Aston Villa FC (football)

Aston Villa Football Club

Aston Villa Football Club is one of England’s most historic and prestigious football institutions, based in Birmingham, the nation's second city. Known as "The Villans," the club competes in the Premier League and plays its home matches at the iconic Villa Park, a stadium with a capacity of over 42,000 that has been their home since 1897.

Founded in 1874, Aston Villa played a pioneering role in the development of modern football. In 1888, club director William McGregor was the mastermind behind founding the Football League—the world's first professional football league. Over a century later, Villa was also among the founding members of the Premier League in 1992, cementing their status as a cornerstone of English football history.

The club's greatest era of domestic success came in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, building a cabinet that boasts seven English top-flight titles and seven FA Cups. However, their crowning achievement came in 1982, when Aston Villa defeated Bayern Munich to win the European Cup (now the UEFA Champions League)—making them one of an elite group of English clubs to have crowned themselves champions of Europe.

Instantly recognizable by their traditional claret and blue shirts, Aston Villa has experienced a major resurgence in recent seasons under manager Unai Emery, returning to the top tier of European football. Their fiercest local rivalry remains the fiery Second City Derby against cross-town neighbors Birmingham City.

Major Honours