West Ham are expecting David Sullivan to attend Saturday’s Carabao Cup first‑round tie against Portsmouth, despite advice to stay away from home matches at London Stadium. Sullivan, 77, resigned as co‑chair in June after a BBC Panorama and The Times investigation revealed seven women accused him of sexually exploitative and predatory behaviour. He has categorically denied the allegations.

A spokesperson for London Stadium told BBC News it had "recommended" to West Ham that Sullivan not attend matches because of concerns about fan unrest. The venue has asked for advance notice of any planned visits by the major shareholder, who retains a 38.8% stake in the club, to implement safety and operational measures. The match against Portsmouth will be the first the club has played since the allegations were first reported.

The investigation also revealed Sullivan has been banned from contact with West Ham’s women’s and youth teams for the past three years because of safeguarding concerns. London Stadium was unaware of the restrictions until the BBC’s report. Sullivan was banned after a historical allegation about his conduct was raised with the Football Association in 2023, which he has previously called false.

Despite stabilising on the pitch, with key figures such as manager Nuno Espirito Santo and skipper Jarrod Bowen committing their future to the club, there remains huge uncertainty off it. Vanessa Gold backed out of a deal to sell part of her stake to Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky, and instead reached an agreement with Amanda Staveley, the public face of the Saudi‑backed takeover at Newcastle, to sell her entire 25.1% stake. The Saturday match will set an attendance record for an EFL Cup first‑round tie, with the Hammers having sold 55,000 season tickets for the new campaign.