The FA confirms sales of Wembley Stadium will not go ahead

The FA has confirmed this week that the sale of Wembley Stadium will not go ahead, as Shahid Khan – owner of the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars and the English Premier League’s Fulham FC – has withdrawn his offer.

FA Chief Executive, Martin Glenn, said:

Earlier this year, The FA received an unsolicited official offer from Shahid Khan to buy Wembley Stadium. It was a very credible offer and was given very serious consideration. 

 

Shahid Khan has informed us today that he will be withdrawing his offer to buy the stadium – and we fully respect his decision.

Mr Khan believed that his offer to buy Wembley Stadium would release funds to help improve community football facilities in England and that it would be well received by all football stakeholders.

At a recent meeting with Mr Khan he expressed that, without stronger support from within the game, his offer is being seen as more divisive than it was anticipated to be and has decided to withdraw his proposal.

Glenn added:

Wembley Stadium is an iconic venue that is revered around world and it will continue to thrive under the ownership and direction of The FA.

 

There has been much deliberation on both sides of this debate and it has undoubtedly raised awareness of the issue that community football facilities in England need significant investment.

 

We would like to thank the football stakeholders, Government, FA Board and Council members for their collaborative approach throughout this process. We will continue to work together to identify new and innovative ways of investing in community football facilities in the future.

Source: TheFA.com

Those in attendance at Europe’s first Premium Seat event, the ALSD International conference & exhibition, held in London last week, were treated to very special behind-the-scenes tours of the iconic Wembley Stadium, including the One Twenty, The Lioness, The Lions and other Club Wembley facilities, as well as the dressing rooms and Players’ Tunnel, which had all been primed and prepped ready for the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks and Raiders game.

During the event – which drew some 251 registered attendees from clubs & teams, stadia, arenas & sports venues, leagues & federations, architecture & design firms, suppliers & producers from across Europe, Canada and the United States – Club Wembley General Manager, Charlene Nyantekyi, informed delegates that The FA were working on three parallel business plans to take into account a sale, no sale or no decision on the sale of Wembley Stadium.

ALSD International will be returning to London in 2019, for further information go to: http://www.alsdinternational.com or email: katie@alsd.com

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