The Board met on Thursday 31 May and set out below are the main discussion points.
Stacey Cartwright, The FA’s new senior independent director, was welcomed to her first Board meeting, which she sat in on as an observer. Stacey replaces Roger Devlin on 1 June. The Board thanked Roger for his considerable efforts over the last six years and wished him well with his future endeavours. Roger has been appointed onto the Fellowship of Council and so we look forward to seeing him at future matches.
The Board received presentations from the two hosting bids for the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup. The first presentation was from the Moroccan bid and the second from the United bid, which comprises the USA, Mexico and Canada. The Board was impressed with the quality of both presentations and grateful for the opportunity to receive both.
The process now is that the bids are subject to assessment by a FIFA Task Force, which will produce reports for consideration by the FIFA Council (of which David Gill is a member). The final vote will go to the FIFA Congress meeting in Moscow on 13 June and the Board delegated authority to Martin and company secretary Richard McDermott to vote on behalf of The FA.
The Board discussed the UEFA U17 European Championships which we hosted across six venues in the Midlands and South Yorkshire, including our own St. George’s Park. We have received positive feedback from UEFA and the participating teams as well as gaining good experience in hosting a tournament. The Board extended its thanks and appreciation to the many staff and volunteers who all contributed to making the tournament a great success.
The Board continues to discuss the offer received from the Jacksonville Jaguars for the purchase of Wembley Stadium and we were able to reflect on the comments made by Council members when this was discussed earlier this week. The Board continue to see the merit in engaging in negotiations regarding the offer and feel that it is imperative to demonstrate to stakeholders how, if a sale was agreed, the proceeds will be managed and the mechanism for distribution into community facilities.
Andy Ambler (Professional Game Relations Director) updated the Board on discussions with the Premier League and EFL on the introduction of a mid-season player break and the movement of the fifth round of the Emirates FA Cup to midweek fixtures to accommodate this.
These were approved by the Board. The Board also approved an agreement with the Premier League and EFL on how decisions which affect the Professional Game and, to a lesser extent, the National Game, are taken.
