Building of new Wembley five weeks ahead of schedule

The new £757m Wembley Stadium is on schedule to open early in spring 2006, the BBC has revealed today (Friday). 

Building work at the north London site is five weeks ahead of schedule and the Football Association (FA) is confident that the stadium will open earlier than planned.

FA spokesman Nick Barron told the BBC website: "The first match scheduled to take place at Wembley is the 2006 FA Cup Final.

"But, with work ahead of schedule, it's likely that the stadium will be completed early in 2006, meaning that we're hopeful that it will actually open with an England game."

Brazil, Argentina or Germany have been touted as the most likely potential opponents for England to open the new Wembley.

NEW WEMBLEY FACTFILE

Total stadium cost £757m
Capacity: 90,000
500 catering outlets and 2,000 toilets
Double the surface area of Stadium Australia
1km concourse the width of a four-lane motorway