Aston Villa is delighted to announce plans for an open-top bus victory parade through Birmingham city centre tomorrow, Thursday, May 21, following tonight’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.
It was a success masterminded by Unai Emery, who added a fifth Europa League title to his personal tally - a record for a manager in the competition.
En route to Istanbul, Villa defeated the likes of Feyenoord, Fenerbahçe, Bologna, Lille and Nottingham Forest, scoring 31 goals along the way and creating countless memorable moments.
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.
While the sea of claret and blue along the banks of the Bosphorus was a sight to behold, we know that it will be incomparable to the scenes in our home city of Birmingham. This will be an opportunity for those who missed out on being in Istanbul to be part of the team’s homecoming - and we cannot wait to bring the trophy home to you.
Freiburg v Aston Villa - UEFA Europa League final
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.
We know many of you are eager to celebrate and we want to bring our fanbase together as quickly as possible, but a number of factors have shaped both the timing and the format of the parade.
After returning from Istanbul tomorrow, 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.
The Club is grateful for the support and cooperation of the local community and authorities for accommodating the unavoidable disruption from the parade. Aston Villa are covering all costs associated with the event.
We are 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. We strongly encourage supporters to spread out and find a spot anywhere along the route – you will get a great view of the players wherever you are standing, and spreading out will help us keep everyone safe and the event running smoothly for all. 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
We advise supporters 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...
Aston Villa UEFA Europa League final winners victory parade trophy
We 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, we 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.
