By any metric—goals, points, or pageantry—Wrexham’s rise in English football has been dramatic. But for fans across the Atlantic who speak in baseball metaphors and postseason clinching scenarios, there’s one concept that bridges the sporting gap: the magic number.

Let’s break down Wrexham’s promotion scenario like you’re counting down to clinch a division title in MLB.

What’s the Magic Number?

The “magic number” is the combination of points a team needs to earn and/or its closest competitor needs to drop in order to clinch a certain objective—be it a playoff spot, promotion, or a title.

In Wrexham’s case, the promotion magic number is 13.

That means any mix of 13 points gained by Wrexham and/or 13 points dropped by the team with the next highest possible finish (currently Wycombe or Charlton) will send Wrexham up to the Championship.

Example:

• If Wrexham wins their next game (+3), and Wycombe loses theirs (0), the magic number drops by 6.
• If both draw (+1, +1), the number drops by 2.

Explanation:

Starting Point:

• The magic number is 13.
• This number drops whenever:
  • Wrexham earns points, or
  • Wycombe (or the main chasing team) drops points.

Scenario:

• Wrexham wins → earns 3 points
• Wycombe loses → earns 0 points
  • But crucially: Wycombe drops 3 points in this case (they could have earned 3 but didn’t)

The magic number drops by each point Wrexham earns plus each point dropped by the chaser (relative to their maximum possible finish).

So in this case:

• Wrexham gains 3 points → magic number drops by 3
• Wycombe drops 3 points → magic number drops by 3 more

Total Drop:

3 (Wrexham win) + 3 (Wycombe loss) = 6

Why It’s 13 Right Now

According to the chart posted on Reddit (and now gospel among the faithful), Wrexham’s maximum point total and that of the chasing teams have been analyzed down to the decimal. Wycombe, Charlton, and Stockport are the main threats for that final automatic promotion slot.

With 13 points separating Wrexham from being mathematically uncatchable, it’s just a matter of when—not if—they’ll reach that line.

The American Parallel

Baseball fans will find this setup familiar. Imagine the Yankees chasing the division while the Red Sox are a few games back. Each Yankees win and each Red Sox loss drops the “magic number” by one. Same logic here. It’s not about just what you do, but also what your rival fails to do.

This allows for scenarios like:

• A team celebrating a playoff berth despite losing that day (because a rival also lost).
• A fan watching multiple scoreboards, hoping for combinations that whittle the number down.

The Schedule Ahead

Wrexham has a manageable but not soft run-in:

• Remaining fixtures include teams in the bottom half, but Charlton and Stockport loom as potential spoilers or late-chargers.
• One more win will guarantee a playoff berth, but the club—and its fans—are hungry for the automatic spot.

In fact, as one fan on Reddit pointed out, it’s mathematically possible for Wrexham’s magic number to drop to 4 by next Saturday if results fall their way. Not likely, but possible.

The Stakes

Promotion would elevate Wrexham to the Championship—a tier they haven’t touched in decades. For the club’s ownership duo of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, it’s the continuation of an improbable but real sports fairy tale. For fans, it’s vindication after years in the lower leagues.

And for American fans, it’s a playoff race. A division race. A magic number countdown that feels like October in April.

Final Thought

Keep your eye on the scoreboard. Wrexham’s magic number isn’t just a number—it’s a symbol of a club inching closer to history. Whether you’re a supporter who grew up in the Kop or a new fan from Kansas City, you know exactly what this feels like.

Because magic numbers don’t lie. And neither does momentum.