Tottenham Hotspur are expected to play the first three or four games of 2018/19 season away from the new £850m stadium, as final touches are added to the ground.
This news would not go down well with Tottenham fans, who have been waiting patiently and anxiously to step into the colossal new stadium and see their white army play.
However, the change in the plan means Spurs’ first Premier League game at the new stadium will be in September 2018, rather than August.
According to the Independent, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy confirmed in a meeting with the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters Trust held on 20 February that the club was “likely” to request to play the “first few matches” of next season away from home. However, Levy still remains optimistic that the new stadium will be ready for the next season.
After the Premier League fixture computer generates a fixture calendar for the 2018/19 season, it is believed that Tottenham will request the Premier League to help them arrange their first few league games away from home so that they can get the new stadium fully ready.
The report adds that the 2018/19 campaign will have four rounds of Premier League fixtures before the September international break.
If Spurs play their first three games away from home, then they will not have to start at home until the weekend of September 1. If they are visitors for the first four games, then they will not be at their brand new home until September 15.
Spurs could follow the footsteps of West Ham and Liverpool, who have played away from their respective home grounds in previous seasons.
Levy, during the meeting with the Tottenham Hotspur Supporter’s Trust on Tuesday, explained:
“The compression ring had been completed last weekend and the roof lift was scheduled to be completed in the next fortnight. Bad weather and high winds had caused the minor delay.” (h/t the Daily Mail)
The completion of compression ring and the roof lift were considered as vital indicators of the restructuring of the new stadium. While the former is done, let’s hope the roof lift is completed quickly without much further delay.
Just like Mr.Levy, I remain confident about the completion of our new stadium on time.
