League One rivals Bristol Rovers have had their bid to play the game in the US rejected

Birmingham City have reportedly seen a request to play a League One game with Wrexham in the United States rejected by the EFL, with both clubs being owned by high-profile Americans.

According to the Daily Mail, the Blues have applied for permission to play the first of their two league games against the Red Dragons in America, which would have made the match the first English game to be played outside England or Wales if accepted.

Birmingham was taken over by American group Knighthead last July and soon after NFL legend Tom Brady became a minority investor. However, despite ambitious plans for the club, including the construction of a 60,000 capacity stadium, their first season in charge resulted in the Blues being relegated to League One.

It is 30 seasons since the West Midlands outfit last played outside the top two divisions, a campaign which also saw their most recent league meeting with Bristol Rovers. Unsurprisingly though, Birmingham are already the clear early favorites for the bookies promotion.

As for Wrexham, the Welsh outfit have enjoyed a considerable rise up the divisions since being taken over by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney in 2020, securing back-to-back promotions from the National League to League One in the past two campaigns. Their success was also covered by a popular documentary on Disney Plus.

This season will be the first time the Red Dragons have played in the third tier of English football since 2005 and are set to tour the West Coast of America as the club continues to develop its global brand.

When exactly Birmingham and Wrexham will meet and in what order is yet to be confirmed, with the EFL fixtures due to be released on Wednesday. This also applies to Rovers who will also find out their diary for the upcoming campaign and when they face both sides.