West Ham United could leave London taxpayers facing an extra £2.5 million bill each year if the club drops out of the Premier League, due to the financial terms tied to its long-term lease at London Stadium.
The struggling side sits in the relegation zone with one match remaining and may be effectively condemned to the Championship if Tottenham Hotspur avoids defeat against Chelsea FC.
Under the 99-year agreement, West Ham’s annual rent would reportedly fall from £4.4 million to roughly half that amount if relegated, leaving public authorities to cover the shortfall alongside increased stadium operating costs.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said taxpayers would be forced to absorb the losses and criticised former mayor Boris Johnson for approving what he described as an extremely poor deal in 2012.
Falling commercial income and the higher cost of staging additional Championship home matches are also expected to worsen the financial impact.
