English FA cuts 82 jobs as pandemic wipes out Wembley events

The English Football Association is set tomake82peopleredundantasitfaces a shortfall of £300 million over four years due to the coronavirus pandemic shutting down the sport and restarting without fans in stadiums.

WembleyStadium,whichisownedby the FA, was due to be staging seven games at the European Championship including the semifinals and finals next month but the tournament was postponed by a year.

Other events, including concerts and two NFL regular season games, that wereduetobestagedatEnglishsoccer’s 90,000-capacity national stadium this year have also been called off.

FA chief executive Mark Bullingham said the focus will be spending on the key mission – helping the men’s and women’s national teams win major tournaments.

“That means we have set out in our proposals some difficult choices because we do not think we can afford to do all the things that we did before,” he said.

Hospitalityrevenue,whichcangenerate £35 million a year, has “completely fallenawayandwillprobablytakeyears to recover,” Bullingham said. Compensation has also had to be paid for some ofthecancelledevents,whiletheFAhas been unable to fulfil some commitments to sponsors and broadcasters.

When Britain went into lockdown in March, the FA halted recruitment and 42vacantpositionswillnotbefilled.Another 82 roles are being removed from the not-for-profit governing body.

Wembleywillstillbestagingrescheduled lower-league playoff finals and the semifinals and final of the FA Cup in the comingweeksbuttherecannotbesupporters in the venue due to efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19.