Tottenham Confirm Temporary Exit from White Hart Lane Amid Stadium Construction Delay
Tottenham Hotspur have announced that they will vacate White Hart Lane for one season due to delays in the construction of their new stadium. The Premier League club confirmed the development in a statement released on Wednesday, citing the need to comply with top-flight regulations as the primary reason for the temporary relocation.
The delay means Spurs will not be able to inaugurate their new home in time for the start of the 2017–2018 season, as originally planned. Instead, the club will move out of their historic ground for one full season to allow construction to proceed uninterrupted and at an accelerated pace.
“We would like to inform supporters that it is highly unlikely that we will be able to open the new stadium at the start of the 2017–2018 season,” read the official club statement. “The club has revised its construction programme to progress as quickly as possible. The move now involves relocating away from White Hart Lane during construction for a period of one season, at the start of a season, in order to comply with Premier League regulations.”
While the club has not yet confirmed their temporary home, options are believed to include Wembley Stadium and Stadium MK in Milton Keynes, both of which meet Premier League standards and have hosted top-level matches in the past.
The move will mark a historic pause in Tottenham’s long-standing relationship with White Hart Lane, their home since 1899. The north London venue has seen generations of players and fans come through its gates, including current striker Emmanuel Adebayor, who is among those to have worn the Spurs shirt in its final years at the iconic ground.
The new stadium project, part of the club’s wider Northumberland Development Project, is expected to significantly increase capacity and modernise facilities, boosting the club’s commercial and competitive ambitions in the long term.
Despite the setback, Tottenham’s management remains committed to delivering a world-class facility and has asked for patience and support from its fanbase during this transitional period.
