Images: The FA
The Football Association (FA) has unveiled major redevelopment plans for St George’s Park (SGP) in an effort to ensure the venue remains at the forefront of training complexes worldwide.
Through “significant investment” the SGP 2.0 project will focus on three key areas for the home of all England men’s, women’s and para teams. These are:
- Competitive advantage – All England team pitch surfaces will be upgraded to improve wet weather playability, with pitchside hub buildings, screens, and landscaping to maximise training effectiveness during international camps. Performance and recovery facilities will also be upgraded.
- Player and coach expectations – Modernisation of hotel bedrooms and communal spaces to better fit team’s needs, plus installation of permanent downtime activities. Inclusive design of all new and upgraded spaces, plus adding new features to maximise SGP’s accessibility for elite talent.
- Football Innovation – The introduction of “inspirational” learning and meeting rooms that encourage creativity in daily work, together with bespoke areas and technology for performance innovation by coaches, staff and external partners.
Based in the Staffordshire countryside, since opening in 2012, SGP has been looked upon as playing a vital role in aiding the upturn in fortunes for England teams, as well as becoming a central hub for coach education.
Upgrades were made to the site in 2024 including revamped team briefing rooms and a modernisation of the Club England space within the on-site Hilton hotel. Work will continue in early 2025 and be completed in phases through to 2028. The FA said it will continue to work with existing and new partners to “fulfil ambitions to be the best in the world”.
Key to this timeline is St. George’s Park being utilised as England’s basecamp for UEFA Euro 2028, which is to be hosted across England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland.
During the refurbishment period, SGP will continue to host and support all England teams, particularly in the build up to this summer’s Women’s Euro 2025, which is being hosted by Switzerland, and qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The site will also continue to be utilised for external bookings to cover a variety of training camps, events and conferences, as well as hotel guests.
“With the honour of hosting a home Euros on the horizon alongside other exciting pathway activities, SGP 2.0 will level up our capacity to deliver an elite experience for players and to give ourselves every possible chance for success,” said John McDermott, the FA’s men’s technical director.
“Development of the site over the next three years helps us to build towards performing at our best in every aspect — for our players to train, perform and recover in a second-to-none environment and for us to build a legacy of coaching excellence supported by the very latest in technology and innovation.”
Catherine Gilby, head of para performance, said the enhanced facilities will help set a “global standard” for the integration of para football into the heart of football. Kay Cossington, the FA’s women’s technical director, added: “SGP 2.0 offers us the opportunity to consider the needs of our elite women’s teams and female coaches, and to design spaces that work for different groups.
“We’ll offer inclusive facilities which have in the past overlooked various needs. Inclusion is at the heart of SGP 2.0, with a new learning and innovation centre and exceptional downtime facilities also slated for the development. Realising the vision of SGP 2.0 means we’ll be able to offer a world-class training centre for each and every world-class athlete and coach we train.”
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