Birmingham City 'want second team to play at new stadium' as grand plans revealed

The ambitious proposal outlines a multi-use venue intended to operate all year round, positioning itself not only as a football stadium but as a major destination for conferences, concerts, combat sports, and international sporting events.

As part of its long-term strategy, according to The Sun, Birmingham City are keen to hold discussions with the Football Association about providing a more consistent home for Sarina Wiegman’s side, who have twice been crowned European champions.

Currently, the FA has no contractual obligation to host England women’s fixtures at Wembley Stadium, unlike the men’s team.

While the Lionesses occasionally play at the national stadium - including their upcoming match against Asian champions China - they largely tour the country, staging fixtures at a range of different venues.

Birmingham believe this nomadic approach offers an opening.

One senior executive at the club emphasised the opportunity to give the Lionesses a home of their own.

“The Lionesses do not have a permanent, or even semi-permanent, home to call their own. We believe we are ideally situated to host them,” they said, highlighting the geographical benefits of the Midlands.

“It’s less than an hour’s drive from St George’s Park and, once HS2 is operational, we estimate that around 80 per cent of the country will be able to access Birmingham within two hours.

“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.”

Significant planning has already been completed. Documentation detailing the development spans more than 500 pages, and the club aims to incorporate prospective partners’ needs before final designs are submitted to Birmingham City Council.

For the FA, Birmingham are keen to signal that they would be prepared to tailor elements of the stadium to specifically benefit the national women’s team, should discussions progress.

The Powerhouse is projected to feature a 62,000-seat capacity, making it the largest stadium within an 80-mile radius of the city.

Alongside its scale, Birmingham City intend for it to offer premium corporate and commercial facilities, a key selling point as they seek to attract high-profile tenants and events.

Birmingham also hinted in their announcement that they'd be interested in bringing Jude Bellingham back to the club.

The midfielder, currently at Real Madrid, established himself at the Championship side before leaving for Borussia Dortmund in the summer transfer window of 2020.

Whether the Lionesses ultimately take up residency remains uncertain, but Birmingham’s pursuit reflects a major statement of ambition, positioning the club not only as a football institution but as a central player in the growth and commercial future of women’s sport in England.