Shorts: St George’s Park, Everton, Aquatics GB

St. George’s Park, the training base for England’s men’s, women’s, and para football teams, has begun a multi-year refurbishment to enhance its facilities.

The site in Staffordshire, which has been used by club and national teams since opening in 2012, will undergo phased upgrades until 2028. The improvements will include pitch surface upgrades, enhanced training environments, modernised accommodation, and new facilities to support performance innovation.

The first stage of the refurbishment took place in 2024, with upgrades to team briefing rooms and a modernisation of the Club England space at the on-site Hilton hotel. Work will continue in early this year, with three core areas being prioritised: pitch surfaces and training facilities, accommodation and communal areas, and performance innovation spaces.

St. George’s Park has remained fully operational throughout the refurbishment and will continue to serve as the base for all England teams, including preparations for UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 and qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The site has also remained available for external bookings, training camps, and events.

The facility will be used as England’s basecamp for UEFA EURO 2028, which is set to be hosted across England, Scotland, Wales, and the Republic of Ireland.

John McDermott, The FA’s men’s Technical Director, said, “With the honour of hosting a home Euros on the horizon alongside other exciting pathway activities, SGP 2.0 will level up our capacity to deliver an elite experience for players and to give ourselves every possible chance for success.”

All 36,000 personalised granite stones that have formed the Everton Way at Everton Stadium have been sold.

The walkway, originally planned to feature 28,000 stones, was expanded along the length of the south stand exterior following high demand.

Everton Way will serve as a focal point for visitors to the stadium, featuring messages commemorating significant moments for supporters.

Fans who have purchased a stone still have the option to order a replica, presented in an Everton-branded display box, along with a personalised A4 certificate of authentication.

Supporters who have been unable to secure a place on Everton Way can participate in the club’s latest personalisation project, The Everton Fan Wall. This initiative has allowed Evertonians worldwide to submit a photo for inclusion in a mosaic featuring images of players who have achieved milestones with the club or embodied its values on and off the pitch.

Five swimmers have taken part in the first Aquatics GB Open Doors project, gaining work experience in the operations of a National Governing Body.

Paralympic champions Brock Whiston and Maisie Summers-Newton, Olympic gold medallist Kieran Bird, World Championship medal-winner Abbie Wood, and three-time British champion Kara Hanlon have engaged in the initiative, which provides athletes with professional experience across key business functions.

Over six months, the swimmers have been mentored in communications and marketing, data analysis, travel planning, sports science and medicine, and career development skills such as interview techniques and CV writing.

The initiative is part of Aquatics GB’s wider efforts to support athletes in preparing for careers beyond competition.

Drew Barrand, Aquatics GB CEO said, “We know that our athletes are outstanding at doing what they do in the performance arena, but I know they will also go on to have big impacts in whatever they do in the future – and it is great that we can give this group a glimpse into some of the jobs that our fantastic staff take on at Aquatics GB, as a way of gaining important career skills.”

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