Wrexham AFC vs AFC Bournemouth at Harder Stadium, July 20 2024
This past Saturday, Santa Barbara hosted the 2024 Wrex Coast Tour at UCSB’s Harder Stadium, where pro Premier League soccer teams Wrexham AFC and AFC Bournemouth went head to head in an exciting match.
Founded in 1864, Wrexham AFC is one of the oldest professional soccer clubs in Wales and the third oldest in the world. Wrexham gained popularity globally when actors and entrepreneurs Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds purchased the club in 2020. Since then, the team has risen back up through the Premiere League divisions and was even featured in a popular FX docuseries. This summer, Wrexham AFC is hosting their 2024 Wrex Coast Tour, where they will be playing three pre-season friendly games in California and Canada.
AFC Bournemouth was formed in 1899 and based in Bascom, Bournemouth of Dorset County in England. Nicknamed the Cherries, Bournemouth has become a mainstay in the Premier League with a roster full of excellent players including Tyler Adams, the US Men’s National Team captain. Actor Michael B. Jordan is an investor and co-owner, even designing special edition uniforms for his team this summer. AFC Bournemouth will be playing once more in the US this Summer, in a friendly match against Arsenal.
Saturday’s game ended in a tie, with a score of 1-1. Though Reynolds did not make it, Wrexham co-owner Rob McElhenney and Bournemouth co-owner Michael B. Jordan were both in attendance. Our very own David Kim also saw the epic game, and shared a few highlights, which you can see HERE!
UCSB’s Harder Stadium has seen numerous professional soccer teams play in their stadium, including both the US Men’s and Women’s National Teams and other professional exhibition matches. We're excited to see Santa Barbara become a go-to-city for hosting more professional sporting events like these and look forward to more in the future!
