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FA 'to rebuild Wembley'

FA might have to repay £120m if Wembley is not rebuilt

A decision on where to build a new stadium for English football has yet to be made and plans to develop a site in the Midlands are still on the table.

Bu the FA is now keen on Wembley because it could otherwise lose the £120m lottery grant it was given to buy the old stadium, according to the Daily Mail.

Sport England, the body that allocates lottery money for sport, has said it could take legal action against the FA to recover that grant if Wembley is dropped.

Grant criticised

There is said to be opposition to Wembley as a site within the FA's executive.

Earlier this month, the FA warned that the project could be shelved entirely due to spiralling costs.

Patrick Carter, the businessman reviewing the competing plans for the stadium, is trying to persuade the FA to back Wembley.

The Select Committee on Culture, Media and Sport was very critical of the FA's handling of Wembley in a report published on Tuesday.

"It is deplorable that the FA has shown no intention of returning the public money to which it has no right," it said.

The report also attacked Sport England for giving £120m to the FA to rebuild Wembley.

"We regard this premature grant as a cavalier and egregious use of public funds."