The Premier League resumes at Villa Park on Friday night when Aston Villa take on Southampton (ko 8pm).
Following a pause to the season as a mark of respect after the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, there will be a special tribute in her honour pre-match.
For more information on what will be taking place inside and outside the stadium on Friday night, read our guide below...
Tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
All Premier League matches between September 16-18 will provide an opportunity for the League, clubs and fans to come together to pay tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, honouring her extraordinary life and contribution to the nation and world.
Players and match officials will wear black armbands as a mark of respect and, together with managers, will gather at the centre circle before kick-off. Fans will be asked to join a minute’s silence, which will be followed by the National Anthem, God Save The King.
Big screens and LED perimeter boards will display tribute images to Her Majesty and flags at the grounds will be flying at half-mast. When the clock turns to 70 minutes during the match, fans will also be invited to applaud The Queen’s 70-year reign.
Villa and Saints fans are kindly asked to arrive in your seats as early as possible and be respectfully conscious of the minute’s silence should you arrive in the stadium closer to kick-off.
Tickets
A very limited number of tickets for Friday’s game remain on sale. Click here to secure your seat.
The best way to secure tickets for future matches at Villa Park is via a Membership. Members currently have exclusive priority access to buy tickets for the visit of Chelsea on Sunday, October 16 (ko 2pm).
Aston Villa Memberships
Tickets are also on sale for Aston Villa Women versus Manchester City Women at Villa Park on Sunday, September 18 (ko 12.30pm).
Since going on sale, the club has seen unprecedented demand for tickets. You can be there to experience the unique atmosphere of women’s football for yourself from as little as £5 for under-14s and £10 for adults.
Your Visit to Villa Park
It's important that supporters take steps to plan their visit to the stadium.
Turnstiles open at 6:30pm, so make sure you arrive at the stadium in plenty of time ahead of kick-off to ensure smooth entry. However you're planning on getting to the match, take a look at our Travel & Parking guide before leaving home.
Please note, the bike rack at Villa Park has now been moved behind the Villa Village building on the North Stand car park.
Once at the stadium, there are plenty of activities taking place before the game. Check out our 'Top 10 Things To Do' below for a few ideas...
As is usually the case, a traffic exclusion zone will be in operation around the stadium – meaning there will be less traffic on Trinity Road and Witton Lane from up to two hours before the match starts.
Supporters are advised to read the updated COVID-19 Matchday Regulations that are in place.
The Holte Suite and Holte Pub will open three hours prior to kick-off and close two hours after full-time.
Card Entry
During the close season we have upgraded the turnstile entry readers in readiness for mobile ticketing. For supporters, this means when you use your season card for entry you no longer insert the card in the mouth of the reader but tap your card on top of the reader.
Should your method of entry (season card or match ticket) fail to register or activates a RED Light, our staff are instructed to refer you to the nearest Ticket Office. They do not have the authority to admit you into the stadium at the turnstiles. If any families are split at this point, we will ensure you are re-united accordingly. The Ticket Office will investigate what has caused the issue and will ensure you are given means of entry once we have checked all is in order. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
Parking
Fans are advised of the following matchday parking sites around Villa Park:
- Powerleague (£10 – payment by cash or card)
- Aston Tower School (£7 - cash only)
- Birchfield School (£7 - cash only)
Broadway School and Aston Social Club should also be available for supporters to access.
During the Match
We would like to remind supporters that Villa Park is an all-seater stadium.
In all areas of Villa Park, we have children, elderly fans and those with medical conditions who are unable to see or watch the match if supporters stand up in front of them.
Please be mindful of this at all times and thank you for your cooperation.
Cashless Stadium
Please note, Villa Park will be cashless to help ensure safe social distancing practices and minimise contact at all points of sale. This includes the Villa Store, with card payments widely accepted in and around the stadium.
The only exception is programme kiosks outside the ground, which will still accept cash.
Reusable Coffee Cups Join Matchday Line-Up
Aston Villa is continuing to reduce the environmental impact of matchdays at Villa Park with the introduction of reusable coffee cups from the start of the 2022/23 season.
The move sees Villa become the first Premier League club to utilise the complete suite of reusable beverage containers following last year’s addition of the ONE Planet ONE Chance Reusable Cup System at the stadium.
These reusable coffee cups are to be used in all kiosks and hospitality across the stadium, therefore totally eliminating any single-use cups - hot or cold - across Villa Park, which would equate to well over 300,000 each season.
Fans will be asked to leave a 10p deposit for each cup, which is refundable on return of the cup or can be donated to Aston Villa Foundation. As an extra incentive for supporters to return their cup, one tree will be planted for every 1,000 cups returned. Click here for more information.
Family Fun Zone
The Family Fun Zone in Villa Park’s Academy Building will be fully operational on Friday from 6-8pm.
Young Villans can take part in a number of exciting, fun activities ahead of kick-off. We have football darts, laser tag, rodeo football, wipeout sweeper arm, dance machine, assault course, foot pool, mega buzzwire, giant connect 4, face painting and a DJ.
We kindly ask that fans do not bring their own footballs into the Fun Zone. Unsupervised games of football cause increased risk of harm to all in attendance. Thank you as always for your cooperation and support.
Purple wristbands, which were introduced last season, will once again be available from the Fun Zone to help keep children safe. Staff will be offering parents the opportunity to receive a purple wristband that your child can wear.
Parents can write their contact details on the wristband and if your child was to become separated from you or felt unsafe, they could approach a steward or another member of staff and show their wristband. Stewards or staff can then duly contact parents and/or Aston Villa Head of Safeguarding Andy Bowly for assistance and support.
Food and Beverage
Villa Park offers a wide range of cuisine and beverages on a matchday.
In the Trinity concourse, Baked in Brick and Brummie Bostin Brownie have been popular additions to the food offering since last season. Baked in Brick offer a range of BBQ Chicken Tikka burgers, a Lemon Curry Halloumi Burger and a range of fries. Serving up a sweet treat, Brummie Bostin Brownie have a selection of double chocolate brownies to choose from, including an Eton Mess and Banoffee Pie flavours.
Outside the stadium, several street food trucks will be situated on the Trinity Stand forecourt alongside a bar serving alcoholic and soft drinks from 5:30pm.
Pre-Match Entertainment
The Trinity Fan Zone helps fans countdown to kick-off on every matchday at Villa Park. See below for Friday's line-up...
6pm, 7pm and 7:40pm: Football freestyler
6:20pm: Live music
7:20pm: Q&A with Villa Women duo Maz Pacheco and Kenza Dali (picture opportunity to follow at 7:40pm)
Store Opening Hours
There are a number of places where supporters can shop for Aston Villa merchandise on a matchday. Below you'll find the opening times for each shop around the ground...
Villa Store: 9:30am-8pm and 9:30-10:30pm
Holte Store: 5-8pm and 9:30-10:30pm
Holte Suite: 5-10pm
Trinity Fan Zone: 5-8pm
Trinity pop-up store: 6:30-8pm and at half-time
Academy: 6:30-8pm
Hospitality 82: 5-8pm and 8:30-10pm
Click and collect locations are at the Villa Store, Holte Store, Holte Suite and Hospitality 82.
The click and collect order option will be turned off at half-time but any orders placed up to then will be available to collect until that retail unit closes.
See it...hear it...report it!
If you witness discriminatory behaviour at a match or around a stadium, please report it to the police or a steward.
Supporters at Villa Park can text REPORT to 60060 along with the location of the incident and details of what you have witnessed.
The text line also includes the reporting of any safeguarding concerns. The text service will be supported by our security team and West Midlands Police. Each text costs one standard message at your network rate. The club may share your details with West Midlands Police if further information is required to assist with a criminal prosecution.
Fan Engagement and Pride Rewards
A new ‘Match Predictor’ game is now live on the memberships portal. Fans can enter for free, you don’t need a paid membership, just a free digital account.
Simply predict the score and first goal scorer for the chance to win prizes. The match predictor will be live for all home games going forward. There is an overall season leaderboard and prizes will be awarded for every home game week.
Fans will again be able to take part in the ‘Pick a Player’ game on Pride Rewards for the chance to earn loyalty points. All you have to do is pick a player for the match and their performance during the game will earn you points. The Pride Rewards collection point will be open from 5:30-7:30pm. In upcoming events, supporters can enter the draw for the chance to step onto the hallowed Villa Park turf at the Man City game, in our ‘Half Time Selfie’ experience – rewards.avfc.co.uk.
This season we will be running the 'Cazoo Matchday Quiz'. A question will be read out and shown on the big screens before kick-off. Fans have until the half-time whistle blows to submit their entry by tweeting their answer using #partofthepride and including their seat number, row, block and stand. Some great prizes are up for grabs, including season tickets, signed shirts, signed footballs, tickets to watch the first team train and a matchday mascot package. T&C’s apply. For more info, click here.
Three lucky fans will win the chance to ‘Score at the Holte’ in our brand new half-time game. Each fan will get to take one penalty at the Holte End in front of a packed crowd, with big prizes up for grabs if they can hit the targets we place within the goal. Members and Season Ticket Holders can enter NOW for the chance to take part at the next home game v Chelsea.
We want to know about your matchday experience at Villa Park. Tweet us using #avfclive to let us know your matchday experiences and you could be featured on the big screens at the stadium!
