FA bosses were surprised by the strength of the backing they received from board members on Thursday for the planned £600million sale of Wembley, according to insiders.
The controversial proposed deal can now proceed to its next stage, formal consideration by the 127-member FA Council next month, after clearing its first hurdle.
The FA have agreed to sell Wembley to US billionaire Shahid Khan, owner of Fulham and the Jacksonville Jaguars NFL team. He described the outcome as “welcomed and encouraging”. However, the plan has been branded “ridiculous” by former England defender Gary Neville.
But after a lengthy meeting of the 10- strong FA board, chief executive Martin Glenn was given a mandate to present the proposal to the council, despite concerns that representatives of the amateur game could veto the plan.
The FA said in a statement: “The FA board has agreed to take the presentation to the FA Council to get its input now that the full facts are known.”