Y Cae Ras (Welsh) | |
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 Interactive map of Racecourse Ground | |
| Full name | Racecourse Ground Y Cae Ras (Welsh) |
|---|---|
| Former names | My Racecourse Wrexham Glyndŵr University Racecourse Stadium |
| Location | Mold Road,Wrexham, Wales LL11 2AH |
| Coordinates | 53°3′7″N3°0′13″W / 53.05194°N 3.00361°W /53.05194; -3.00361 |
| Public transit |  Wrexham General (0.3 mi) |
| Owner | Wrexham A.F.C. (since 29 June 2022) |
| Operator | Wrexham A.F.C. |
| Capacity | 12,600 (Football) |
| Field size | 102 m × 68 m (335 ft × 223 ft) |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1807, 1864 for football |
| Construction cost | £3,500,000 (Mold Road Stand) |
| Architect | Ward McHugh Associates (Yale Stand) |
| Tenants | |
| Wrexham A.F.C. (1864–present) Wales national football team (1877–1960; selected matches 1960–present) North Wales Crusaders (2012–2016) | |
| Website | |
| wrexhamafc.co.uk/supporter-information/stok-cae-ras | |
TheRacecourse Ground (Welsh:Y Cae Ras) is a football stadium inWrexham,Wales. It is the home ofWrexham Association Football Club, and is the largest stadium inNorth Wales and theseventh-largest in Wales.
It is the world's oldest international football stadium still hosting international matches, having been the venue for Wales' first home international match in 1877,[1]and has hosted more Wales international matches than any other ground.[2] It is still one of the stadiums used by theFootball Association of Wales for home international games.
The ground has also been used byNorth Wales Crusadersrugby league club,Scarletsrugby union club andLiverpool Reserves. In the early days, the ground was used forcricket andhorse racing. It also occasionally hosts concerts.
A sponsorship deal with STōK Cold Brew Coffee came into effect on 1 July 2023; as a result, the stadium is sometimes referred to asSTōK Cae Ras,STōK Racecourse orCae Ras STōK.[3][4][5]
Wrexham Football Club have played at the Racecourse Ground since being formed in the localTurf Hotel public house in October 1864. However, due to an increase in rent from the then owners, Wrexham Cricket Club, Wrexham played their home games in the 1881–82 and 1882–83 seasons at theRecreation Ground inRhosddu, while also changing their name to Wrexham Athletic for one season. Before the club was formed, the ground was mainly used for cricket and, occasionally, horse racing.[6]
The Racecourse was used extensively for aviation before theFirst World War, withGustav Hamel performing public displays in August 1912 and June 1913. Wrexham Borough Council considered making the racecourse the town's municipal airport, but that was later developed atBorras.[7]
1952 saw the laying down of concrete terracing on the ever-popularKop end, which is now the oldest part of the ground. Five years later, 34,445 people gathered to witness an FA Cup fourth-round tie againstManchester United, the largest-ever attendance at the Racecourse.[8] On 30 September 1959, the Racecourse saw the switching-on of the newly installed floodlights.
In 1978, after Wrexham was promoted to the formerSecond Division, the Border Stand was built, taking its name from theBorder Breweries which owned the ground. That part of the ground is now known as the Eric Roberts Builders Stand, where visiting supporters are normally seated.
The latest addition to the ground came about in 1999, after Grant Aid from Sport Lot, theWelsh Development Agency and theFootball Trust, together with local sponsorship, financed the construction of a stand on the Mold Road side of the ground. The new structure was originally named the Pryce Griffiths Stand, after the then chairman, but was renamed the Mold Road Stand after Griffiths sold the club to Alex Hamilton. The stand has a capacity of 3,500 and also contains hospitality and conferencing facilities.
The development also saw the Paddock areas of theSainsbury's Stand and the Eric Roberts Builders Stand become all-seated, bringing the current capacity up to 15,500, thus permitting international football andrugby union to be played at the Racecourse once again.
In 2002, then Wrexham F.C. chairman, William Pryce Griffiths, secured a 125-year lease on the Racecourse from Wolverhampton Dudley Breweries, for £750,000 and apeppercorn annual rent of £1. The club hostedTNS vsLiverpool in aUEFA Champions League qualifier in 2005.
On 26 June 2002, thefreehold of the Racecourse Ground was acquired by Wrexham A.F.C. from Wolverhampton Dudley Breweries, for £300,000. On the same day, chairman, Alex Hamilton, transferred the ownership of the freehold from Wrexham A.F.C. to another of his companies, Damens Ltd, for a nominal fee. After that controversial change in ownership, the 125-year lease on the Racecourse, held by Wrexham F.C., was renegotiated. The new lease stated that Damens Ltd could evict Wrexham F.C. from the Racecourse Ground upon 12-months' notice and payment of £1,000,000. The new lease also saw the club's annual rent increase from £1 to £30,000.
In 2004, Wrexham F.C. was given a years' notice to quit the ground,[9] which triggered a furious reaction from fans. In a legal case running until March 2006, theHigh Court ruled that the ownership of the freehold of the ground had been improperly transferred, and ownership reverted to the club's then-administrators, the club having gone intoadministration in December 2004, with debts of £2,600,000.
With the club's emergence from administration in May 2006, ownership of the ground passed to a new company, Wrexham Football Club (2006) Ltd, owned by Geoff Moss and Ian Roberts. They transferred the ownership of the ground to a new holding company, Wrexham Village Ltd, which owned both the new football club company, and later purchased therugby league club,Crusaders, from its owners inBridgend,South Wales. Thus the new company had two tenants for the stadium.
To make a permanent cash injection into the sporting clubs, Wrexham Village proposed in 2008 a joint venture development with a yet-to-be chosen third party, to develop a student village area near the site of the Kop stand. The £40 million project was to be developed in conjunction withWrexham University to house over 800 students, and take place in two phases. The club would benefit from either land-lease income, or joint ownership within the development, and hence receive rental income direct from the tenants. However, due to theglobal recession that year, the company found it hard to find a development partner, and the freehold of the land, along with the development plans, was eventually sold in 2009 to another company owned by Moss and Roberts.
In August 2011, after a period of instability at Wrexham Village Ltd, which owned the stadium and both the football and rugby league clubs, the company agreed to sell the stadium and associated training grounds toWrexham University (then known as Glyndŵr University). The proposed deal, subject to financial terms agreed by both parties, would allow both sporting teams to continue using the facilities.[10] The purchase of the ground also resulted in the re-branding of the stadium, incorporating the university's name.[11]
On 19 May 2014, work began at the Racecourse,[12] which included a new pitch and sprinkler system, and changing rooms for players and officials. The medical and treatment facilities were also upgraded, together with improved seating for disabled supporters, better floodlighting and removal of cambers at the Kop end of the ground. That meant the stadium was reclassified to Category 3 level, meaning it was able to host international football matches.[13]
In August 2016,Wrexham University and Wrexham A.F.C. signed a contract that signalled a new future for the Racecourse. The lease from the university was branded as "My Racecourse" (Welsh:'Nghae Ras I).[14]
The university, having saved the ground from possible extinction, handed operational control to the football club as part a 99-year lease.[15]
After the takeover byRyan Reynolds andRob McElhenney, the club began talks with Wrexham University to purchase the freehold of the ground.[16] On 29 June 2022, the club purchased the freehold of the stadium from the university.[17]
In 2022,Wrexham Council launched a stadium redevelopment bid to be partly funded by the "levelling up" fund, a UK Government initiative aiming at increasing public investment outside south-east England.[18] The construction of a new Kop stand, improved media, broadcast, and floodlight facilities, a car park, and groundworks for a future convention centre and hotel were presented[19] as enabling the return of competitiveWales national football fixtures. FormerWales footballersMickey Thomas andMalcolm Allen served as figureheads for the bid.[20][21]
On 25 May 2023, it was announced that, following a sponsorship deal with STōK Cold Brew Coffee, the stadium was to be known by the sponsorship name "STōKCae Ras", also referred as the "STōK Racecourse" in English.[4][5][22][23] The sponsorship name was officially adopted on 1 July 2023.[3][23] It is also referred to in Welsh asCae RasSTōK.[24][25][26][23] On 16 April 2024, Gatorade is named as official sports drink and as part of partnership will be on sidelines.[27]
On 30 July 2025, planning application submitted for additional 2,250 seats in new Kop Stand.[28]
In August 2025, a new £1.7 million ($2.3m) pitch revamp, complete with undersoil heating and new drainage, has been completed.[29] The changes also include the installation of goal-line technology. The seeding and stitching operation to make Wrexham's surface compliant with European football's regulations was only part of an overhaul that included moving both dugouts to the opposite side of the pitch, building a new TV gantry, reconfiguring stands to squeeze in extra seats, erecting two new giant TV screens at one end and taking down the old scoreboard at the other. The pitch has been extended in length to allow for rugby matches to be played in the future and also shifted a couple of metres towards the Kop. This meant the new two-level TV gantry had to be situated slightly to the side of its predecessor, to ensure the main camera position remains on halfway. There was also the dismantling of a temporary stand, plus the all-important deactivation of a live electric cable underneath the old Kop, as preparatory work continues ahead of the new 7,500-capacity stand starting to go up, on schedule, in the autumn.
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Wrexham have 38 disabled places available at the front of the Macron Stand. There are 22 parking spaces in the Wrexham University car park (next door) as well as two disabled toilets, plus low-counter refreshment kiosks, with steward assistance if required. Admission is £12 for disabled supporters (£5 concessions) and helpers are admitted free of charge.
The stadium has eight allocated spaces for those who arevisually impaired; the commentary provided is also broadcast to thelocal hospital.
In October 2013, the stadium hosted theUnited Kingdom's first 'autism friendly' football match. A group of around 50 attended the Racecourse to watch Wrexham play againstWoking.[40]
In August 2015, a new viewing platform was opened byLord Faulkner of Worcester, using funding from the Premier League's Football Stadia Improvement Fund.[41] Located at the rear of the Macron Stand, this further increased the number of places available to disabled fans, as well as providing protection from the elements. It has space for six users and carers.
After the platform was opened,Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson praised the club in theHouse of Lords, saying "This is a club, my Lords, that genuinely cares about its spectators. My Lords, the big clubs are hiding."[42]
In January 2018, Wrexham Football Club hired Kerry Evans, its first disability liaison officer.[43] At the beginning of the 2018–19 season it was announced that the Racecourse is now autism friendly,[44] for every home game each season, with allocated seating in a quieter area of the stadium (if required) and the club also providing ear defenders and a quiet hub to use if required and a dedicated steward who is on hand to help. The club became the first in Wales to win an autism-friendly award in 2018, awarded by the National Autistic Society.
In November 2018, the DSA started the Audio Descriptive Commentary service, where blind or visually impaired supporters can listen to the game, live in the stadium. There are 10 handsets available, on a first come first served basis.
The ground was home to formerSuper League clubCrusaders RL from 2010 after their departure fromBrewery Field inBridgend in South Wales.[45] Crusaders were hoping to play atRodney Parade inNewport but the deal fell through; they then decided to move to North Wales and a new franchise was created.[46][47]
Crusaders have enjoyed some well-attended games at the Racecourse Ground during 2010 with their opening engage Super League match againstLeeds attracted over 10,000 people, with large local support.
In 2011 Crusaders withdraw their Super League licence application and ultimately folded citing financial invalidity.[48]
2012 saw the birth of a new club, born from the ashes of the old club.North Wales Crusaders currently play in theCo-operative Championship 1 competition.[49] They are seen as a separate entity from the former club, and are starting their own chapter in rugby league history. From 2016, North Wales Crusaders no longer play at the Racecourse Ground.
International Rugby League games have also been staged at the ground. The stadium hostedWales' clash withEngland in the2012 Autumn International Series. In 2013, it held Wales'2013 Rugby League World Cup home game with theUSA on Sunday 3 November 2013, with the Tomahawks ending the home side's chance of a quarter-final appearance with a 24–16 win. The win by the US, a team expected to be beaten in their first everRugby League World Cup,[50] would see them return to Wrexham for a quarter-final clash against tournament favouritesAustralia, on Saturday 16 November 2013. As expected, the Kangaroos (who would go on to win the World Cup) defeated the US 62–0, with 5,762 in attendance.
As part of the2014 Rugby League European Cup, the Racecourse Ground hosted the match between Wales andIreland on 2 November.
As of 2025, the Racecourse Ground has hosted ten Wales internationals. The results were as follows:[51]
| Date | Opponents | Result | Attendance | Part of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 October 2000 |  Cook Islands | 38–6 | 5,016 | 2000 World Cup |
| 29 July 2001 |  England | 33–42 | 6,373 | Friendly |
| 6 October 2010 |  Italy | 6–13 | 2,971 | Friendly |
| 13 November 2011 |  Australia | 14–56 | 5,233 | 2011 Four Nations |
| 16 June 2012 |  France | 16–28 | 1,464 | Friendly |
| 27 October 2012 | England | 12–80 | 4,014 | 2012 Autumn International Series |
| 29 October 2013 |  United States | 16–24 | 8,019 | 2013 Rugby League World Cup |
| 2 November 2014 |  Ireland | 14–46 | 1,293 | 2014 European Championship |
| 16 October 2015 |  Scotland | 18–12 | 1,253 | 2015 European Championship |
| 11 November 2018 | Ireland | 40–0 | 1,257 | 2018 European Championship |
The Racecourse Ground has held four rugby union internationals. Three of them wereWales’ friendlies againstRomania and won all three of them (70–21 30 August 1997, 40–3 on 3 October 1999 and 54–8 on 27 August 2003 which was a warm-up game before the2003 Rugby World Cup). It also hosted a1999 Rugby Union World Cup Pool 4 match betweenJapan andSamoa on 3 October 1999 with Samoa winning 43–9. The Racecourse has also played host to the Wales 'A' squad on numerous occasions.
| Date | Competitors | Attendance | Part of |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 Aug. 1997 | Wales  70-21 Romania | Autumn Internationals | |
| 3 Oct. 1999 | Samoa  43-9 Japan | 15,000 | 1999 Rugby World Cup Pool D |
| 1 Nov. 2002 | Wales 40-3 Romania | Autumn Internationals | |
| 27 Aug. 2003 | Wales 54-8 Romania | 2003 Rugby World Cup Warm-Up Tests |
The first concert to be held at the Racecourse was in the summer of 1976 with the 'Festival of Entertainment.'Mac and Katie Kissoon,Junior Walker andKC and the Sunshine Band gave the occasion a distinctly soul/disco feel.The second concert to be held at the stadium took place in July 1982, whenMotörhead headlined withTwisted Sister making their UK debut as the support act.[52][53] Other concerts at the venue have includedStereophonics, as part of theirKeep The Summer Alive tour,[54]UB40[55] andOlly Murs.[56]Kings of Leon performed two shows at the stadium in May 2023.[57][58]
The stadium was used as a filming location in the 2014 television filmMarvellous about the life ofNeil Baldwin.[59]
The ground is located on Mold Road close to theA483 dual carriageway.Wrexham General railway station is adjacent to the ground.[60]
The five biggest attendances forWrexham matches at the Racecourse have been:
| Date | Competition | Opposition | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 January 1957 | FA Cup | Manchester United | 34,445 |
| 26 December 1936 | Third Division North | Chester City | 29,261[61] |
| 17 January 1978 | League Cup | Liverpool | 25,641 |
| 11 March 1978 | FA Cup | Arsenal | 25,547 |
| 7 December 1935 | Third Division North | Chester City | 24,086[62] |
| Overview | |
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| Home stadiums |
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