Aston Villa Europa League victory parade in Birmingham

A parade celebrating Aston Villa’s Europa League final victory will take place in Birmingham on Thursday, the city council announced.

Villa’s decisive 3-0 win over German side Freiburg secured their first major European trophy since 1982.

Supporters erupted at the final whistle in Istanbul, celebrating a hard-fought victory under manager Unai Emery.

The parade will start on Branston Street in the Jewellery Quarter at 16:30 BST on Thursday, proceeding along Sand Pits, Broad Street and Centenary Square.

Aston Villa said fans do not need to gather at specific locations, as screens will be placed along the route.

Three open-top buses will form the parade: the lead bus, adorned in blue, will carry media; a claret bus will transport the players; and a third blue bus will carry staff.

A trophy lift will serve as the parade’s centerpiece, the club said.

Supporters will have opportunities to interact with the team along the route, the club added.

Eight thousand fans in the stadium erupted in celebration when Aston Villa were declared winners.

John, speaking from Istanbul, told the BBC the victory was everything he had dreamed of.

“It was a fantastic win. Absolutely brilliant. It will be remembered for years to come.”

Fans unable to attend the match still had their moment.

Owusu Boakye Amando, head of Aston Villa supporters in Ghana, described to the BBC how fans 4,000 miles away felt.

He said: “Yesterday was one of our best moments in life. What a time to support Aston Villa.”

“Around 4pm in the evening, we all chanted songs and cheering up the boys. It was amazing – what a time to be alive.”

Kevin Evans, from Bilston, said: “It was magical, it’s a feeling I can’t even describe today. I’m suffering bit – sore throat, headache, but I don’t care.”

A statement from the club, released after the victory, said it explored recreating the iconic 1982 European Cup celebrations by taking players to Victoria Square and erecting a stage in Centenary Square for greater fan engagement.

However, due to ongoing construction and safety concerns at Victoria Square, along with official advice about overcrowding risks at Centenary Square, both proposals were ruled out.

The club apologized to fans still in Istanbul who would be unable to join the celebrations.

“The club is grateful for the support and co-operation of the local community and authorities for accommodating the unavoidable disruption from the parade.”

“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.”

Aston Villa is covering all costs associated with the event.

The parade is expected to last 60 to 90 minutes, and supporters are encouraged not to drive to the event.

Birmingham City Council has implemented temporary parking suspensions and road closures on several streets in the city centre.

The following roads will be closed from 10:00 to 22:00 BST, with parking bays also suspended:

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