West Ham United anticipate the presence of David Sullivan at the Carabao Cup opening round match against Portsmouth this Saturday. This comes despite official advice from the London Stadium suggesting he remain absent from home games due to potential fan hostility.
Sullivan, 77, stepped down from his role as co-chair in June following a joint investigation by BBC Panorama and The Times. The report detailed accusations from seven women alleging sexually exploitative and predatory actions by Sullivan, all of which he has firmly denied. A spokesperson for the stadium confirmed they advised the club against his attendance to prioritize safety, noting that they require advance warning of any visits from Sullivan, who maintains a 38.8% ownership stake.
The upcoming match marks the first home appearance since these allegations surfaced. Furthermore, the investigation revealed that Sullivan has been barred from interacting with the club’s women’s and youth squads for three years due to safeguarding protocols. This restriction followed a separate historical allegation reported to the Football Association in 2023, which he also claims is false.
Off-field turbulence continues at the club, even as on-field operations stabilize under manager Nuno Espirito Santo. Ownership dynamics remain in flux as Vanessa Gold prepares to sell her 25.1% stake to Amanda Staveley, though billionaire Daniel Kretinsky may exercise pre-emption rights to increase his own holdings. Despite these tensions, the game against Portsmouth is expected to see record attendance for an EFL Cup first-round match, with 55,000 season tickets already distributed.
