Wrexham Stadium Plans and Progress: How the Racecourse Ground Compares to the Premier League | OneFootball

The Racecourse Ground, also known as the STōK Cae Ras, is the world's oldest active international soccer stadium, having hosted Wales international matches as far back as 1877.

More famously, however, the 13,341-seat arena is the home of Wrexham A.F.C.—the Welsh soccer club owned by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

Since purchasing Wrexham in 2020, Reynolds and McElhenney have taken the club from strength to strength both on and off the pitch.

Not only have they overseen Wrexham's two-division rise from the National League to League One—ending the club's 15-year spell outside the English Football League—but they have also helped grow its global fanbase through the hit documentary series "Welcome to Wrexham."

Up next for the club is a huge revamp of its historic home.

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 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 stand will feature safe standing areas, a hospitality section, and accessible seating.

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.

No official date has been set for the completion of Wrexham's new Kop Stand, but the club's executive director, Humphrey Ker, previously told the New York Times that it should "take about 11 months to build," meaning it could be finished by the end of 2025.

In a statement, Michael Williamson, Wrexham's chief executive officer, said: “The new Kop Stand marks a special moment in the history of the STōK Cae Ras, allowing us to restore the traditional four-sided enclosure of the stadium, providing new and improved facilities and experiences for our fans and visitors to the stadium alike. "

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.