Europa League victory parade - all you need to know
Aston Villa beat Freiburg 3-0 in Istanbul to end a 30-year trophy drought
Aston Villa is delighted to announce plans for an open-top bus victory parade through Birmingham city centre today (Thursday, May 21), following the side's UEFA Europa League final triumph in Istanbul.
A 3-0 win over SC Freiburg at Beşiktaş Park guided Villa to a first European triumph since that famous night in Rotterdam 44 years ago, with the current claret and blue vintage immortalising their names in the club's history books.
With many supporters not able to make it to Türkiye, the Club would like this parade to be a communal celebration, creating a unique experience for fans and players alike.
The parade will begin on Branston Street in the Jewellery Quarter at approximately 4.30pm and cover a route of approximately 4.5km, taking in Sand Pits, Broad Street and Centenary Square.
The parade is expected to last between 60 and 90 minutes.
During the planning process, the Club explored the possibility of recreating the iconic 1982 European Cup celebrations by taking the players to Victoria Square, as well as erecting a stage in Centenary Square to allow for greater fan engagement. Unfortunately, due to ongoing works and safety concerns at Victoria Square, and advice from authorities around the risk of overcrowding at Centenary Square, both proposals were ruled out. We fully respect those decisions – the safety of everyone attending, and of the general public, is paramount.
The Club has admitted a number of factors have shaped both the timing and the format of the parade.
After returning from Istanbul on Thursday, the squad is due to undertake a full training session on Friday, before travelling to Manchester on Saturday ahead of Sunday’s final Premier League fixture of the season against Manchester City.
Birmingham Pride also takes place in the city centre on Monday, May 25, and many players are due to report to their international squads ahead of the FIFA World Cup.
Together, these factors made Thursday, May 21 the only viable option, according to the Club.
In a statement, the club says they're fully aware that some supporters who made the journey to Istanbul may not be back home in time. For those unable to attend in person, the parade will be broadcast live on VillaTV, as well as on YouTube and across the Club’s social media channels.
What to expect
Screens will be positioned at intervals throughout the route, meaning there is no need to head to any single location. There will be opportunities for supporters to engage directly with the team throughout the route.
The parade will feature three open-top buses. The lead bus will be dressed in blue and carry media, followed by a claret bus carrying the players — so if you want to spot the squad, that's where to look! A third blue bus carrying staff will complete the convoy.
A trophy lift will also take place as the centrepiece of the parade, creating a moment the Club and city will never forget.
Travel information
Supporters are being advised to read the following carefully, plan your journey in advance and allow extra time travelling to and from the parade.
The map below shows the planned route...
The club strongly encourage supporters not to drive to the event.
Due to the parade, Birmingham City Council will be implementing temporary parking suspensions and road closures across several streets in the city centre.
Parking bays on affected roads will be suspended from midnight until 10pm, with road closures expected to come into effect from approximately 10am and remain in place until approximately 10pm, although roads may reopen earlier if conditions allow.
The following roads will be subject to temporary closures and parking suspensions:
- Branston Street
- Hall Street
- Warstone Lane
- Frederick Street
- Albion Street
- Powell Street
- Summer Hill Road
- Sand Pits
- Clement Street
- St Vincent Street
- Sheepcote Street
- Grosvenor Street West
- Ryland Street
- Broad Street
- Centenary Square
Please note that side roads adjoining the closure area may also be affected. Access to some car parks and frontages on or accessed via these roads may be restricted during the operational period. Any vehicles remaining on the route may be relocated for safety reasons.
Supporters are also advised that off-street car parks along the route will be closed from 10am, and we cannot guarantee that vehicles will be able to exit until road closures are lifted.
If you need to access a vehicle during the day, the club strongly advise parking outside the affected area in advance.
The Club and its partners will endeavour to reopen roads as soon as possible following the event, but please be aware that it may take some time before the local network returns to normal.