Populous to design new stand for Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s Wrexham AFC

Wrexham AFC’s STōK Cae Ras stadium is also known as the Racecourse Ground (Image: Rept0n1x via Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0)

The new 5,500-capacity Kop stand at the STōK Cae Ras stadium would provide safe standing space, hospitality and accessible seating.

The club, which has gained wider recognition thanks to an American sports documentary series on FX called Welcome to Wrexham featuring Reynolds and McElhenney, plans for the stadium to be ready in time for the UEFA European Under-19 Championship final tournament in 2026.

Wrexham AFC chief executive officer, said, “We are determined to ensure the new Kop stand and the future vision of the STōK Cae Ras satisfies the needs and expectations of our fans and the local community, and the appointment of Populous as architect for the redesign reflects that.”

Declan Sharkey, global director and senior principal at Populous, added, “We’re extremely proud to be appointed to work on the new Kop stand and to explore the potential for a wider vision and masterplan for the future STōK Cae Ras. Our aim is to create a home for Wrexham’s passionate fans and the community that pays tribute to the heritage and traditions of the Club and the City itself.”

The STōK Cae Ras is the world’s oldest international soccer stadium still in continuous use, having hosted Wales’ first ever international home game against Scotland on March 5, 1877. Wrexham played their first-ever match at the ground in October 1864, and the Club has played there almost ever since – only moving for a brief two-year period between 1881-1883.