Oxford sign two-year extension at Kassam Stadium

Oxford United and Firoka Group have reached an agreement for the U's to stay at the Kassam Stadium for a maximum of two further years.

Their previous licence had been due to expire at the end of next season but will now run until at least June 2027.

There will be an option to extend the deal for another year, which will be conditional on planning permission for the club's proposed new stadium being granted.

Both parties have said that no further extensions or new lease agreements after this one will be possible.

The U's are tenants at the Kassam, which is owned by former chairman Firoz Kassam and his Firoka Group.

The Championship club are looking to build a new 16,000-seater venue and submitted a planning application to Cherwell District Council in February last year.

The council will not be making a decision on the plans until June at the earliest.

"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," Oxford chairman Grant Ferguson said.

"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 of our existing arrangement and demonstrates Firoz's 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."