Aston Villa Football Club was founded in March 1874 by members of the Villa Cross Wesleyan Chapel cricket team in Aston, Birmingham. The club is one of the oldest in English football and was a founding member of the Football League in 1888. Villa Park, the club's home since 1897, has a capacity of 42,749 and is one of England's most historic grounds, having hosted more FA Cup semi-finals than any other venue.
Aston Villa's seven First Division titles span Victorian and 20th-century eras: five in the 1890s alone (1893-94, 1895-96, 1896-97, 1898-99, 1899-1900), plus 1909-10 and 1980-81. The 1896-97 squad completed the Double — League and FA Cup, only the second club to do so. Villa's seven FA Cups (most recently 1956-57) and five League Cups (latest 1995-96) underline a long history of cup success.
Villa's most globally celebrated moment came in May 1982. Having won the 1980-81 First Division title under Ron Saunders (the club's first league championship in 71 years), Villa lifted the European Cup the following season under Tony Barton — defeating Bayern Munich 1-0 in Rotterdam, with Peter Withe scoring the only goal. The 1982 UEFA Super Cup followed. The 2018 takeover by Wes Edens and Nassef Sawiris (NSWE) restored Premier League credibility, and under Unai Emery (2022-present), Villa returned to the UEFA Champions League — finishing fourth in 2023-24, qualifying for the first time in 41 years. Stars including Jack Grealish (academy), Ollie Watkins, Emiliano Martínez, Tyrone Mings and John McGinn have driven the recent rise. The Second City Derby against Birmingham City — played since 1879 — and the Black Country rivalry with Wolverhampton Wanderers define Villa's regional identity.