Wrexham will see the opening of a new museum in 2026, celebrating Welsh football and the area’s heritage. The development of the new Football Museum is part of a wider project that will see the current Wrexham Museum building on Regent Street fully refurbished and transformed into a ‘museum of two halves’ – a major new national attraction for the city centre.
The Football Museum half of the building will celebrate Welsh football, past and present, in all its diversity, from grassroots clubs to the national teams, as well as highlighting Wrexham’s historic achievements in the sport and celebrating the rich heritage of the County Borough.
Meanwhile, in the same building, new galleries will be created to display the Wrexham Museum collections.
Councillor Paul Roberts, Lead Member for Partnerships and Community Safety at Wrexham County Borough CouncilThis is a really exciting project as football plays such a large part in our culture and identity and the people of Wrexham and across Wales can now be assured that the Welsh Football Collection will be preserved for present and future generations in Wales."
Why Wrexham?
Wrexham is often referred to as ‘the spiritual home of Welsh football’; a nickname gained long before the recent global attention the city has attracted following the takeover of Wrexham AFC by Hollywood stars, Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds.
The Football Association of Wales was founded in the Wrexham during a meeting at the Wynnstay Arms Hotel in 1876.
Wrexham AFC was established in 1864, making it the oldest professional football club in Wales and the third oldest in the world.
Their ground, the Racecourse, hosted the nation’s first home international match in 1877. Some of Wales’ most successful players have come from or played in Wrexham including Billy Meredith, Mark Hughes, Robbie Savage and, more recently, Neco Williams.
Wrexham Museum is home to the official Welsh Football Collection – the largest collection relating to Welsh football in public ownership. The museum has cared for the collection for over twenty years during which time it has been used in more than a dozen exhibitions, as well as being a resource for researchers, TV production companies and other museums.
Wrexham is now the home of the FAW National Training Centre at Colliers Park (Gresford), the Wrexham AFC Professional Training Centre at the Groves proposed but doesn’t exist currently, and the Wrexham Gateway redevelopment of the Racecourse Ground.
Wrexham’s connections to football, both domestic and international, were highlighted in the town’s successful bid to be recognized as a city.
‘Working together to make it happen’
Many themes will be showcased at the Football Museum for Wales in Wrexham including Welsh language communities, fan culture, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities and LGBTQ+ experiences.
Find out more
Visit Wrexham Museum’s website to find out more about the project. You can also follow Football Museum for Wales on social media:
Facebook – Amgueddfa Bel Droed Cymru / Football Museum Wales
Twitter – @footymuseumwal
Instagram – @footballmuseumcymru
