- January 5, 2026
- Posted by: SportsV
- Categories: Home News, Industry News, News, Press Releases
Knighthead Capital Management, LLC, on behalf of certain of its affiliates (Knighthead), has awarded responsibility for developing the Birmingham City Football Club training centre at the Sports Quarter to Populous, following a competitive tender process.
The training centre will bring all the necessary facilities for the Men’s, Women’s and Academy teams onto a single site, in a one campus model, adjacent to the main stadium.
This is a unique opportunity to create a beacon of sporting excellence that is also rooted in the community.
True to an ethos of allowing individuals to flourish from “street to elite”, the intention is to ensure that Birmingham City team members enjoy the same uncompromising level of support, whether they are fresh into the academy or performing at the highest levels of the game.
Populous will be responsible for designing all necessary elements from the training centres that house state of the art gyms, treatment and recuperation areas, office and administration spaces through to a full range of training pitches and the groundskeeping facilities.
The 2026 SVB LIVE Conference & Exhibition – with its focus on elevating the live experience through key pillars including Architecture & Design, Fit-Out & Interiors, Premium Experience and Technology – is being hosted at Everton’s spectacular new Hill Dickinson Stadium on October 1st and 2nd, with an Opening Night Icebreaker on September 30th; Populous is a longstanding sponsor.
Nick Smith, Head of Infrastructure at Birmingham City Football Club, said:
“This is another important step as we press ahead with the delivery of the Sports Quarter. We are convinced that Populous will help us set new standards in sports infrastructure. Together we can create a beacon of excellence that will inspire and support our local communities, as well as setting the club up for success on the pitch.”
Declan Sharkey, Senior Principal and Global Director at Populous, added:
“We are extremely proud to be designing the new training centre for Birmingham City FC. Our aim is to combine our global expertise in elite training facility design with a bespoke approach, providing the Club with an innovative, sustainable performance training environment and holistic environment for all of its teams and the staff who will use it.”
About Knighthead Capital Management, LLC
Knighthead Capital Management, LLC (“Knighthead”) was co-founded in 2008 by Tom Wagner and Ara Cohen and has grown to become a diversified asset management platform with an experienced team of investment professionals, specialising in fundamental analysis, operational and financial turnarounds and risk management. Knighthead’s long-term objective is to generate attractive risk-adjusted returns for its clients while emphasising the preservation of capital. Knighthead manages assets across a variety of investment vehicles including insurance asset management, real estate lending, and closed and open-ended vehicles.
Populous’ Declan Sharkey was a speaker at the 2024 SVB LIVE Conference & Exhibition held at Croke Park, and the 2025 Networking Event at Fulham Pier, while Simon Borg was a speaker at the 2025 SVB LIVE Conference & Exhibition, hosted at Villa Park, with tours of bp pulse LIVE and Birmingham City FC’s St. Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park.
About Populous
Populous is a global architecture and design practice specialising in sports and entertainment venues and facilities. Over the past 40 years, the firm has designed more than 3,500 projects worth over $60 billion around the world, including Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Wembley Stadium, Aviva Stadium, Yankee Stadium and Sphere Las Vegas.
The firm develops projects that span all areas of athlete training, performance, sports medicine and sports science across a wide range of disciplines and leagues worldwide. Its portfolio includes training centres for multiple football clubs and national federations, as well as facilities for the NFL, NBA, U.S. college sports, Australian football, rugby union and rugby league.
Populous’ designers working on training facilities around the world are supported by the expertise of former professional athletes and experts who understand that these infrastructures are fundamental to sustaining the success of both players and teams. The company has more than 1,600 employees and 32 offices across four continents, with regional centres in London, Kansas City and Brisbane.
Source: Populous.com
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