FA expect Wembley to stage Cup final

The Football Association still expect to stage the FA Cup final at Wembley in May despite builders Multiplex claiming the completion of the stadium could be delayed until June next year.

The FA have not even ruled out playing an England friendly at the £757million stadium on February 7.

An FA source told PA Sport: "We still expect the 2007 FA Cup final to be at Wembley and we have not had any discussions with the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff being an option. We could still even play an England fixture in February."

The Australian construction firm have insisted an expert "in the operation of major stadia" says the event with 90,000 spectators cannot take place until a month after the FA Cup final.

The FA and their stadium operators Wembley National Stadium Ltd (WNSL) have rejected Multiplex's claims - unless the builders miss yet another deadline.

The background to the row is the legal dispute between Multiplex and WNSL, who blame each other for the series of delays, and because the builders have lost huge amounts of money on the project.

The stadium was due to open at the beginning of the year but Multiplex's most recent deadline was September, although they made no mention of this in a statement to the Australian stock exchange on Tuesday.

The statement said: "Unless and until WNSL hold and successfully complete this series of test events, and obtain the required approvals, Multiplex will be prevented from achieving practical completion.

"The analysis has been reviewed with an expert in the operation of major stadia and indicates that it is unlikely that the stadium will be able to hold a test event for 90,000 spectators before June 2007.

"Multiplex has advised WNSL of its entitlement to extensions of time to October 2007 and of its intention to pursue legal proceedings in that and other respects, including WNSL's acts and omissions which are preventing Multiplex's ability to achieve practical completion."