EFL make decision after Birmingham asked to play Wrexham league game in US

The EFL have made a decision after Birmingham City requested that their League One match against Wrexham be played in the United States.

The two clubs will meet in English football's third tier next season following Birmingham's relegation from the Championship and Wrexham's promotion from League Two.

Both clubs have American ownership, prompting Birmingham to make the extraordinary request.

The Midlands side were taken over by a US-based group in July 2023, with legendary ex-NFL player Tom Brady becoming a minority investor a month later.

Wrexham were taken over by Hollywood duo Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney in 2020, and the actors have since overseen back-to-back promotions.

The Welsh club's reputation in the US has grown massively thanks to the popular documentary about the club, Welcome to Wrexham.

Keen to boost their presence and visibility in the US, Birmingham bosses asked the EFL if their home fixture against Wrexham in 2024-25 could be played Stateside instead of at St Andrews.

According to the Daily Mail, the proposal was swiftly declined by EFL bosses, much to Birmingham's disappointment.

Had the request been granted, then the fixture would have created history by being the first English league fixture to take place outside of England or Wales.

The idea of playing Premier League matches abroad has gained traction in recent years, with some club executives supporting the idea.

As expected the vast majority of fans are opposed to the idea, and it seems likely that there would have been signifiant backlash from Birmingham and Wrexham supporters had the move been approved.

In April, New York City-based event promoter Relevent Sports dropped its antitrust lawsuit against FIFA, which had been working its way through the US court system since 2019.

In a statement made to the Athletic, Relevent Sports indicated that the agreement was made "while FIFA considers changes to its existing rules about whether games can be played outside of a league’s home territory."