Birmingham City has thrown down a bold marker. In East Birmingham’s Bordesley Green, the club plans a vast new home — a 62,000-seat, £1.2 billion stadium with a working title that doubles as a statement: Powerhouse Stadium. The target is clear: open by the start of the 2030/31 season and turn a Championship club’s ambition into a landmark venue with global reach.

A powerhouse in name and design

The numbers and features are eye-catching. Capacity at 62,000. Cost at £1.2 billion (about $1.6bn). A retractable roof that can close in around 20 minutes. A moveable pitch designed to switch from football to other sports and major shows without tearing up the turf. The club wants football to lead, but it’s building a true multi-use arena.

This is not just about league matches. Birmingham City plans to compete to host international football for both men and women, high-end concerts, boxing cards, and even NFL games. Steep terraces are part of the design to keep the noise in and the atmosphere intense. Around the concourses, fans will find retail and hospitality — cafes, bars, and restaurants — designed for long, lively matchdays and big-event nights.

“62k in the Championship? Dream big, Brum.”

More than a stadium: a new Sports Quarter

The project sits at the heart of a larger regeneration plan known as the Birmingham Sports Quarter. New builds will stretch beyond the main bowl. The blueprint includes a fresh training center for the men’s side and a dedicated smaller stadium for the club’s women’s team — a vital step for visibility and year-round use.

There’s more: affordable housing and a hotel, plus leisure, entertainment, retail, and wellbeing spaces, all designed to serve both match-going fans and local residents. One headline-grabbing feature is an architectural chimney with a lift to what is billed as Birmingham’s highest bar, sitting about 400 feet above the canals. It’s a postcard view — and a clear signal this site is meant to be a destination even when there isn’t a game.

Designers with global reach

Two heavyweight names are attached: Heatherwick Studio and MANICA Architecture. Together they are tasked with turning the plan into a venue that is both striking and smart. The styles are set to be bold, but the brief is simple: fan-first, flexible, and ready for the biggest events on the calendar.

“Roof shut in 20 minutes — NFL in Birmingham feels real now.”

Wagner, Brady and the vision behind the money

The push comes from Birmingham City’s new-look boardroom. Chairman and co-owner Tom Wagner has set the tone: this is about where the club is going. He calls the project “football first” and says it may be “the most environmentally sound stadium that will ever be built.” He also believes the club’s fanbase is big enough to fill it.

Co-owner Tom Brady, the NFL great, has leaned into the multi-use play, underlining plans to bring American football to the city. With US-based Knighthead Capital Management bankrolling the vision, the club’s recent on-field uptick has been matched by a bolder off-field plan. Naming rights will be sold, with Powerhouse Stadium the working name until a partner comes on board.

Why it matters for Birmingham City

For a club in the Championship, the scale is stunning. But the logic is clear. A larger, modern home can lift matchday income, attract bigger acts, and keep fans on site longer. A best-in-class training base and a standalone stadium for the women’s team point to a club trying to grow every part of its football operation.

Most of all, it is a statement of intent. Birmingham City wants to return to the Premier League and stay there. Building a stadium ready for elite games, and even global tournaments, makes that aim harder to ignore.

“If it stays affordable and green, this could change the city.”

Timeline, risks and opportunity

The target opening is the start of the 2030/31 season. That gives time for planning, permits, and the build itself. Big projects like this always face hurdles: costs can rise, timelines can slip, and designs can evolve. The club’s leadership will need to keep the plan tight and the community on side.

The opportunity is huge. East Birmingham stands to benefit from jobs, new homes, better public spaces, and year-round activity. With the right partnerships, the Sports Quarter can be a steady source of energy and money for the area, not just on matchdays but every day.

Built for the biggest stages

With a roof that closes fast and a pitch that moves, the new stadium is made for major events. NFL games could bring new fans and global attention. International football for men and women would place Birmingham on the sport’s global map. Concerts and boxing would keep the calendar full through the year.

Crucially, the design leans into noise and sightlines. Steep terraces and an enclosed bowl should pack in sound and heat. That matters for the home team, but also for event promoters who want venues that look and feel special on TV.

The matchday promise

Fans want ease and energy. The plan aims to deliver both. Bars, cafes and restaurants in and around the bowl will keep people together before and after games. Community spaces built into the wider site can host local events and bring schools and groups onto the campus all week. If Birmingham City gets pricing, transport, and access right, the matchday experience can jump a level from day one.

Final word

Powerhouse Stadium is a big swing. It is expensive, ambitious, and full of moving parts. It also captures a moment. Birmingham City’s owners are betting that the club’s future — and East Birmingham’s — is best served by building big and thinking global. If the timeline holds and the vision is kept, the payoff could be a stadium that feels like a Premier League home, a concert arena, and a civic hub all at once. For Birmingham, that would be more than a new ground. It would be a new stage.