They may not be in the Premier League yet but Birmingham City’s US owners Knighthead are already working on the kind of building project usually attempted by Manchester United or Real Madrid.
Thanks to NFL great Tom Brady’s investment and publicity, Birmingham are now one of the best-known English teams on the other side of the Atlantic. And an ambitious new 62,000-seat stadium plan could put them even more prominently on the map.
The reality, though, is that Blues are still in the early phase of their grand plans. After finishing 10th last season in their first season back in the second tier, they are 10th again to begin this campaign after a fearsome opening sequence of fixtures. Investment is no guarantee of escape from the Championship – just ask Wrexham – and there is still a way to go to get back to the top flight after 16 seasons away.
It won’t be any easier this weekend either, as Blues travel to Midlands rivals West Bromwich Albion, currently fifth.
Here, Daily Mail Sport looks at how close Birmingham are to realising Knighthead’s dreams – both on and off the pitch.
The ambitious plans Tom Wagner (left) and Tom Brady (right) have for Birmingham City are still in their early phase
This season has seen a tough start on the fixture list and Blues sit 10th after eight matches
Stadium delays
‘My timeframe is lunacy but we’ll look to get this completed in five years,’ said chairman Tom Wagner after he was asked when Birmingham might be playing in their new stadium.
Wagner made that assessment in April 2024 and the deadline has already been pushed back by two years to 2031. ‘Ambitious’ is perhaps a kinder word than lunacy but as more time passes without a spade in the ground, Blues fans will start to wonder.
In May, head of infrastructure Nick Smith indicated the club would submit plans to Birmingham City Council in May 2027 but they have now revised that target to the end of next year. The projected opening date is unchanged.
Building a new stadium alone is a hugely complex project and by committing to the £2-3billion ‘Sports Quarter’ vision, Birmingham have a great deal on their plate. Originally, Blues wanted the Sports Quarter to house both the training ground and a stadium for the women’s team, but that has been adjusted too. Now the club are looking for a new venue for those, ideally one location but with separate entrances and exits.
Did Wagner inadvertently set a trap for himself and the club by discussing 2029? That never looked realistic and now the further Blues push the deadline into the 2030s, the more fans become sceptical.
It is worth looking at Tottenham here. Football folk across the world admire Spurs’ state-of-the-art stadium yet few recall the length of the process. When Spurs confirmed plans to build the new ground, they had recently sacked manager Juande Ramos and appointed Harry Redknapp. That was October 2008. Spurs’ first competitive match there was not until 2019. Patience will be required here though Birmingham are confident they will realise their plans in a much shorter time than the 11 years it took Spurs.
Birmingham say the decision to relocate the training ground and women’s team stadium unlocks revenue-generating potential within the 135-acre site, with accountants Deloitte managing the land acquisition programme.
Knighthead had already proposed retail, commercial and residential buildings within the Sports Quarter and say they now have the chance to expand on that. If that works, the possible pay-off is enormous. The scheme remains hugely exciting. Until supporters can see bricks and mortar, though, they will be nervous.
Renderings of the ‘Powerhouse’ stadium plan. The club hope it will be ready by 2031
Blues want a 62,000-seat capacity for the new stadium, with the striking towers around it a nod to the city’s industrial past
Where next?
In February, the club announced that Wagner had suffered a stroke. The 57-year-old continues to focus on his recovery and continues to engage with Knighthead and the club, while Knighthead’s leadership remain closely involved. Wagner recently returned to St Andrew’s for Blues’ 2-2 draw with Wolves, where he received an extremely warm welcome from fans.
Meanwhile, Blues’ search for a director of football continues. Daily Mail Sport can reveal that at this stage, they are looking at external candidates and John Murtough, the former Manchester United transfer chief, was high on the list. Murtough is now director of global development at Atalanta and the Serie A club would demand compensation to release Murtough from his contract.
Blues have not had a permanent director of football since Craig Gardner left in June with head of recruitment Joe Carnall taking a prominent role. Carnall has impressed many since stepping up and looks a strong candidate should Blues change tack.
Brady’s health guru Alex Guerrero continues to plan conditioning and recovery strategies from his US base, though he is rarely at the club’s training ground in rural Warwickshire. Intriguingly, many of the logos and messages from TBRx – Brady’s performance and fitness company – have disappeared from the walls of the Elite Performance and Innovation Centre.
There has also been a feeling within Blues that they have leaned too much into the rivalry with Wrexham, who also have high-profile American owners. Chris Davies’ side won 2-1 there in August and there was not the fanfare that might have greeted previous victories during the clubs’ US eras.
There has been a feeling within Blues that they have leaned too much into the rivalry with Wrexham, another ambitious Championship club with deep-pocketed US owners
Former Manchester United football director John Murtough (right) is on Blues’ list of potential directors of football
This season’s targets?
Blues would never say it publicly but perhaps everyone at the club has taken a deep breath. ‘Don’t mess it up’ is one of Knighthead’s mantras when negotiating a key deal and there were times in summer 2025 where they failed to practise what they preach.
Having marched into the Championship by winning League One with 111 points, Knighthead expected to do the same in the second tier. They were confident that by 2026-27, Blues would be in the Premier League. Davies was one of the few to highlight the difficulty of winning consecutive promotions.
Blues made more sensible transfers in summer 2026 – no more huge wages for ageing players like Kyogo Furuhashi, who has been shipped out to LA Galaxy after one league goal in 28 games – and have switched to a more pragmatic style of play, with greater emphasis on set-pieces. In Colombian midfielder Jhon Solis, they have a gem who should make them a healthy profit after making his loan deal permanent.
A year ago, the club wanted to move at breakneck speed. Knighthead today seem a little older and wiser. It appears they have a better understanding of the Championship. With eighth place good enough for a play-off spot, Blues’ sights are still high. Yet if they do not make it this year, they will surely be even better equipped to do so in 2027.
