FA Council to consider £600m Wembley Stadium deal

Plans to sell Wembley Stadium took a step forward this week after the Football Association’s (FA) board discussed the potential £600m deal.

Following the meeting, the 127 members of the FA Council will gather next month (October 11) to consider the sale.

While the Council is not able to accept or reject the deal, its view will likely impact any final decision reached by the board.

FA chiefs say money generated by selling the stadium to Fulham FC owner Shahid Khan could go towards transforming community facilities.

According to a BBC report, an FA spokesperson said in a statement: “The sale of Wembley Stadium, the negotiated protections and an outlined plan to invest £600m into football community facilities, were presented and discussed at the FA board meeting today.

“Following on from this discussion, the FA board has agreed to take the presentation to the FA Council to get its input now that the full facts are known.”

FA bosses have previously said they would would not sell the stadium without a consensus within the game.

Chief exec Martin Glenn, along with chairman Greg Clarke, is believed to be in favour of the deal. Both are part of the board that will make the final decision.

Speaking back in May, Mr Glenn said the deal represnts “an opportunity to unleash an unprecedented amount of investment into community football”, adding: “Receiving an offer to sell Wembley Stadium is not a ‘betrayal’. It is not selling the ‘soul of the game’.”

Billionaire businessman Shahid Khan called news of the FA board meeting “welcomed and encouraging”.

He said: “I understand the discussion was open and thorough. One cannot ask for more as we continue to work through the process toward reaching an agreement that will serve English football for generations to come.”