NFL LEAVING WEMBLEY WILL COST FA MILLIONS

The FA have suffered another financial blow with the NFL opting to stage two games at the Tottenham hotspur Stadium rather than Wembley this year.

Both grounds hosted two NFL regular- season clashes each in 2019 before last year’s games were cancelled due to travel restrictions brought on by the pandemic.

Wembley now being taken off the NFL roadshow will cost the FA millions in rent, merchandising and hospitality income.

The FA had hosted Jacksonville Jaguars ‘home’ games at Wembley every year since 2013 until the Covid outbreak but their contract with the NFL expired last year.

Tottenham have their own 10-year staging agreement to host two matches per season, and with the NFL reducing their number of roadshow matches this year due to Covid complications, the FA have lost out. The New York Jets will take on the Atlanta Falcons on October 10 before the Jaguars meet the Miami Dolphins a week later.

The FA remain hopeful of another agreement with the Jaguars to host future matches through their links with owner Shahid Khan, who attempted to buy Wembley three years ago.

‘We remain in ongoing, positive discussions with the Jacksonville Jaguars about hosting future games at Wembley Stadium from 2022 and beyond,’ said an FA spokesperson.

‘ The FA maintains excellent relationships with the NFL and the Jacksonville Jaguars having enjoyed over a decade of hosting games at Wembley Stadium.’