Two more M&E firms have been brought on to the Wembley site in an attempt to get the stadium completed in time for next year’s FA Cup final, writes Sarah Richardson.

The news comes as the FA admitted publicly for the first time that the stadium might not be ready to stage the FA Cup final in May.

The decision to bring in the extra firms is the latest in a series of measures to speed up M&E work on the project, including drafting in additional workers and introducing night shifts.

The firms are north London-based MJ Quinn and Daltech, from Kent, and they have been hired by M&E firm Honeywell.

A spokesperson for Multiplex confirmed that the firms had been brought onto the site. He said: “MJ Quinn and Daltech are on site. They were brought on by Honeywell as the contractor and everyone involved in the project is committed to getting it done on time.”

Meanwhile, Brian Barwick, the chief executive of the FA, said this week that it was prudent to keep open the option of playing the cup final at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. He said: “I do not know where the cup final will be held. I hope it will be at Wembley.”

I do not know where the cup final will be held. I hope it will be at Wembley

Brian Barwick, FA chief executive

Honeywell and Phoenix Electrical, another M&E contractor on the project, have both drafted in extra workers over the past two months. The number of M&E workers on the project is more than 1000, and the total number of construction workers is believed to be about 4000.

n This week a spokesperson for Multiplex denied that it had agreed a deal to sell off its investment stake in the £4bn Stratford City scheme, despite the fact that an industry source said it has agreed terms with an offshore investor.

The situation at Stratford City was further confused this week when the London Development Agency said it would include the site, which is owned by London & Continental Railways, in its planned compulsory purchase order for the Olympic site.

LCR this week said it was surprised and concerned by the decision to issue the order.