Industry News

PM vows not to intervene in ‘private’ Wembley sale

UK Prime Minister Theresa May has said she will not intervene in ongoing talks regarding the potential sale of Wembley Stadium to Shahid Khan, describing the deal as a “private matter”.

Last month, reports emerged that Khan, who owns NFL American football team the Jacksonville Jaguars, had offered approximately £600m (€683.7/$801.4m) for the English national football team’s stadium in London.

The deal will reportedly allow the English Football Association to retain rights to Club Wembley, the venue’s debenture and hospitality business, which is said to be worth around £300m.

Concerns have been raised over selling the venue, which is currently under the management of the FA, to a private investor, with MPs investigating the deal to ensure it “benefits the long-term future” of football.

During yesterday’s (Wednesday) session of Prime Minister’s Questions, Labour MP Justin Madders asked: “When the Premier League has spent hundreds of millions of pounds on wages and transfers does the Prime Minister agree with me there is actually more than enough money in the game for there to be no need to sell off this asset.”

According to Sky News, the Prime Minister responded: “That is a decision for the owners of Wembley. That is a private matter; it is not a matter for the government.”

Tom Watson, Labour’s shadow culture secretary, hit back at the comments, writing in a post on Twitter that the proposed sale is not a “private matter” and is “deeply sceptical” of the deal.

Watson said: “It’s our national stadium and fans have to be heard. We are deeply sceptical of the proposal to sell Wembley.”

Image: Ungry Young Man

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