Birmingham City Football Club has unveiled an ambitious proposal to share its planned new £1.2 billion stadium with the England women's national team, the Lionesses.
The groundbreaking plans for the 62,000-seater arena, named 'The Birmingham City Powerhouse', were revealed on Thursday by the club's owners, Knighthead Capital.
A Centrepiece for a £3bn Sports Quarter
The new stadium will be located in Bordesley Green and is set to become the focal point of a massive £3bn Sports Quarter development. This wider project aims to completely transform the area into a leading destination for sport and culture.
Architectural designs for The Powerhouse are striking, featuring twelve chimney-form towers. The venue will be equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, including a retractable roof and a moveable pitch. This innovative design will allow the stadium to host a diverse range of events beyond football, such as major music concerts and other sporting fixtures.
A New Home for the Lionesses?
Beyond being a new home for Birmingham City, the club is actively pursuing a partnership with the Football Association. The goal is to establish The Powerhouse as a primary home ground for Sarina Wiegman's Lionesses.
Currently, the England women's team does not have a fixed home venue. Unlike the men's side, which is tied to Wembley, the Lionesses play their home fixtures at various stadiums across the country. For instance, last month they hosted two friendlies at Manchester's Etihad Stadium and Derby's Pride Park.
A senior source from Birmingham City emphasised this opportunity, stating to The Sun: 'The Lionesses do not have a permanent, or even semi-permanent, home to call their own.'
Strategic Location and National Access
The club believes its location offers a significant strategic advantage for hosting the national team. A key factor is the stadium's proximity to St George's Park, the national football centre, which is less than an hour's drive away.
Furthermore, the club highlighted the future benefits of the HS2 rail project. Once operational, they estimate that around 80 per cent of the country's population will be able to reach Birmingham within two hours.
The club insider added: 'The Powerhouse presents a fantastic opportunity to showcase the Lionesses in a home they can call theirs which will be accessible to a huge number of people.' This vision positions the stadium not just as a club asset, but as a national facility for women's football.
