The mouth-watering game between Wrexham and Chelsea is being dubbed the ‘$20m match’. Furthermore, fans from every U.S. state has bought a ticket.
Wrexham are still very much on a high from their promotion winning season. The Red Dragons were promoted to League Two for the first time since 2015 last season after they clinched the National League title.
Co-owners Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds treated the players and coaches by whisking them off to Las Vegas for an all-expenses paid for trip.
However, now it’s time for more serious matters as Wrexham are back in the USA for their pre-season tour.
Wrexham take on Chelsea in the U.S.
Wrexham kick off their tour of the United States by taking on Premier League giants Chelsea. The Red Dragons face Chelsea on Wednesday 19th July at 7:30 pm local time, which means it’s on at 12:30 AM on Thursday in the UK.
The game will take place at the 51,000-capacity Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, the home of college (American) football team, the North Carolina Tar Heels.
Tickets for the ‘$20m’ match have been bought by fans from all 50 U.S. states
Despite Chelsea being several leagues above Wrexham, the game reportedly sold out in just a few days. Furthermore, Chapel Hill’s entire stock of 1,200 hotel bedrooms also filled within hours.
In fact, fans from all 50 U.S. states have bought tickets, with many from other countries also attending the game.
According to The Athletic, tourism experts have estimated that the fixture could be worth up to $20million (£15.3m) to the local economy.
“There is a huge economic impact for the area,” Laurie Paolicelli, executive director of Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau, told the publication. “We are guesstimating right now — and that’s all we can do, as this is the first event of its kind in Chapel Hill — but the belief is this will be worth around $20million to the area.”
Players visit local hospital before the big game
Ahead of the match against Chelsea, Phil Parkinson and Wrexham’s first-team players paid a visit to UNC Children’s Hospital, to meet patients and hand out gifts.
The likes of Ben Tozer, Mark Howard, Liam McAlinden, Bryce Hosannah, Max Cleworth, Elliot Lee, Sam Dalby and Aaron Hayden visited young patients on the ward at the nearby Reelin’ For Research Pediatric Hematology Oncology Clinic.
The players took time to meet the children on the ward, and posed for photographs that were shared on social media.