Sydney FC is ready to take on Wrexham AFC in historic clash
The Sydney club is in its growth era, buoyed by a thumping Socceroos world cup qualifier, a blockbuster upcoming visit from celebrity-anointed Wrexham and the announcement of a respected new chair.
It’s a moment of rare alignment – where energy, opportunity and ambition intersect. Sydney FC isn’t just preparing for a season. It’s preparing for a transformation. One that aims to make the club more than a dominant A-League force, but a modern, globally minded institution that understands the business of sport as deeply as it understands the spirit of it.
If there’s one figure who best encapsulates that ambition, it’s Alina Barlow. Barlow’s connection to Sydney FC runs deep. Her family were among the original investors when the A-League launched in 2004 — initial shareholders alongside the Lowy family and actors Peter Turnbull and Anthony LaPaglia. Over time, the Barlow family increased its stake and, since 2012, has owned the vast majority of the club and overseen its direction. In recent years, Barlow has taken on a far more hands-on role, helping steer Sydney FC’s evolution from a leading football club into a growing cultural and commercial force.
Barlow, who also played a central role in last month’s blockbuster Gold Dinner philanthropy event that raised a staggering $84.3 million for the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation, delivers that same sense of bold purpose and polished execution to Sydney FC.
Outside football, she is also a quiet achiever in the luxury world as the founder of Alinka Fine Jewellery. Her hard-luxury success mirrors the qualities she brings to football leadership: precision and an instinct for cultural relevance.
“There’s been a real shift toward openness, accountability and alignment across the whole club,” Barlow says. “We’ve focused on clarity of purpose. Everyone knows why we’re here, what we’re building, and who we’re building it for. That clarity lifts people. You see it in how our players talk about culture, how our staff collaborate across departments and how we engage with our fans.”
That change has been cultural, strategic and personal. “Football isn’t just a game here; it’s identity, heritage, hope,” she continues. “You’re not just leading an organisation; you’re holding a space that means something deeply personal to tens of thousands of people. That’s humbling. And it means you have to lead with heart, not just head.”
The change is palpable, from the dressing room to the boardroom. Sydney FC’s players talk about purpose with conviction. The tone has changed and with it, the expectations. Part of that new energy can be traced to Barlow’s appointment last month of Dr Jan Voss as the club’s new chairman. The corporate executive brings commercial nous and a clear-eyed vision for Sydney FC’s potential.
“Sydney FC is an elite organisation with a strong foundation but also with untapped potential commercially, structurally and globally,” says Voss, whose background is in the luxury automotive industry. “The opportunity to help shape its next chapter, alongside a capable executive team and a passionate fanbase, was one I couldn’t pass up.”
That chapter will soon include a high-profile friendly with Wrexham AFC, the Hollywood-owned Welsh club whose Disney+ docuseries-fuelled transformation has become a global business case study. Under the ownership of actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, Wrexham’s valuation has skyrocketed from a mere $4 million to a reported $732 million. The club’s social media following is now close to four million across platforms and international merchandise sales have surged, including record-breaking jersey orders from the United States.
“The summer tour to Australia and New Zealand promises to be the latest chapter in the amazing story of Wrexham Football Club,” said co-chairmen McElhenney and Reynolds in a statement ahead of the visit. “Following our record-breaking hat-trick of promotions, which will see us playing in the Championship [second tier of English football] next season, we felt it was time for a new challenge on our summer tour.
“So what better than playing three matches in Australia and New Zealand.
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“It will be a great way for all our Wrexham fans down there to see the team and, anyway, we couldn’t resist signing off with a tag line so, Up The Town Down Under!”
There are great hopes that Reynolds (and especially in light of his new co-ownership of Australia’s Bonds Flying Roos SailGP Team with Hugh Jackman) and McElhenney will travel for the match. And Wrexham has confirmed the game will feature in the filming of their hit documentary series.
“Sport is the original human drama – stakes, heroes, heartbreak,” Barlow says. “Australians connect deeply with authenticity, humour and grit, which is what Wrexham nails.” The Welsh club’s success also sparks a wider conversation around the role of storytelling and fan engagement in sport. “It’s about breaking the fourth wall,” Barlow says. “Fans want to feel part of the journey, not just match day. That connection builds loyalty and loyalty builds clubs.”
Voss agrees. “You’ll see an emphasis on sustainability, transparency and long-term thinking. That means strategic investment all while respecting the club’s identity and supporter culture.”
The club is investing heavily in digital content and fan-driven storytelling as central to how it defines itself. “We’re focusing on partnerships that align with our values and bring long-term value,” Voss explains. “We also see opportunity in digital platforms, international markets and women’s sport, all of which can drive new revenue while reinforcing our brand.”
Indeed, Sydney FC’s women’s side is now central to the club’s identity and future. “That success wasn’t an accident; it’s the result of years of investment, belief and development,” Barlow says. “Now it’s about amplifying it. We want our women’s players to be household names, our matches to be events on the city calendar and our young girls to see a clear pathway from local pitch to professional stage.”
The club is also looking to build loyalty from the ground up. “We’re meeting fans where they are, whether that’s schools, TikTok or family-friendly match days,” Barlow says. “And we’re making sure our storytelling reflects the incredible role models we have in our women’s squad. This isn’t a side project. It’s central to who we are as a club.”
Voss makes the business case crystal clear. “The growth trajectory of women’s football is one of the most exciting in sport. Our women’s team is a key pillar of our commercial strategy, our community engagement and our brand identity.”
Mark Aubrey, Sydney FC’s chief executive, is spearheading efforts to build that identity from the inside out.
“The academy is the heartbeat of the club,” he says. “If we want to be successful long term, we need to be producing not just good footballers but great people who understand what it means to wear the Sydney FC badge.”
The club has produced stars such as Indiana dos Santos and Adrian Segecic but, as Aubrey is quick to point out, talent isn’t enough.
“We’re holistic. It’s not just about technical ability, it’s about education, wellbeing, character. We’ve built a program that reflects our values: professionalism, humility, ambition. And we start young. We don’t wait for talent to arrive – we go and find it.”
Retention is just as critical as recruitment. “You give them purpose, progression and belonging,” Aubrey says. “If players feel seen, supported and challenged, they stay. We’re not just building careers; we’re building connection.”
Barlow puts it even more simply: “If equality is a value, then resourcing follows. From access to facilities to media coverage to sponsors, we’re working to ensure the women’s team isn’t just celebrated when they win but backed before they do.”
That philosophy of alignment – between brand, operations, fans and purpose – is what’s now fuelling Sydney FC. With the Socceroos’ punching their ticket to the 2026 World Cup, Australian football is enjoying a rare moment of momentum.
“It’s a reminder of our potential,” Barlow says. “When the Socceroos succeed, it lifts the whole game.”
For Sydney FC, the road map ahead is clear: amplify the women’s game, invest in the next generation, embrace digital storytelling and connect every decision back to a sense of purpose.
And if Wrexham showed the world that a small club with heart and humour could go global, Sydney FC is betting that a city club with history and ambition can do the same, on its own terms.
In the past 12 months, the club has partnered with global brands such as Nexen Tyres, Acronis Hyperix cybersecurity, Brazilian Style Imports (Guarana Antarctica), and Sony, signalling an intent to expand its international reach. Locally, collaborations with Arnott’s, Sip Energy solar and the Cancer Council highlight its commitment to community impact.
Attendance has also been strong. Average crowds for last season topped 15,000, the highest in the A-League in Australia (with only Auckland slightly ahead in their first season), and nearly 200,000 fans attended 13 home games. Following the Women’s World Cup, Sydney FC’s membership base surged past 20,000, buoyed by initiatives such as the A-League Women’s pass for players under 16.
The club’s ambitions are rising. So, too, is its swagger. The next chapter is here – and it’s one Sydney FC looks ready to write, on and off the pitch.
This story is from the July issue of WISH.
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