Does it matter if Wrexham don't get promoted this season?

Modernising the historic Stok Racecourse, notably the Kop end, has been an ongoing project. The Red Dragons have been getting themselves 'Premier League ready' for some time. They are future-proofing the club in all aspects, from the infrastructure to the number of people employed by the club.

Before their Championship debut, Wrexham added new TV gantries, moved the dugouts and spent £2m on adding under-soil heating to the pitch. Wrexham's Hollywood co-owners say their long-term ambition is to increase the club's stadium capacity to as much as 55,000. The original standing Kop terrace was abandoned in 2007 and was unused until its demolition in January 2023.

The work on a new 7,500-7,750 capacity stand only began in December 2025, so to fast-track its opening for a Premier League debut season in 2026 just wouldn't have been possible. Instead, the club are working towards an April 2027 target. Once the work is completed, the stadium will be able to host competitive Wales national team fixtures and Uefa-recognised matches, which in turn will further boost their revenue.

Not sealing promotion this season would at least allow their redevelopment plans to remain on track without the added pressure of fast-tracking an upgrade for Premier League requirements. A third successive promotion came at a financial cost. Bolstering Parkinson's ranks by bringing in 13 players in the summer of 2025 cost the club around £30m - the highest net spend in the Championship.