The Football Association has received an offer to buy Wembley Stadium in an eye-watering £800 million deal.
FA chief executive Martin Glenn is believed to have struck an outline agreement with Fulham owner Shahid Khan to transfer the national stadium into foreign ownership for the first time.
In addition to an up-front payment of £500 milliom, the FA could receive an additional £300m in matchday revenue according to reports.
The takeover could see more American Football games at Wembley – Khan owns the Jacksonville Jaguars – and may eventually see the creation of a London NFL franchise.
Wembley would the home of the England national team, but fewer internationals would be played there during the NFL season.
The possible deal is attractive to the FA because grassroots facilities in England lag behind other European nations.
It’s understood that the £500m payment would be ring-fenced to provide new all-weather pitches across the country.
Reaction to the news on social media has been decidedly mixed.
Wembley Stadium doesnt need to be sold for England matches to be played around the country. Can just rent out Wembley to a UK based NFL franchise instead surely?
— Megan (@megan_442) April 26, 2018
And I'd argue that's way more important for development than the senior international team not playing every single game at Wembley, considering the abundance of world class alternatives available. 2/2
— Sam Stevenson (@tablefloor) April 26, 2018
It just doesn’t make business sense to move us. He would alienate the fans & there is zero to suggest he could make more out of FFC at Wembley than he can at extended Craven Cottage. The key in this is the NFL – being 1st franchise here….
— Stephen Gutteridge (@Steve6utteridge) April 26, 2018
A sad Day if the FA sell Wembley for NFL team
— Dean Palmer (@djpalmer01) April 26, 2018
Just the mere idea of selling Wembley is utterly ridiculous #Wembley
— Ali Brown (@Mushy_brown) April 26, 2018
If Wembley is sold to Fulham and NFL owner. Does that lead to London NFL franchise there? How about Chelsea using Wembley while their new stadium built? #Wembley
— Richard Woods (@RichardWoodsUK) April 26, 2018
Build a new Wembley up north and let the southerners do all the traveling for a change
— T r. carruthers (@snaptea) April 26, 2018
If Wembley is sold hopefully we can go back to FA Cup semi-finals being played at neutral grounds
— Paolo Tramezzani (@Debaser92) April 26, 2018
This cannot be allowed to happen! It is a matter of our footballing heritage! Wembley must remain in the hands of the FA! https://t.co/5EfS9UTG4F
— Andy Heron (@andyheron) April 26, 2018
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