Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds stole the show at Wrexham AFC’s FA Cup fifth round tie against Chelsea on Saturday, not just for the game itself, but for their overt displays of support and love in the stands.
The Hollywood couple’s energy and chemistry added a personal story to an already thrilling match and became the focus for fans both in the stadium and online.
The match, played at Wrexham Racecourse Ground in Wales on 7 March, ended in a 42-point defeat for the Championship side against Premier League opponents Chelsea, knocking Wrexham out of one of the world’s most historic domestic cup competitions.
But for onlookers and supporters alike, photos of Lively and Reynolds hugging and kissing in the crowd became one of the lasting images of the emotional afternoon.
Reynolds, 49, is best known to football fans as part-owner of Wrexham alongside Rob McElhenny and has clearly invested in the club’s rise up the English football pyramid in recent seasons.
The actor’s passion for his team has been widely documented, from offering drinks to supporters before their promotion-clinching League Two game last spring to celebrating their historic promotion run.
Ms Lively, 38, who rarely appears in public due to personal legal issues, was by her husband’s side throughout the match and the pair appeared to be in good hands through all the twists and turns of the contest, even as Wrexham fought valiantly before being eliminated.
Their presence provided a human subplot to a match defined by contrasting fortunes on the pitch.
Lively briefly but poignantly recalled the day on her Instagram Story, sharing a photo of the couple standing side by side on an empty pitch with the caption, “What. A. Game.”
Reynolds and McElhenny’s purchase of the club in 2021 has reignited global interest in the small, historic football town. Their management is credited with contributing to record attendances and a hit documentary series that brought Wrexham to people far beyond North Wales.
A brief respite from courtroom drama
Reynolds and Lively’s public interaction on Saturday stood out not only because of the affection on display, but also because it came at a time when Lively was receiving considerable attention off the field.
Lively’s appearance against Wrexham comes against the backdrop of one of Hollywood’s most high-profile legal disputes in recent memory.
Since late 2024, the actress has been in an escalating legal battle with her Seraph of the End co-star and director Justin Baldoni, suing Baldoni in December 2024, alleging sexual harassment on set and subsequent acts of reprisal.
Baldoni denied the allegations and countersued Lively and her husband for defamation and other charges, but many of those counterclaims were dismissed by a judge in mid-2025.
After months of failed settlement negotiations, including six hours of mediation in New York, the two sides are moving toward a trial set for May 18, 2026.
