Nottingham Forest City Ground redevelopment update emerges amid big fixture plan
Redevelopment work on Nottingham Forest’s City Ground could start at the end of next season after the stadium has hosted an England international fixture, according to a report.
The Reds first announced their grand vision to upgrade their stadium in 2019. Amid various obstacles and challenges, work on the multi-million pound project is yet to begin and last year there was a question mark over the club's future at the ground.
A dispute with Nottingham City Council, who own the land, over rent and a new lease led to Forest considering moving elsewhere. However, after negotiations between the two parties had restarted, senior councillors agreed to sell the freehold to the club.
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In December, Councillor Neghat Khan said she had been reassured the sale should be completed by the end of the financial year, in April. And now a potential date for work to start has emerged.
According to The Athletic, the redevelopment has been “pencilled in” for the summer of 2026. It comes amid news the City Ground is being lined up to host a senior England international fixture.
The report states Thomas Tuchel’s Three Lions are set to face Senegal this summer in an end-of-season friendly. It is said if everything is finalised, the match will take place on June 10.
The Football Association are said to have been attracted by Nottingham’s central location and transport links to the north and the south. It will 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.
Forest attacker Morgan Gibbs-White will no doubt hope he gets the opportunity to represent his country on his home ground. The 25-year-old has two caps to his name after being handed his debut by interim England boss Lee Carsley last year.
Midfielder Elliot Anderson will have designs on joining his teammate in earning a senior call-up, having represented the Under-21s. Winger Callum Hudson-Odoi has previously played for the Three Lions and midfielder Ryan Yates recently said he had not given up on his dream of running out for England.
With the City Ground redevelopment pencilled in for the summer of 2026, the Athletic state it left the FA able to plan for Forest to host England this summer. England are playing away from Wembley as the stadium gears up for a string of summer concerts, including Oasis, Coldplay and Dua Lipa.
