Wembley will be envy of the world

To succeed, the package for this market, or Club Wembley as it is known, must be right, so the FA, with the help of architect HOK Sport and sports-marketing expert IMG, has gone to great lengths to indulge the business community.

Wembley architect, Richard Breslin, of HOK Sport, said: "What's being given to the Club Wembley customers is exceptional. It has to be because that is our bread and butter.

"When you look at the brass tacks, apart from £120m from the Lottery, this is a privately run venture so it has to make money.

"There are stadiums in Europe, America and Australia - often owned by cities - which do not make any money, but are viewed as public amenities. The San Siro in Milan is a good example.

"But I do not think the English public will tolerate having to pump huge sums of their money into building such a venue here."

As a result, a staggering 17,000 seats - nearly 20 per cent of the capacity - are only available to corporate fans who, for a large fee, will be housed in the exclusive central section of the three-tiered stadium. It is not so much the prawnsandwich brigade as the seafoodbuffet armada.

As well as the best seats in the house, Club Wembley ticket holders will be able to treat themselves and their guests at an array of food outlets.

The new Wembley will be home to one of the UK's largest kitchens, capable of serving up to 10,000 meals on matchdays.

Eight large restaurants, seating from 400 to 1900 diners, will offer a degree of culinary choice both in terms of food and price never before seen at a football ground.

As Breslin puts it: "One of the main selling points is the choice of dining. There will be a la carte, buffet, bistro and cafe food. The stadium will have the capability of having more sit-down dining places than most of central London." It all sounds delicious, except you won't be able to sample any of the restaurants unless you have stumped up a minimum of £4,000 for a 10-year debenture, plus a minimum of £1,500 per year for a season ticket. Or know someone who has done so.

The idea is to convince wealthy folk to spend more time and, of course, money in the stadium both before and after the game. For the rest of the crowd, there is simple kiosk food.

Some of the posher restaurants will be situated in an eye-catching glass building which backs onto Wembley Way, so they will be clearly visible to almost every fan as they arrive at the ground.

However, in Wembley's defence, it will hardly be a case of 73,000 outsiders tapping on the window as the rich people enjoy their lovely dinner.

Despite being barred from the restaurants and the middle floor, the average fan will still benefit greatly from a trickledown effect from all the money invested.

The new stadium may be primarily designed for its "bread and butter", but the total spread is also attractive especially when compared to its outdated predecessor.

Breslin added: "We feel confident that the average fan is going to get something which far exceeds anything they have ever seen before. We have to make sure their day is very special. Most of their food will be from kiosks, but it's not just going to be pies and pints, we are talking to caterers about introducing different options.

"There will be a large outdoor terrace on the upper tier from which people will get great views of Wembley Way.

"In total, there will be four different large areas for the general public - two on the upper level and two on the lower level. These will contain giant TVs and there is a possibility of live music.

"There are also bars, bookmakers and merchandising outlets, plus a retail shop and a museum. And everyone will also be able to go to the toilet as quickly as possible."

Wembley officials insist these improved facilities will not mean inflated ticket prices. Ordinary fans can expect to pay similar amounts to those charged for recent England matches and Cup finals.

The success of Club Wembley, say insiders, is essential in maintaining this policy and ensuring affordable prices for everyone else.

And that is the crux for the FA. It is not just a case of attracting sell-out crowds for showpiece events, it is about selling to the right crowd.

So far, all 160 executive boxes have been snapped up, but only one in three of the Club Wembley seats have been sold. With so much at stake, the sales offensive will take on increased urgency as 2006 Cup Final day approaches.