January 15 – Hollywood’s favourite football club, AFC Wrexham, is set to submit revised designs for a new 5,500-capacity stand at the Racecourse Ground to the local council at the beginning of next month.
The updated plans mark significant progress in the club’s ambition to modernise its historic stadium, following the issuance of a new design brief and the appointment of architecture firm Populous to create a masterplan to future-proof the venue for the club’s inevitable growth in the coming years.
The redevelopment aims to cater to Wrexham’s booming tourism industry, spurred by the club’s meteoric rise in popularity thanks to its hit Disney+ documentary series and the high-profile ownership of Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. The proposed Kop Stand is expected to be a key element in accommodating growing fan demand and expanding the club’s capacity for its increasingly global audience.
Wrexham’s ambition goes beyond just the stadium. The club hopes the new stand will act as the cornerstone of a broader vision to transform the surrounding area as part of the Wrexham Gateway project.
This initiative, a collaborative effort with Wrexham County Borough Council, the Welsh Government, Wrexham University, Transport for Wales, and the Football Association of Wales, aims to revitalise the area, improving infrastructure, transportation, and local business opportunities.
The club’s Hollywood owners have been vocal about their commitment to ensuring Wrexham continues to grow both on and off the pitch, with the stadium development seen as a critical step in securing the future of the club and its community.
Wrexham AFC CEO, Michael Williamson, said: “The submission of the revised designs for the new Kop Stand is a major milestone for this hugely important project and an intense period of activity will follow in the coming months to complete the new Stand for summer 2026.
“Whilst the revised design utilises the original footprint and volume of the earlier approved design, we have strived over these past few months with our partners and design team to masterplan the STōK Cae Ras with the Kop Stand as the first phase. We want to create a stadium which is authentic, organic and in keeping with Wrexham. The design will therefore emphasise materials that reflect the strong heritage and character of Wrexham,” he continued.
“By incorporating authentic materials, that are locally sourced wherever possible, we will create a
sense of place that resonates with the city’s history and identity, ensuring the building is rooted in its environment, both visually and culturally.”
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1736970160labto1736970160ofdlr1736970160owedi1736970160sni@g1736970160niwe.1736970160yrrah1736970160