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Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds have finally announced an opening timeline for Wrexham's new Kop Stand, with the structure expected to be operational from the summer of 2027.
After years of waiting, construction on the new 7,500-seat stand got underway in 2025, with completion originally anticipated for next year. The new Kop Stand will transform the Racecourse Ground back into a four-sided stadium and boost the total capacity to just above 18,000.
The development will also enable the venue to meet UEFA Category 4 standards — the highest designation for European football stadiums — making it eligible to host Champions League, Europa League, and European Championship fixtures. Wrexham's redeveloped ground has already been shortlisted as a potential host venue for the United Kingdom's bid to stage the 2035 Women's World Cup.
Fans will have observed that building work has been progressing at a noticeable pace in recent weeks, with steel columns rising alongside the elevator shafts. Construction is scheduled to continue through the summer, with the club's owners also hinting at an official opening date.
When Will the Wrexham Kop Stand Open?
Wrexham had originally aimed to have the new Kop Stand ready this summer, with hopes of completing it ahead of the Under-19 European Championship in 2026. The Red Dragons first unveiled plans for a new stand as part of the Wrexham Gateway project in 2022, before the scheme was set back by a series of unforeseen complications related to planning permissions and financing.
As those setbacks accumulated, the club submitted a revised planning application last summer to incorporate an extra 2,250 seats into the original design. The updated proposal would raise the stand's capacity from 5,500 to 7,750 seats, with the Welsh club keen to make the most of the rare opportunity to construct a landmark new Kop Stand.
Those aspirations come with a significant price tag, however. The total cost of the stand is projected to reach approximately $95 million, with Wrexham contributing $67.62 million. The Red Dragons have already secured a contentious $23.46 million grant from the Welsh government to help them satisfy the UEFA Category 4 requirements necessary to bring competitive men's international football back to Wrexham.
The other price is time. While the club had hoped to unveil the Kop Stand during the 2026/27 Championship campaign, co-chairman McElhenney confirmed it is now expected to be ready for the 2027/28 season instead.
"I'm going to say this publicly, simply because it's easier once it's out there," he told Collider Interviews. "It is going to be ready for the start of the 2027/28 season. It is going to be open for business, and that means butts in seats. Not next season, but the season after that. There will be people sitting in the seats, watching football."
Reynolds added: "This man gets things done. If you tell Rob something is impossible, you watch his pupils suddenly dilate and something shifts inside him."