Wrexham Stadium Upgrade: Everything You Need to Know About The Racecourse Ground Renovation

Wrexham A.F.C. are currently in the midst of a major stadium revamp, and it seems there will be plenty more to come, too.

The Racecourse Ground. / Matthew Ashton/Getty

Since purchasing Wrexham A.F.C. in 2020, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have transformed the club both on and off the pitch.

Under their ownership, Wrexham has enjoyed a remarkable three-division rise—from the National League all the way to the Championship—ending the club’s 15-year spell outside the English Football League.

Off the pitch, the Hollywood duo have helped grow the club’s global fanbase through the hit documentary series Welcome to Wrexham.

To coincide with this rapid rise, Wrexham’s historic home, The Racecourse Ground—also known as STŌK Cae Ras, and the world's oldest active international soccer stadium—is undergoing a major revamp to prepare the club for its new chapter.

Here’s everything you need to know about the stadium upgrade plans, including what’s happening, when it’s set to take place, and the progress made so far.

Wrexham Stadium Plans: Expansion & Modernization

Wrexham's proposed Kop Stand development at the Racecourse Ground. / Populous/Getty

In early Feb. 2025, Wrexham officially unveiled plans to rebuild its previously all-standing home stand—the Kop Stand. The plans were officially approved in early March.

The stand, which sits behind the goal at the north end of the pitch, was demolished in Jan. 2023 and replaced with a 3,000-seat temporary stand, having previously been unused since 2007 for safety reasons.

Designed by leading architects Populous—best known for the state-of-the-art Tottenham Hotspur Stadium—the new 5,500-capacity (though this could potentially still increase) stand will feature safe standing areas, a hospitality section, and accessible seating.

We are incredibly proud to unveil the designs for the new Kop Stand at the STōK Cae Ras.

Designed by renowned sports architects Populous, the new Kop Stand marks a special moment in the history of our stadium, restoring its traditional four-sided enclosure.

🔴⚪ #WxmAFC

— Wrexham AFC (@Wrexham_AFC) February 3, 2025

It will also house player and officials’ facilities, allowing fans to welcome the team onto the pitch through a tunnel built into the stand.

Behind the stand, a striking brick façade will be built, paying homage to the city's red brick architecture and featuring a large Welsh dragon in the top left corner. This structure will overlook a new public plaza, designed as a fan space on matchdays.

Racecourse Ground Renovation: Progress and Timeline

Work has already begun on upgrading the Racecourse Ground. / Wrexham A.F.C.

Following Wrexham’s promotion to the Championship in May 2025, work has begun on a brand-new pitch at the Racecourse Ground.

The entire playing surface at the Stōk Cae Ras was removed, including the pitch, irrigation system, and soil, allowing the club to install a state-of-the-art stitch pitch featuring undersoil heating and an upgraded drainage system, complete with new irrigation pumps, tanks, pipework, and a gravel layer.

In addition, new LED boards were installed in front of three of the four stands, and the pitch was moved two meters closer to the stadium’s Kop. Dugouts were swapped to the opposite side of the pitch, more seats were added to all three remaining stands, and a new TV gantry was constructed.

Wrexham said the changes were made to create “a state-of-the-art, UEFA-compliant facility for first-team home matches” while also allowing the stadium to host rugby matches and other sporting events.

An aerial view of the Racecourse Ground before Wrexham's first game of the 2025/26 season. / Getty/Robbie Jay Barratt

Work on the Kop Stand itself reportedly began in late September, when Wrexham appointed McLaren Construction Midlands and North under a pre-construction services agreement to carry out the development of the new stand.

The full build programme is scheduled for completion during the 2026/27 season.

Additionally, in July, Wrexham submitted further plans to the council to add an extra 2,250 seats to the second tier of the new Kop. If approved, the stand will have a capacity of 7,750, bringing the total stadium capacity to around 18,000. Approval for this expansion, however, has not yet been confirmed.

How Does the Racecourse Ground Compare to Premier League Stadiums?

The proposed new Kop Stand. / Populous/Getty

With its current capacity of 13,341, the Racecourse Ground is smaller than all but one Premier League stadium—that being Bournemouth's Dean Court, which holds just 11,307 people.

However, even with the completion of the new Kop Stand, which will raise its capacity to around 16,000, it still won't surpass any other top-flight stadium.

Brentford's Gtech Community Stadium is the second-smallest in the Premier League, with a capacity of 17,250.

The biggest stadiums in the division are Old Trafford, home of Manchester United, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and West Ham United's London Stadium, which hold 74,879, 62,850, and 62,500 people, respectively.

Could Wrexham Build a New Stadium in the Future?

Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds. / PA Images/IMAGO

If Wrexham is to continue its surge up the leagues and eventually reach the Premier League, it will need to accommodate more fans—especially given the rapid growth in the club's popularity.

Rather than moving to a new stadium, however, Reynolds and McElhenney seem committed to keeping the club at the Racecourse Ground.

The new Kop Stand has been designed with the future in mind, allowing for an increase in capacity, subject to a separate planning application. In fact, Reynolds and McElhenney hope one day the stadium can become one of the largest in the United Kingdom.

Speaking about the future of the STōK Cae Ras in an interview with American entertainment website Collider in May 2024, McElhenney said: “It's hard to say for sure, but we think we could get between 45-55,000 people in there."

Reynolds added that he wants to be in a situation where “the whole” of Wrexham—which has a population of just over 45,500—could attend games.

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