Villa Park

Villa Park in Birmingham is the grand home of Aston Villa, one of the most historic clubs in English football. Its towering Holte End and imposing Trinity Road facade give the ground a stately, old-world grandeur rarely matched elsewhere in the Premier League. The atmosphere on European nights and big derbies against local rivals is among the most passionate in the Midlands. Little has changed about the ground's sense of occasion since it first opened well over a century ago.

Villa Park officially opened on 17 April 1897 with an FA Cup semi-final between Aston Villa and Blackburn Rovers, and has been Aston Villa's home ever since. A regular host of FA Cup semi-finals — more than any other stadium in England, with 55 staged there — and England internationals, it combines Victorian-era heritage with one of the most imposing main stands in the country. The ground has also seen Aston Villa's own major honours, including the 1981 league title and the 1982 European Cup celebrations, cementing its place among England's most storied stadiums.