One of the most talked about matches provided a huge potential to lower-tier soccer. Wrexham AFC finally met NFL legend Tom Brady’s Birmingham City to decide which one of the American investors’ teams would ace the battle against each other. Although Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s side lost the game 1-3, the substance of the game made it worth a watch. However, after a convincing win, the boss of the English team now expresses regret over not taking the fixture across the pond.

Before the big game, Garry Cook took a shot at the English Football League for disallowing the match to take place in the USA. According to BBC’s Match of the Day, he said, “Well, personally I think that is a great idea but I think the EFL wouldn’t see it that way and I think the history and the tradition of the sport and our league tries to ensure that doesn’t happen,” suggesting the league’s limitation in trying outside the box as a stumbling block to the move.

Meanwhile, No one at the beginning of the last season could imagine such a fixture to be a possibility. Firstly, it took Brady a minor stake in the club from Birmingham just early last season and subsequently saw the club relegated from the English Championships. But more interestingly, very few gave Wrexham a chance to secure their second consecutive promotion to experience such a game.

This reportedly led BCFC to request EFL to have a fixture in the USA for the first time in its history although a few claim it to be an informal request. Despite the excitement and the potential to surge the league’s reach, EFL officials declined the proposal during the mid-season break.

Did EFL miss out on something big by not taking the Wrexham and Birmingham fixture to the USA?

After a silent attempt being unsuccessful, Cook clarified stating, “That doesn’t stop making it a global game even though you’re playing here in Birmingham. And everybody is looking forward to it. It doesn’t mean to say it’s not a big game,” suggesting it to be an enormous irrespective of the venue. Nevertheless, staging Wrexham and Birmingham in the States would have bolstered EFL’s audience in the USA. Earlier reports suggested that Brady envisioned it to be a highly saleable platform with a growing fandom in the country.

In addition, EFL is also claimed to be eyeing the market in the USA striking a deal with Relevent Sports to market it in the USA. The league has already seen a 40 percent rise in its foreign broadcasting and aims to reach more soccer fans in the USA. Hence the game would only be helped with such a cause. However, the game yesterday attracted 27980 spectators in the stands. It was graced by the presence of Ryan Reynolds, Tom Brady, and English legend David Beckham. The two Americans had a brief talk on the pitch before their teams locked horns.

And despite Wrexham going ahead 1-0 in the 3rd minute and receiving a red card in the latter stages of the match, it was the football star’s team that was victorious. The game taking place on Monday had an added advantage with no Premier League or the MLS to watch for apart from being aired on television by CBS and live by Paramount+. Nevertheless, soccer fans in the USA would have loved to see the game in their country making it a win-win for both parties.