sport

Aston Villa targets cup finals after European run continues

Club sets sights on cup finals after last season's European run, with pre-season work starting this week at Bodymoor Heath.

By Birmingham Sport Desk · Published 12 July 2026

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Aston Villa begin pre-season training on Monday with an explicit target of reaching at least two cup finals in the 2026-27 season.

The timing aligns with the July start of preparations, giving the squad eight weeks before the Premier League opens on 15 August and allowing early emphasis on knockout competitions that run through to May.

Daily sessions at the Bodymoor Heath training ground will be supplemented by community sessions run by the Aston Villa Foundation in Small Heath, where youth teams from local schools feed into the academy pathway.

Last season the club averaged 41,800 spectators across home matches at Villa Park, with adult season tickets priced from £450 and corporate packages at the Trinity Road stand already sold out for the opening six fixtures.

Big Events and Fixture Pressure Points

The Carabao Cup third-round draw on 27 August and the FA Cup third-round weekend in January represent the clearest paths to finals at Wembley, while the Europa League group stage begins in September with a home tie already scheduled for 18 September.

Club analysts have identified the December schedule, which includes three matches in ten days, as the period most likely to test squad depth before the knockout stages intensify in the new year.

Next Steps for Supporters

Tickets for the first pre-season friendly against Walsall on 20 July go on general sale at 10am on 15 July through the club website and the Villa Park ticket office on Trinity Road; supporters can also register for priority access via the official app before the window closes on 18 July.

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