Chief executive Martin Glenn was preparing to face a select committee on the proposed deal, worth in excess of £500million, which would see the national stadium move into the hands of Fulham owner Shahid Khan.
Glenn was expected to explain to MPs how the sale would allow the FA to spend around £100m annually for 20 years on grassroots facilities. The committee was also scheduled to hear evidence from sport minister Tracey Crouch, ex-England international Gary Neville and Katrina Law, from the Football Supporters’ Federation.
The FA said they expect the £161m of public money spent on building Wembley to be paid back and then reinvested into the game. They were also likely to argue that billionaire Khan, the owner of NFL side Jacksonville Jaguars, is better equipped to make Wembley more profitable.
Damian Collins MP, chair of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport committee, said: “Now is the perfect time to consider how the Government, sports funding bodies and the FA can build a legacy from the success of England’s World Cup campaign, to improve grassroots facilities and to see more talented young footballers develop into Premier League players and future internationals.
“Any discussion about plans for the future of football must now include questions about the future of Wembley Stadium.”
