Key update is next step in Evangelos Marinakis achieving City Ground dream for Nottingham Forest
It is an incredibly proud moment for Nottingham Forest to have the City Ground being lined up to host an England international fixture.
And perhaps further down the line, more such prestigious occasions will follow. When the stadium redevelopment is eventually completed, there is no reason why it cannot open plenty of other similar doors for the Reds.
Details are still being finalised for Thomas Tuchel’s Three Lions to play Senegal in a friendly on the banks of the Trent on June 10. If all goes to plan, it would be the first time the City Ground has hosted an England international since staging a friendly against Wales in 1941. The two nations also met in an official international at the stadium in 1909.
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The FA are said to have been attracted by Nottingham’s central location and transport links to the north and the south. Forest’s successful hosting of an England Under-21s match in October 2023 also apparently counted in their favour.
As every Reds fan knows, once you have been to the City Ground you are hooked for life. There is no other place like it. The FA clearly agree.
Once owner Evangelos Marinakis has completed his grand vision for the stadium, it will only add to the allure. After all, the Greek’s sense of ambition is well known.
Patience continues to be required for the club’s redevelopment project. First announced in 2019, work is yet to begin. However, The Athletic have reported the summer of 2026 has been “pencilled in” to get it moving.
Even before that development emerged, Marinakis had talked of his big plans for the long-term future - once the idea of relocating had been scrapped. Eventually, he wants to take the capacity up to 50,000 - although that would clearly take some time and a fair bit of red tape to navigate.
"We have a lot of supporters and a huge waiting list for season tickets. I'm sure a 50,000-seat stadium will be full watching our team and our passion,” he said last September.
“This is very important. It is very important for the team and it is most important for the town of Nottingham. This is something I want to be able to finalise and for the years to come to have one of the best stadiums in England. This is my prime target right now."
Few would bet against Marinakis ensuring his dream becomes a reality eventually. After all, he promised to return the “glory days” back to the club and now European football looks a distinct possibility for next season.
