Championship ceo says club could cease to exist if decision doesn't go their way

OXFORD UNITED WILL BE KICKED OUT OF THEIR CURRENT HOME AT THE KASSAM STADIUM SOON - AND THE CLUB ARE YET TO BEGIN WORK ON THEIR PROPOSED NEW 16,000-SEATER STADIUM 10:53, 03 Jun 2025 Oxford

United could be pushed to the brink of extinction if their proposed new stadium doesn’t get the green light, according to the club’s chief executive. Oxford currently play at the Kassam

Stadium, but their lease is set to expire soon and the club’s future hinges on a brand-new home getting planning permission. The U’s, who finished 17th in the Championship this season, have

played at the Kassam since the 12,500-seater stadium was opened in 2001. However, the stadium is owned by the club’s former chairman Firoz Kassam and his Firoka Group, who have threatened

Oxford with homelessness. An agreement was struck in May that will allow Oxford to remain at the Kassam until the end of the 2026/27 season, with the option of one further year, but they

still need somewhere to move into by June 2028 at the very latest. The new stadium still isn’t guaranteed though, with a decision coming in July. Oxford chief executive Tim Williams has

spelled out the situation in an interview with Sky Sports News. "When our lease at the Kassam Stadium runs out, we won’t have a home and a stadium to play in,” he said plainly. “If we

don’t have a stadium, there is a risk we won’t have a football club. READ MORE: Transfer news LIVE: Fernandes makes Man Utd decision, Mbeumo latest, Liverpool's Cherki talks and Wirtz

approvalREAD MORE: Chelsea close to agreeing £45m transfer exit after putting 14 stars up for sale “It doesn’t get more serious than that for a football club. We have seen headlines recently

about a new Manchester United stadium, which with all due respect is a want and not a need. “If Manchester United don’t move out, they still have Old Trafford. If Everton hadn’t moved into

Bramley Moor-Dock, they’ve still got Goodison. If we don’t move into a new stadium, we are homeless and we don’t exist and it’s an absolute travesty in my view. It’s that important.” Article

continues below Oxford have submitted plans for a 16,000-seater stadium that will also have a 180-bedroom hotel, a conference and events centre and a gym. It would also become the first

all-electric stadium in the UK, with a focus on sustainability – but it needs to be green lighted first. “We now have a Football Regulator, and we have a report by Tracey Crouch which talks

about football assets. We are a poster child for what good football governance and football clubs should be about,” Williams added. “It’s going to be a 16,000-seater stadium, on the

outskirts of Oxford, and a real community asset, fully sustainable, in a brilliant location in the country. We need support, but we also need to say, the point about the club potentially not

existing is a real one. This needs to be moved up every headline. “We are entering a crucial period in the club’s history. The future of the club hinges on the new stadium, and I’d urge

every supporter, every stakeholder, and every voice to get behind this project.” Join our new WhatsApp community _and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our

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