Aston Villa stadium set to be renovated ahead of EURO 2028

Villa Park, the home of Aston Villa, is on the road to redevelopment thanks to news that a renovation plan is set to be approved.

Villa have put forward various plans over the years and have had the honour of hosting matches when England hosted major international tournaments as well as domestic and European cup finals. Villa Park is one of eight grounds lined up for games at the 2028 European Championship.

That’s dependent on the ground undergoing regeneration work and the plan to increase capacity and revamp the North Stand with the installation of a landmark project for a ‘world-class sports and entertainment venue’ is expected to be approved at committee next week.

Birmingham City Council’s Planning Committee report makes the following recommendation:

The proposed development would complete the original 2022 vision for the Northern Precinct and the North Stand and represents a significant planning gain and will secure considerable social and economic benefits for Witton, Birmingham and the local community.

The proposal represents a sustainable, well-designed development that would enhance visual amenity and improve the public realm and user experience. It would not adversely affect the adjoining conservation area or nearby heritage assets.

Increased capacity for Villa Park

As a result of renovation of the North Stand and other areas of the ground, Villa Park’s capacity will increase to around 50,000 by late 2027, right in time for the ground to be a host venue for EURO 2028.

The redevelopment project is expected to create work for the equivalent of up to 17,000 full-time jobs and attract an estimated 1.1 million visitors to Villa Park every year. In total, the refurbed Villa Park should contribute up to £120 million to the local economy every year.

Villa Park’s long international history

Villa have a proud heritage of international tournament football and Villa Park was one of few grounds to have hosted matches in both the World Cup in 1966 and the European Championship in 1996.

Three World Cup group stage matches featuring West Germany, Argentina and Spain were played at Villa Park in 1966. The game between West Germany and Argentina, a 0-0 draw, attracted Birmingham’s biggest crowd as a World Cup host city.

At EURO ’96, Villa Park hosted four matches. England’s Group A rivals, Switzerland, Scotland and the Netherlands, all played group games in Birmingham. The game at the ground with the fewest spectators was the quarter-final between Czech Republic and Portugal, in which Karel Poborský scooped the ball over Vítor Baía to give the Czechs a 1-0 win.

International football will return to Villa Park in September, when England face Andorra in a World Cup qualifier at B6.

The post Aston Villa stadium set to be renovated ahead of EURO 2028 appeared first on AVillaFan.com – Aston Villa Fan Site.