Championship club handed final deadline to leave stadium with side's long-term future ‘not guaranteed'
The Championship club have been playing at the 12,500-seater venue for the last 24 years.
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Oxford have been set a date they must leave the Kassam Stadium
Credit: Rex
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The ground only has three stands
Credit: Getty
But it is owned by former chairman Firoz Kassam and his Firoka Group, who want
The license was due to expire at the end of next season and leave
But an agreement has been struck that sees the deal extended to the end of the 2026/27 campaign, with the option of one further year maximum.
It means Oxford must move out the three-stand Kassam Stadium by June 2028 at the latest.
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Former club chief Kassam
'Agreeing to this extension allows Firoka Group to focus on developing the wider site for local people and the city of Oxford, whilst providing the club with clarity in the short-term.
"It's now up to others to approve planning to guarantee Oxford United's long-term future.'
Current U's chief Grant Ferguson added: "The club was facing some very difficult decisions on where to play after our licence expired in June 2026 and before our new stadium is ready.
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'There has been a massive amount of work going on behind the scenes to get us to this point, and I would like to place on record my thanks to Firoz Kassam who personally oversaw the discussions which led to this short-term extension being signed.
'Agreeing this goes well beyond the terms of our existing arrangement and demonstrates Firoz's support for the Club, particularly given this could potentially delay his plans for the site.
"We can now move forward with certainty as both parties look to the future.'
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Oxford plan to build a
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Oxford have unveiled plans for their new home
Credit: AFL Architects / Oxford United
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An extra 3,500 fans will fit in the ground
Credit: AFL Architects / Oxford United
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The Irish Sun
a minute ago
- The Irish Sun
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Following a couple of years in the League of Ireland, he missed He starred in Killybegs' run to the 2010 county final and the phone rang after that loss to Naomh Conaill. Most read in GAA Football That winter, the 21-year-old was in the Downings Bay Hotel as the man in front of him pointed to the hills, the houses and the people. Earlier that summer, their county's seniors had played just two Championship games, losing to Down and Armagh. Daniel O'Donnell and Daithi O Se have hilarious argument The year before, they reached an All-Ireland quarter-final but shipped 1-27 to Cork. They were waiting for a team. McGuinness was talking about Donegal and he was talking All-Irelands. Looking back now, Noctor was too young to fully take in what was going on as McGuinness captivated the room. 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