Tottenham will continue to play 'home' games at Wembley this season but will cap attendances to 51,000

Spurs are still waiting on a completion date for their new stadium - Getty Images Europe
Spurs are still waiting on a completion date for their new stadium - Getty Images Europe

Tottenham Hotspur have reached an agreement with Wembley that would allow them to hold their remaining home matches this season at the national stadium, despite an ongoing aim to move into their £800 million new ground early in 2019.

The Wembley capacity for Spurs matches has also been capped at 51,000 following the game against Chelsea on Nov 24, although an application has been submitted to Brent Council to increase that to 62,000 - and potentially 90,000 for certain matches - if further fixtures are played there from late January.  

Manager Mauricio Pochettino said on Saturday that the club are “so close” to opening their stadium, and revealed that his opinion has been sought on the design of key football-related details at the 62,062-capacity facility.

Spurs have already missed their scheduled grand opening in September and, although all of their home Premier League and Champions League fixtures have been staged at Wembley, the match against Manchester City had to be rescheduled and played on a damaged pitch 24 hours after an American Football game.

There has been frustration building among other Premier League clubs at the uncertainty - league chief executive Richard Scudmare has previously suggested that he would not allow clubs to split their home fixtures between different grounds - and it is hoped that this latest announcement will provide some reassurance. Spurs yesterday described the new Wembley agreement as “a contingency measure”, something that is required by the Premier League, while they “await certainty on the exact opening date of our new stadium”. They intend to make a further announcement next month amid recent concern over the complex wiring in the stadium's fire safety system.

Pochettino described his first emotion simply as “wow” on visiting the £700 million stadium last Thursday, but it was also significant that chairman Daniel Levy sought his view on parts of the stadium that related to match preparation and the working areas for the players and coaches.

Arsene Wenger famously helped design just about every element of both the Arsenal training ground and Emirates Stadium and, while Pochettino’s specific influence is less extensive, the desire to get his input underlines the sense that Spurs want to create of a shared project.

Pochettino believes that Spurs are about to open “the best stadium in Europe” and was especially taken by the proximity of the pitch to the stands, in what has been a deliberate attempt to avoid the lost atmosphere that has been a criticism of other new stadiums.

“Daniel wanted to introduce me to the stadium because it is so close to being opened,” said Pochettino. “And of course, before the opening day, to show [me] the stadium and see if we have to change something inside. It was very nice to go.”

Tottenham's new stadium - Credit: Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images
The pitch at Tottenham's new stadium was laid in October Credit: Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images

Asked if his opinion had been sought on those areas that relate to his work, Pochettino said: “Yes, it is strange that Daniel asked for some details like this because he is the architect and he loves this kind of thing. But, yes, he asked because we are the professionals and afterwards we are going to be using those different things at the stadium.”

Various department heads were taken on the stadium tour last week, which included a display of the lighting and sound system.

“I think you use the word stunning,” said Pochettino, “You expect that you are going to find a good, nice stadium but when I saw the stadium it is like ‘Wow’. I think will be an amazing place to enjoy football for our players and fans. I am a little bit jealous of our players because, to play and be in a changing room like this, I would like to be 20 and be a player that Tottenham offer a contract to play.” Pochettino’s managerial contract does not expire until 2023, but that commitment could be tested by the managerial vacancy at Real Madrid.