Wrexham Stadium expansion: Stunning first look at redesigned Kop Stand

The Wrexham stadium expansion finally became a reality after the club showed off the first images of the newly designed Kop Stand project.

On 30 January, we had our first confirmation that Wrexham had plans approved for their newly designed Kop Stand.

After months of waiting, the plans were approved for the new project, with the architectural firm Populous announced as the leader of the project.

Now, just a few days later, we have our first renditions of the stunning new development.

New Kop Stand for Wrexham Stadium expansion

The new 5,000-capacity Kop Stand is the next step in the massive Wrexham project, which has seen the club catapult up the football league into League One in just a few years. Now, with just the Championship ahead of them before the Premier League, fans can dream of a bright future. This rapid rise up the divisions will be helped by the revenue generated by 5,500 more seats, and the increased atmosphere will make the stadium an even scarier prospect for visiting clubs than it already was.

The new “seating bowl” is designed to create a more ferocious home atmosphere for fans, enhancing the ambience at the stadium and pushing sound onto the pitch. The new roof design will also help to optimise the sound of spectators towards the pitch. Crucially, the new Kop Stand is prepared for the future and for increased capacity pending a planning application.

It features facilities for players and officials, enabling fans to greet the team as they enter through a dedicated tunnel, providing a unique stadium experience.

Michael Williamson, Wrexham AFC 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.

“The distinctive design of the new Kop Stand embodies the history and heritage of Wrexham – rooted in the local community creating a timeless, authentic piece of civic architecture that complements other landmarks. It will provide an iconic landmark standing at the gateway to the city, giving it a true sense of place.”

Kop Stand ready for 2026

Williamson added, “The upgrading of facilities to meet UEFA Category 4 specifications are central to our wider vision of bringing international sport back to Wrexham and the benefit this will bring to the local community of hosting these events in North Wales.”

This is something easily overlooked by many, but it represents a considerable milestone for Wrexham as it continues its journey.

Plans for the new Kop Stand were first submitted in 2022. However, a setback saw the UK government's Levelling Up Fund money being rejected. This saw the project delayed, with funding not secured. The club then constructed a new temporary stand to maintain a higher capacity until this new Kop Stand project was approved.

The new Kop Stand does not have a completion date at this time. However, the stadium will host matches at the UEFA European Under-19 Championships in 2026, so it will have to be completed by that date.

FGG says: A huge step forward for Wrexham

When the news broke last week, it was a massive step for Wrexham football club. Now that we can see it for ourselves, it really shows how a simple redesign can capture something special. Now, Wrexham has the start of something special, and with expansion clearly something thought of in this design, you can already imagine what a packed stadium in this design might look like.

For now, however, this is a huge step forward for Wrexham, and as the side continues to push for Championship football next season, this new Kop stand will help drive them forward.