Birmingham City’s new stadium is expected to hold around 62,000 spectators, rise within the Sports Quarter on the site of the former Birmingham Wheels, and become a landmark visible from as far as 35 miles away.

From St Andrew’s to Birmingham Wheels

Knighthead’s owners have already announced plans to move from St Andrew’s to a new location, with the ambition of completing the entire process within five years. Last year, they purchased land in the east of the city from Birmingham City Council – the former Birmingham Wheels site – which is set to become the heart of a new sports district. During a club Open House event.

Tom Wagner outlined more details of the relocation, including the process around stadium naming rights and the role of non‑football events in the wider complex. After all, entertainment does not have to mean only concerts or shows – for many fans, the biggest emotions are still tied to football. That is why it is worth checking out Championship predictions, where you will find tips for England’s second tier, including games involving the Birmingham side.

At the end of the month, the club is set to officially unveil the stadium design, which only adds to the excitement among supporters still attached to their current home at St Andrew’s.

© Szymon Ostrowski

Stadium visible from every corner of city

Wagner is fond of using bold imagery to convey the scale of ambition behind the new arena. Asked about Aston Villa’s club shop in the city centre, he used the question to reveal that the new stadium is meant to be visible all the way from the Cotswolds.

As reported by Birmingham Mail, he replied: If you think seeing that store pains you because you can see it from 30 yards away, imagine how they’re going to feel when there’s a stadium you can see from every single place in the city. He also added: I was standing on a hill just outside Broadway [in south Worcestershire] about 35 miles away and you will see the stadium from there.

Global destination, not just a stadium

The new ground is part of the huge Blues Sports Quarter project, which is set to completely transform a large section of east Birmingham. Alongside the main arena, there will be a world‑class training centre, a women’s stadium, an indoor arena and a multi‑purpose events complex.

After securing the Birmingham Wheels site, the club announced plans to create a global destination that will attract concerts, major shows and new revenue streams to the city. As part of this vision, the government has pledged £2.4 billion to link the Sports Quarter with the city centre, improving access for both fans and visitors. The project’s ambitions have also been praised by West Midlands mayor Richard Parker, who has described it as a game‑changer for the city.

© Chris Homer

Missed opportunity and a second attempt

Today’s plans are all the more symbolic because Birmingham City once had a realistic chance of building a stadium on a similar scale. In the early 2000s, Las Vegas Sands committed to funding a 55,000–60,000‑seat arena – twice the size of St Andrew’s – on the condition that the council approved a super‑casino next door. The stadium would have been handed over to the city and leased back to the club, giving the Blues the fourth‑largest ground in the country.

In the end, Birmingham lost the race for the super‑casino to Manchester and Blackpool, and when the government later withdrew financial support, neither the casino nor the stadium went ahead. Karen Brady publicly condemned the decision, and within the club it is still viewed as a major missed chance for a leap forward.

The current project is meant to correct that mistake – this time, the plan is for a stadium of around 62,000 seats, as part of a £2.4‑billion investment. The team have not played in the Premier League since 2011 and even briefly dropped into League One in the 2024/25 season, but Wagner wants to use the new infrastructure as the foundation for a return to the top flight.