No White Hart Lane just yet for Spurs fans

Reuters|Published 6 years ago

Safety issues mean White Hart Lane will not be available for Spurs just yet. Photo: Dylan Martinez/Reuters Safety issues mean White Hart Lane will not be available for Spurs just yet. Photo: Dylan Martinez/Reuters

LONDON – Tottenham Hotspur will play their first home Champions League match this season at Wembley Stadium as they continue to wait for the move into their new stadium, the Premier League club said yesterday.

Spurs were initially scheduled to play their first game at the new 62 000-capacity White Hart Lane venue on September 15 against Liverpool but safety issues meant they switched the game along with the next home fixture to Wembley.

Spurs said they have agreed with UEFA to host their first home Champions League match - in either the week of September 17 or October 1 - at Wembley.

A fan poses outside White Hart Lane stadium where construction work can still be seen going on. Photo: Paul Childs/Reuters

The English Football League (EFL) has also confirmed that Spurs will have the option to move a potential League Cup third-round tie.

“In the event that Tottenham Hotspur are drawn at home in Round Three of the Carabao Cup.

“The club can apply for special dispensation from the EFL Board to play their fixture away from home as a result of the delays in moving to their new stadium,” the EFL said in a statement.

Spurs said they could reverse the fixture, or opt to host at a neutral venue, with Wembley unavailable in the week commencing September 24.