England will play "even more matches away from Wembley" if the FA finalizes a deal for Chelsea and Tottenham to share the national stadium for a season, according to Martyn Ziegler of the LONDON TIMES. The EPL clubs both "need temporary homes while their grounds are under development" -- Chelsea for three years and Tottenham for a single season. The FA has been "investigating the ramifications" of the clubs sharing Wembley for the '17-18 season. The groundshare would mean "fewer music events taking place there and more England internationals being played in different parts of the country." Playing England games in other cities is not viewed as a problem however -- FA CEO Martin Glenn "firmly believes that taking the national side on the road helps to engage fans up and down the country." Roy Hodgson’s side "will play two friendlies" before Euro 2016, at Man City’s Etihad Stadium and Sunderland’s Stadium of Light. Chelsea and Tottenham sharing Wembley "would also be a big financial bonus for the FA." Chelsea would need up to three seasons there "while massive development work takes place at Stamford Bridge" and the club is understood to have agreed to a deal worth £20M ($28.5M) a season. Tottenham would need only one year at Wembley and the FA would "expect the same amout of rent from them." But "no agreement has been reached." The FA would "stand to make about" £80M ($114M) in income from Chelsea and Tottenham, with the governing body having reported revenues of £83M ($118M) last year from events at the national stadium (LONDON TIMES, 3/7).
