THE chances of the new Wembley being ready in time for the FA Cup Final on May 13 have fallen to 70 per cent after complexities in the steel structure slowed construction over the past month.

Multiplex, the lead contractor on the project, yesterday admitted that there had been a “deterioration” in progress since December, when the Australian construction company gave its clearest warning that it might miss its completion deadline for the £757 million stadium. The handover to Wembley National Stadium Ltd (WNSL), a subsidiary of the FA, for testing events and finishing touches is scheduled to take place on March 31.

More than 3,500 workers are on site, some working through the night, to try to finish on time, but factors out of Multiplex’s control could wreck a finely balanced timetable. These include design hitches, adverse weather conditions — particularly winds over seven knots, which would ground roof workers — and industrial action by subcontractors.

A key moment in the design phase should take place in ten days, when the roof, suspended under a 131-metre-high arch, becomes fully self-supporting. The construction team will then start removing temporary support pylons, allowing more work to be done on the pitch.

Martin Tidd, Multiplex’s UK managing director, said that he remained “fully committed to substantial completion” by March 31, but was bound by Australian stock exchange rules to give warning of a “residual risk” that Wembley would not be ready for FA Cup Final day.

“It is a deterioration of what we said in December,” he said. “My honest assessment is that there is a 70 per cent chance of being able to host the final. It’s too early to call, but I would think we will know in three weeks. Ultimately it is the FA’s decision and they have to make the judgment call.”

Multiplex is expected to book a £100 million loss on Wembley after agreeing an optimistic fixed-price contract of £326 million that failed to anticipate a global surge in steel prices. It is already braced for up to £14 million of fines for late delivery of a stadium that was originally contracted to be completed today.

As diggers and cranes littered Wembley yesterday, and the pedestrian access ramp sported a yawning 50-metre gap, completion still appeared some way off. Once the keys are handed to the FA, there will still be much work to do to satisfy the local council on the issue of health and safety licences.

Assuming that Multiplex hits its March 31 deadline, outstanding jobs could include lighting, air-conditioning and temperature control systems. A huge project, employing some of the most advanced technical systems in world stadiums, Wembley must “run like a Swiss watch”, Tidd said.

The fluidity of the situation means that the FA is unlikely to make any announcement until Multiplex presents its next update to its shareholders on February 23. The Millennium Stadium in Cardiff is booked as a back-up for the final and Michael Cunnah, the WNSL chief executive, said: “We will continue to monitor progress on a daily basis and take their (Multiplex’s) expert advice on how the stadium is progressing. The FA will make the decision on where the Cup Final will be held. The safety and quality of the stadium must remain the most important factors and will dictate the outcome of this decision.”

However, punters appear to have decided already. William Hill are offering odds of 6-4 against the FA Cup Final being played at Wembley and 1-2 that it will be held in Cardiff instead.

Malcolm Clarke, chairman of the Football Supporters’ Federation, said that fans would believe in the stadium’s completion “when they see it”.

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