Portsmouth's EFL rivals Birmingham City see historic bid to play Wrexham in America rejected

That’s according to dailymail.co.uk, who claims the Blues’ American owners explored the possibility of having the fixture staged on the other side of the Atlantic.

The idea was reportedly put to league bosses - but was quickly declined.

If the League One new-boys’ approach had been successful, it would have been the first time that a competitive English game would have been played away from these shores.

Like Pompey, Birmingham are American owned, with seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady a minority stakeholder at St Andrew’s. Wrexham - who won promotion to the third tier last season - are owned by Hollywood A-listers Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. Their involvement in the Racecourse Ground outfit since 2020 and their successful ‘Welcome to Wrexham’  sports documentary on Disney+ has helped raise the profile of the Welsh club in America.

It’s believed the request by Birmingham’s owners looked to tap into that lucrative market as they sought a way to boost their brans further.

Pompey have been owned by former Disney chief executive Michael Eisner and his Tornante company since 2017, with the Blues securing promotion back to the Championship last term. They will not play either Birmingham or Wrexham next season in League One.

Pompey travelled to America for pre-season in 2010 and 2011, but have never made the trip under Eisner’s ownership.