Tottenham Hotspur have taken up their option with the Football Association to play home games at Wembley Stadium until December 15, amid rumours that the club may be forced to spend the entire season at the national stadium.
Spurs’ new home in Tottenham, north London, was supposed to have been completed for the start of this season, but delays have led to the team remaining in situ at their temporary accommodation.
There is a feeling throughout the league that the uncertainty surrounding the new venue is unfair on both fans – with games being moved around, often at short notice, due to scheduling and security concerns – and on opposition teams, with Spurs occupying two ‘home’ stadiums.
Although Spurs have stated that the extension of the Wembley deal into December is just a safety net, rumours are now suggesting that the Tottenham stadium will not be completed until into 2019, at which point the Premier League may intervene and insist that the team play the remainder of the season at Wembley.
The delays could prove significant to the club, which will not only have to pay the FA hundreds of thousands of pounds in rent to play at Wembley, but also face missing out on a second entire season’s worth of home gate receipts.