Michael Cunnah, chief executive of Wembley National Stadium Ltd., says the Football Association subsidiary would "continue to monitor progress on a daily basis" and take expert advice on how the euro 1.11-billion ($1.34-billion) stadium is progressing. "The FA will make the decision on where the Cup final will be held," he says. "The safety and quality of the stadium must remain the most important factors and will ultimately dictate the outcome of this decision."
The Millennium Stadium in Cardiff has been booked as a back-up venue and the next bulletin on its chances of staging the big match could come later today, when an FA board meeting is scheduled. But a final decision may not come until later in the month, once "de-propping" of the Wembley roof has been completed.
Failure to open the stadium on time would come as a blow to the FA, English football's governing body. As well as the FA Cup final, the new Wembley stadium is scheduled to stage a further five football matches, including England internationals against Hungary and Jamaica, up to and including June 3. Its first music event is scheduled for June 10.
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