Wrexham A.F.C club owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have revealed their long-term plans to increase Racecourse Stadium’s capacity to between 45,000 and 55,000 seats. The bold plans would see the world’s oldest international football stadium become one of the largest in the UK.
The revelation comes amidst the stadium’s delayed reconstruction of its historical Kop Stand. Before 2008, the stadium hosted up to 20,000 spectators, but with the Kop falling into disrepair, it was closed and capacity diminished to around 10,000. A temporary stand has since been constructed that will accommodate approximately 3,000 fans until the permanent 5,500-seat development commences.
In a recent interview with US entertainment publication Collider, the owners described plans to update the stadium in gradual stages. “We have a plan in place right now that would eventually work from stand to stand, so eventually you get all four sides,” McElhenney explained. “It’s hard to say for sure, but we think we could get between 45-55,000 people in there.”
Watch Racecourse Ground Development, here
Future stadium ambitions
In a statement from Wrexham A.F.C, the club announced that it had re-assessed its current stadium plans to sustain and align with the future needs of the club. The team has experienced a massive resurgence since it was purchased by Reynolds and McElhenney in 2021, having achieved back-to-back promotions to League One.
Its sustainability plan includes building a venue that would have year-round appeal. This would enhance the fan experience and could include on-site dining, bars, entertainment, a conference hall, shopping centres and casino facilities. The destination would be comparable to that offered at the Coventry Arena, the 32,609-seater stadium that hosts the Coventry City F.C. EFL team.
This would allow the stadium to generate revenues from slots and games that have become popular at online gaming destinations such as Buzz Bingo. Its increase in capacity is also a requirement of the EFL, which the club will need to address if it is to continue moving up the divisions in the future.
Challenges of development
Racecourse Stadium’s renovations have been aided by private funds and a £25m Welsh government grant to the plan. However, the owners have bemoaned the slow progress of the renovations, having missed its initial deadline to open its permanent Kop stand before the 2024-25 season.
Reynolds highlighted regulatory interference as being a major hurdle to overcome. “I think the thick buttress of bureaucracy is the biggest problem,” said Reynolds. “In Wales, it really is a lot of red tape, and it’s just sort of figuring out ways to tick all those boxes and make sure that every single bureaucrat is happy.”
The frustrations surrounding the construction delays have been a running storyline in the hit series Welcome to Wrexham, which has tracked the purchase of the club and its ensuing changes in fortunes. At the heart of the mission to update the facilities is Reynold’s wish that “the whole town could come to the game”, with tickets already in high demand.
Wrexham chasing third consecutive promotion
Outside of its ambitions to update Racecourse Stadium, Wrexham A.F.C. has stated its ambitions for an unprecedented third successive promotion. Despite playing in the third-tier League One league for the first time in 19 years, Wrexham is currently a favourite to earn a promotion to the EFL Champions League.
The team has benefited from an updated line-up of new talent including Arthur Okonkwo, Paul Mullin, George Dobson and Callum Burton. With the team’s underdog narrative attracting global attention and major sponsorship deals, all eyes will be on Wrexham’s ability to stay at the top of the leader board as the season unfolds.
Watch Access All Areas | Arthur Okonkwo’s signing day at Wrexham AFC, here
