Finance expert fires warning at West Ham over potential “issue” with new London Stadium plans

West Ham United could face a scheduling headache as a result of the London Stadium being included in London's bid to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships.

The Hammers may have to surrender their home ground for certain dates during the event, potentially forcing them to rearrange home fixtures despite seeing little direct financial benefit.

London Stadium proposals won't have much benefit to West Ham

West Ham have reached an agreement with UK Athletics and London Stadium operators to allow the venue to be used as part of London's bid to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships.

While the event remains some way off, former Manchester City financial adviser Stefan Borson believes the agreement could eventually create an issue for the Hammers if athletics events clash with their football schedule.

The London Stadium has regularly hosted events outside of football, but the timing of the 2029 World Athletics Championships could create a more complicated situation if West Ham are required to give up the venue during the 2029/30 season.

Borson believes that the Hammers could potentially have to arrange consecutive away fixtures to avoid clashes if the stadium is unavailable for a period.

“I think in some ways, it can be a negative for West Ham because I think they're required to give up the stadium for certain dates or certain events,” Borson said.

“So there could be an issue in terms of home games and timing of home games. But I don't think financially they'll gain from that.”

The financial side could be particularly frustrating for West Ham, with Borson suggesting the club may not receive significant compensation for having to surrender their home ground.

“I might be wrong, but I can't remember the small print that says that they are,” he added. “One of the reasons that they got a really good deal is because they have some exposure to UK Athletics once in the stadium.”

The 2029 World Athletics Championships are still several years away, meaning the exact impact on West Ham's fixture schedule will not be known until the competition and football calendar become clearer.

FGG says: West Ham may have to accept disruption without seeing much reward

The agreement is a major boost for London's 2029 bid, but the benefits for West Ham are less obvious if the club ultimately has to give up the London Stadium for important dates during the season.

The Hammers will understandably want to protect their home fixtures, and having to rearrange matches or potentially play a run of away games would be an unwanted consequence of an event that offers little obvious financial upside for the club.