Birmingham City: 62,000-seater Powerhouse plans receive significant £50m boost | OneFootball

Blues' new stadium is set to be opened within the next five years

Developments surrounding Birmingham City's upcoming 62,000-seater Powerhouse stadium have received yet another significant boost as Mayor of the West Midlands, Richard Parker, and the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) have granted £50m in funds to speed up the delivery of a tramline extension which will connect the city centre to the Sports Quarter complex.

As per Birmingham World, such plans were finalised on Monday, February 16th - 24 hours after Blues were defeated on penalties by Premier League opposition in the form of Leeds United in the FA Cup fourth round at St. Andrew's @ Knighthead Park, with a sell-out crowd of 28,035 witnessing a classic cup spectacle which ended in a 1-1 draw after 120 minutes, before the Championship side were eventually knocked out 4-2 on penalties.

It has been well-documented that Birmingham are on a mission to become one of the more dominant clubs in English football over time, with American ownership group, Knighthead Capital Management, hoping to return the West Midlands side to the Premier League for the first time since May 2011 in the not-too-distant future.

The man behind such plans, Tom Wagner, has transformed the outlook and fortunes of the B9 club in the past two-and-a-half years, and he was given two classy tributes during Sunday afternoon's cup clash as he takes a step back from his day-to-day activities after recently suffering a stroke.

However, he, and Blues fans, will be delighted to have seen the latest news concerning their future home, which was unveiled to the watching world at Digbeth Loc Studios on November 20th, with its 12-chimney design splitting opinion as the centrepiece of a multi-billion pound regeneration project in East Birmingham.

Fresh West Midlands Metro funding update emerges that will interest Birmingham City

Image supplied through Grayling

Transport links between Birmingham city centre and the Sports Quarter had been a hot topic of discussion regarding the upcoming development, as they are separated by approximately one-and-a-half miles.

As such, it was proposed by Wagner that a tunnel linking the two, as well as the redeveloped Curzon Street station as part of HS2, would be built underneath pre-existing and future railway lines for ease of access that would cost a reported £20m.

Plans for the Sports Quarter project were effectively green-lighted three months later in June 2025 when a £1bn West Midlands Metro extension stretching from the centre of Birmingham, to the Sports Quarter and beyond to the NEC and Birmingham Airport was approved.

Football League World exclusively revealed on November 7th that the West Midlands Combined Authority were to ring-fence £400m to help deliver the Sports Quarter complex, which will reportedly generate 8,400 jobs whilst also featuring an indoor arena, training facilities for all of Blues' men's, women's and academy sides, as well as retail and commercial hubs. This money would also be used to redevelop Adderley Park station, which is nearby to the currently derelict site which the Powerhouse will stand tall on.

It has now been reported that the WMCA and the aforementioned Parker have put forward a further £50m to speed up the delivery of the tramline extension, as well as improving transport links to Aston Villa's Villa Park ground - which is also set for an expansion.

“Fans deserve a modern, reliable and affordable public transport to get them to and from their stadium on matchdays – so we have made these projects a priority and provided the funding to get them started straight away. This funding means we can complete essential design and survey work at an earlier stage and be ready to get spades in the ground next year. Together we are building a new transport network to fuel the economy, secure investment and bring the new homes and jobs local people need," said Parker.

It has been well-documented that Blues are now one of the most ambitious clubs in the country, proven by the aforementioned plans which followed a recent makeover of their current and spiritual home of St. Andrew's.

Whilst it will please everyone associated with the club that the local authorities are committed to delivering the project as quickly and efficiently as possible, Birmingham fans will also hope to see the club generate plenty of positive headlines through their on-pitch performances and progression in the meantime.

Chris Davies' side are currently seven Championship matches unbeaten and will fancy their chances of reaching the play-offs as a result. They are two points behind sixth-placed Derby County at present, and begin their final 14 matches of the season with a tricky away fixture against a resurgent Norwich City side at Carrow Road on February 21st.