Blues release first look at landmark stadium designs

Birmingham City chairman Tom Wagner says the 62,000-seat stadium which will anchor a £2bn new sports quarter in the city are a “statement of intent” for the entire region, after initial designs were released for the project.

Football club backers Knighthead Capital published a long-awaited first look at the club’s new home, set to be built on the site of the former Wheels go-kart track in Bordesley, this afternoon.

The designs feature a retractable roof and moveable pitch, which the club says will provide year-round flexibility for major sporting events, international music concerts and “large-scale cultural experiences.”

An application for planning permission for the stadium is expected to be submitted in 2026, with the club hoping to be in their new home by 2031.

“This is a huge milestone for Birmingham City Football Club, creating a home for the club that reflects our ambition to compete at the highest level. More than that, the iconic design is a statement of intent for the City of Birmingham and the West Midlands, testament to a region that is on the rise,” said Wagner.

“The stadium draws upon the proud heritage of the West Midlands – a heritage of industry, ingenuity and growth. I believe those same qualities can create a new era of success on and off the field and prosperity for local communities that have been starved of opportunities for too long.”

Designs for a proposed new stadium for Birmingham City FC have been published. Credit: BCFC/MANICA

The distinctive twelve chimney-form towers featured in the early designs are intended to reflect the brickworks that once sat on the site – set to provide structural support for the roof while accommodating lifts and staircases. One chimney will include a lift to Birmingham’s highest bar, offering citywide views and an immersive storytelling experience.

Plans for the wider sports quarter are set to generate around £2bn of investment in the Bordesley area of the city, with a plans for a metro extension now in progress in order to connect the site with the public transport network.

Around 8,400 new jobs are expected to be created by the scheme, Birmingham City FC says.

Designs for a proposed new stadium for Birmingham City FC have been published. Credit: BCFC/MANICA/Heatherwick

Thomas Heatherwick, founder and design director of Heatherwick Studio, said: “Too often, stadiums feel like spaceships that could have landed anywhere, sterilising the surrounding area. This stadium grows from Birmingham itself – from its brickworks, its thousand trades, and the craft at its core.

“It’s also a wholehearted place for the community. The stadium will truly come alive where it meets the ground; a place for play, gathering, and everyday life. The goal is to capture the spirit of the city and give it back to Birmingham.”

David Manica, president and owner of MANICA Architecture, added: “Birmingham is a resilient and passionate community, so the design of this new stadium needed to embody the grit and passion of its people.

“The Powerhouse’s design is both intentional and meticulous, paying homage to a passionate fanbase while laying the foundation for the Bluenoses of tomorrow.”