This week, FA chairman Greg Dyke told reporters that the Tottenham Hotspur are close to agreeing on a deal that will allow them to play all their home games at Wembley Stadium during the 2017/2018 season. After their second place finish in the Premier League this season, online soccer odds will favor the Spurs to win the league next season.
Since the Spurs have already clinched a spot in the Champions League next season, they might play their Champions League home games at Wembley next year. According to Dyke, Chelsea is also negotiating to play their home games at Wembley Stadium as well because Stamford Bridge is scheduled to be remodeled. Chelsea’s deal is expected to be for three years.
The Spurs are negotiating to play at Wembley Stadium because they are currently constructing a new $400 million stadium next to their current home White Hart Lane. The Spurs new home will have a capacity of 61,000 and it is expected to be ready before the start of the 2018/2019 season.
Since the capacity at White Hart Lane is reduced due to construction work, Dyke said they are likely going to play their Champions League games at Wembley Stadium next season. While they haven’t come to an agreement about the Spurs playing Champions League games at Wembley next season, Dyke said they are close to an agreement on playing all their home games there in 2017.
The Spurs sent a statement to their season ticket holders telling them that they have notified UEFA that they were exploring their options on the possibility of playing their Champions League games away from White Hart Lane.
While the Spurs are going to be displaced for only one season, Chelsea is going to have to play away from Stamford Bridge for a few years while it is being rebuilt. The Blues are having their old stadium demolished and another built in its place, which will require them to find a new home to play.
Dyke said the team could play at Wembley Stadium in the future but it will take some brilliant scheduling to have both Chelsea and Tottenham play home games at Wembley Stadium in the same season.
Dyke said there is a good possibility that both teams will share the stadium, but it is more likely that Chelsea will wait until the Spurs are done using it before they start. If Chelsea has to wait until Tottenham is done using the stadium, they might have to find somewhere else to play in the 2017 season because their new stadium will be under construction by then.
Another possibility for Chelsea would be to delay their new stadium construction by a year, which is very possible because they haven’t received permission to begin working on the new stadium.
If both teams are to play their home games at Wembley Stadium, they are expected to pay the FA for allowing them to use the stadium. According to reports, Chelsea has already agreed to pay $20 million per year to use the stadium. Since negotiations between the FA and Tottenham are said to be close to being finished, one can only assume the Spurs also agreed to pay the FA at least $20 million to use the stadium.
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