More than £5.4m to be provided for development of Football Museum for Wales

The project to build a national football museum for Wales in Wrexham has taken a huge step forward thanks to a major funding announcement by the Welsh Government.

Over £5.4m will be provided for the development of the new Museum as part of an agreement between the Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru. Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport, Dawn Bowden made the announcement on a visit to the city and comes at a time when interest in Welsh football is at an all-time high.

“Wrexham is the birthplace of Welsh football so it’s the ideal location to celebrate the sport’s heritage. We have seen many successes, especially in recent years, in men’s and women’s football, and ensuring the dramatic and emotive events on the international stage, the history and development of club football in Wales and the spirit and diversity of the Welsh football community is told in one place will be vital for present and future generations.”

“I am grateful to all our partners who we continue to work closely with on this project including Wrexham County Borough Council and the FAW.”

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.

The project is being guided by a steering group that includes the Wrexham Council’s Chief Executive, representatives from the Welsh Government, the Football Association of Wales (FAW), the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Sporting Heritage CIC, the Welsh Federation of Museums & Art Galleries, Amgueddfa Cymru/National Museum Wales, museum staff and others.

Lead Member for Partnerships and Community Safety at Wrexham County Borough Council, Councillor Paul Roberts, said, “I’d like to thank the Welsh Government for their continued support for Wrexham, the spiritual home of football, to continue to develop the Football Museum for Wales.

“This 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 recognised 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.

Since 2020, more than £800,000 in Welsh Government funding has already ensured the appointment of a dedicated Football Curator and Engagement Officers, the progression of designs, and a pan-Wales public engagement and community consultation to develop proposed plans and content.

Designated Member Siân Gwenllian said: “We have all seen the pride and joy the national team has brought us in recent years and how important football is to Wales.

“This redeveloped museum will celebrate our nation’s contribution to the game and the heritage and legacy it provides for us all. Wrexham, a city steeped in football history, is a fitting home for this exciting project and I am delighted we are working together to make it happen.”