What Wrexham’s New $95 Million Kop Stand Will Look Like As Images Released

The Red Dragons hope to have the new stand finished next year.

What the new Kop Stand will look like when finished. | Populous

New images have been released that show what Wrexham’s $95 million Kop Stand will look like when it is completed.

Construction on the 7,500-seat stand began in 2025, with work initially expected to be finished next year. The new Kop Stand will restore the Racecourse Ground to a four-sided venue and increase the overall capacity to just over 18,000.

The Red Dragons first revealed plans to build a new stand as part of the Wrexham Gateway scheme in 2022 before the project was delayed by various unforeseen issues involving both planning and funding.

With those delays mounting, the club submitted an improved planning application last summer for an additional 2,250 seats to be included in the design. The revised plans would increase the stand’s capacity from 5,500 to 7,750 seats, with the Welsh club eager to maximize the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to develop a new and iconic Kop Stand.

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What Wrexham’s New $95 Million Kop Stand Will Look Like

The Kop Stand will be much taller than any other stand at the Racecourse Ground. | Populous

Wrexham first unveiled the design for the new Kop Stand in February 2025, and now new images have given a closer look at what the finished project could look like.

The initial design, created by leading sports and entertainment architects Populous, included a safe-standing section, hospitality areas and accessible seating. The most notable aspect of the design is the external brick facade, which is reminiscent of the historic Ruabon red brick from the local area.

Wrexham aims to create a new stand that is grounded in the history and heritage of the city, with the positioning of the sister wheel of the Gresford Colliery wheel in remembrance of the miners who perished in the 1934 mining disaster, as well as a statue of club legend Joey Jones.

As for the inside of the stadium, images published as part of the Planning Officer Guide Document this week show 3D renderings of the proposed Kop Stand and what it will look like when complete.

The images show the sheer size of the new stand, which appears to be at least double the height of any of the existing stands and even taller than the nearby university accommodation buildings.

These renderings also showcase an updated seating arrangement across the two-tier design. The majority of the seats are on the vast bottom tier, with a smaller tier above.

It appears there has also been a change to the side of the stand. Although initial renderings showed a bronze design on the facade, the latest images showcase a polycarbonate facade that will bring a brighter feel to the new Kop Stand.

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When Will the Wrexham Kop Stand Open?

Wrexham initially hoped the Kop Stand would be open this summer. | Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images

Wrexham had initially hoped to have the new Kop Stand open this summer, with ambitions for it to be ready for the Under-19 European Championship in 2026.

The overall cost of the stand is expected to reach roughly $95 million, with Wrexham contributing $67.62 million. The Red Dragons have already secured a controversial $23.46 million grant from the Welsh government that will help them meet the UEFA Category 4 criteria needed to bring competitive men’s international matches back to Wrexham.

The other cost is time. Although the club hoped to have the Kop Stand open during the 2026–27 Championship season, co-chairman Rob Mac confirmed it is now expected to be ready for the 2027–28 season instead.

“I am going to say this publicly, just because it is easier once you say it publicly,” he told Collider Interviews. “It is going to be ready for the start of the 2027–28 season. It is going to be open for business, and that means butts in seats. Not next season, but the season after that. There will be people sitting in the seats, watching football.”

Ryan Reynolds added: “This man makes things happen. If you tell Rob something impossible, you watch his pupils suddenly dilate and something happens internally.”

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