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Shad Khan withdraws bid to buy Wembley Stadium: Will Jaguars-to-London rumors end?

Shalise Manza Young
Columnist

Shad Khan owns the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jaguars play one game per season in London. Shad Khan has been trying to buy London’s iconic Wembley Stadium.

Ergo, many NFL observers have believed Khan would move the Jaguars to London when the sale was complete.

About that …

Khan withdraws bid for Wembley

On Wednesday, Khan released a statement saying he is withdrawing his bid to buy Wembley Stadium, citing a lack of support from the FA Council. The Council is a 92-member, elected group which decides the major policies of the FA, the governing body of soccer in England.

Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan announced on Wednesday that he is withdrawing his bid to buy iconic Wembley Stadium. (AP)
Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan announced on Wednesday that he is withdrawing his bid to buy iconic Wembley Stadium. (AP)

Khan had proposed buying the 90,000 capacity stadium for 600 million pounds, or about $788 million. The FA would have retained the rights to the Club Wembley hospitality rights, and the stadium would have remained the home to England’s national teams.

“At this moment, following last week’s FA Council hearing, it appears there is no definitive mandate to sell Wembley and my current proposal, subsequently, would earn the backing of only a slim majority of the FA Council, well short of the conclusive margin that the FA Chairman has requested,” Khan’s statement said in part.

Martin Glenn, the CEO of the FA, told the BBC the decision to sell Wembley was “more divisive than expected.” The facility is currently owned by the FA; had Khan purchased the stadium, the organization would have put the proceeds into developing grassroots soccer facilities.

Jaguars staying in Jacksonville?

When Khan announced in April that he was trying to buy Wembley, he framed the purchase as one that would strengthen the Jaguars and its home in Jacksonville rather than a sign that the team’s uprooting was imminent.

But the Jaguars have played one home game a year at Wembley since 2015, and will do so through at least 2020. Khan owning Wembley — he also owns English soccer club Fulham — seemed to signal that the NFL’s long-held belief that it needs a permanent team in London (a foolish idea, it reads here) would come to fruition.

For now, at least, it seems that won’t be happening.

In his statement on Wednesday, Khan didn’t close the door on buying Wembley in the future if he were to get the support he needs from the FA Council.

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