Aston Villa confirm closure of Villa Park stand for ENTIRE season amid redevelopment plans

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Aston Villa will close their North Stand for the whole of next season as they ramp up plans to expand Villa Park with the stadium set to see its capacity rise to 50,000.

In order for those ambitions to be realised, and in good time, the club have made the decision to close the stand and leave it out of action next term. The club announced almost 12 months ago that they were increasing the capacity of the North Stand from 5,000 to 12,000 and had set a date for completion by the end of 2027.

Villa have now decided to fast-track the redevelopment. The stand, which sits opposite the iconic Holte End, will undergo a serious makeover with construction set to be completed by the summer of next year, thus meaning it will be ready for the beginning of the 2027/28 campaign.

The Premier League club, who are also looking like they'll be competing in the Champions League next term, will have to see their capacity drop to around 37,000 before boasting a significant increase the following year. Villa Park's current capacity is 42,640.

Villa say the new stand will include operational efficiencies, which ultimately saves them costs and make the process quicker, reports the Birmingham Mail. North Stand improvements will result in new first-team changing, medical and physiotherapy facilities.

Francesco Calvo, Villa's president of business operations, said: "Temporarily reducing Villa Park’s capacity is not a decision we take lightly. However, it is the right decision and one that we have made with our supporters and the long-term future of the club at the heart of our thinking.

"By completing the redevelopment in one season, we reduce disruption, improve the Villa Park experience more quickly and ensure we are investing responsibly while remaining compliant with financial regulations."

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The temporary closure of the North Stand will see affected season ticket holders relocated. The club has confirmed that those impacted will be offered the opportunity to renew their tickets in alternative areas of the stadium at the same price level. Families will also be allowed to relocate together. Those affected will also be given priority access to return to the redeveloped North Stand when it does re-open as Villa seek to offer the same or similar seats where possible.

Villa have become regular competitors among the Premier League's top six, owing largely to the arrival of Unai Emery . He has led the club into European competition for the past three seasons, with that run set to be extended this year.

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