its rich history, loyal fanbase and need for fresh investment following the pandemic.
McElhenney then contacted Reynolds – having previously connected with him online – in an attempt to secure both financial support and celebrity appeal for the venture. Reynolds embraced the concept, opting not just to invest but to join as a full co-owner alongside McElhenney. In November 2020, the duo finalised a £2m takeover, and despite not meeting face-to-face until April 2021, they have since forged a strong friendship.
McElhenney later told People that Reynolds is now one of his closest friends, describing him as a “kind and generous soul” and someone he can always rely on. He added: “Our families have grown incredibly close, and even though we live on opposite coasts, we feel like we’re right next to each other.”
