Today January 10, 2026, 03:58 AM
Today January 10, 2026, 03:58 AM
Completed → Event concluded and confirmed
On 9 January 2026, Wrexham A.F.C., the English Championship club owned in part by actor Ryan Reynolds, recorded a historic victory over Premier League side Nottingham Forest F.C. in the 2025–26 Emirates FA Cup third round at the Racecourse Ground in Wrexham, Wales. The match ended in a dramatic 3–3 draw after extra time, before Wrexham secured progression to the FA Cup fourth round via a 4–3 victory in a penalty shootout.
Wrexham established an early advantage, with Liberato Cacace opening the scoring in the 37th minute and Oliver Rathbone adding a second goal three minutes later, giving the hosts a 2–0 lead by half-time. Nottingham Forest responded strongly in the second half, with Igor Jesus reducing the deficit in the 64th minute. Wrexham restored their two-goal cushion through Dominic Hyam’s 74th-minute header. However, Forest’s Callum Hudson-Odoi struck twice — first in the 76th minute and again in the 89th minute — to take the tie into extra time at 3–3.
After 120 minutes of intense FA Cup competition with neither side able to break the deadlock, the tie proceeded to a penalty shootout. Wrexham goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo emerged as a decisive figure, saving spot-kicks from Igor Jesus and Omari Hutchinson to help his side prevail 4–3 on penalties. Wrexham’s successful conversions in the shootout included strikes from Josh Windass, Callum Doyle, George Thomason, and Jay Rodriguez.
The victory marked a significant achievement for Wrexham, representing the club’s first competitive win over Premier League opposition in 26 years and advancing them into the last 32 of the historic knockout competition. Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson praised the resilience and tactical discipline of his squad, especially after the late comeback by Forest forced extra time.
Nottingham Forest, who fielded a rotated squad amidst a congested fixture list, were unable to overcome the challenge despite Hudon-Odoi’s late heroics. Forest manager Sean Dyche acknowledged the team’s second-half improvement but accepted that conceding early goals impacted their chances of progressing.
The match was selected for live television broadcast as part of the FA Cup’s rights agreement, with coverage available on TNT Sports 1 and Discovery+, among other broadcasters, under the competition’s 2025–26 television schedule.
