Tottenham Hotspur have issued an update on when their new White Hart Lane stadium will be ready.
Spurs fans, you’ll have to wait a few more months.
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On the back of their superb draw at Barcelona on Tuesday which secured an improbable spot in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League, Mauricio Pochettino had been speaking about the excitement of playing the home leg of their UCL knockout round game at their new home.
Tottenham’s $1 billion new stadium on the site for their former White Hart Lane home was supposed to be ready for the start of the 2018-19 season, and its opening was then delayed until September, and then pushed back a few months and, well, here we are.
This update states that the stadium will not be ready until at least the last week of January.
In a statement released on Wednesday, chairman Daniel Levy didn’t want to confirm exactly when they would be playing in their new home, but he did confirm the game against Manchester United on Jan. 13 would be played at Wembley.
The club said that they will receive a “status report from our contractors in the week commencing 7 January 2019 and will update you thereafter” and went into a few more specifics.
“The past few months have been spent rectifying issues with the critical safety systems. We are pleased to report that progress has been steady and we are now into the integrated testing and commissioning phases that take place ahead of the application for a stadium safety certificate. Testing is being conducted both during the day and night and our contractors will continue to work during the Christmas period. Barring no further significant issues we should then be in a position to schedule Test Events.”
Levy continued that Tottenham are “acutely conscious that we are asking fans to go to Wembley for far longer than any of us wanted to” as attendances at their temporary home have dropped drastically in recent months.
“What I don’t want to do is set any firm dates until we have finally achieved a safety certificate. So many people tell me to look at other major schemes that run late and, whilst I know it happens often, we are still hugely frustrated. Once again I want to apologise to fans and to thank you for your ongoing support. We have a busy time ahead both on and off the pitch, particularly after last night’s amazing qualification for the last 16 of the Champions League.”
When do Spurs need their new stadium to be ready by for the Champions League?
The last 16 first leg games will take place on February 12-20, while the second legs will take place on March 5-13, so Spurs will be hoping they are drawn away from home in the UCL last 16 first leg so their new stadium would be ready for a massive European knockout game.
