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Tottenham to play at Wembley next season and demolish White Hart Lane

Tottenham Hotspur will play all of their home games at Wembley next season during the construction of their new stadium, the club confirmed on Friday, making their current campaign the final one at White Hart Lane after 118 years.

Spurs, who played this season's European matches at the national stadium, had until Sunday to decide whether to use Wembley for all home league and cup matches and have chosen to activate the option.

Wembley will serve as the club's base while White Hart Lane is demolished and their new £800 million stadium, adjacent to their current home, is finalised for the start of the 2018-19 season.

Last month Brent Council, the London borough council that oversees Wembley, gave Spurs the green light to play up to 27 matches next season in front of Wembley's full 90,000 capacity.

The decision means that Sunday's match against Arsenal will be the last North London derby at White Hart Lane, and Spurs go into the game unbeaten at home this season and on the back of a club-record 13 straight league wins at the Lane.

But Tottenham struggled at Wembley this season, losing to Monaco and Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League, exiting the Europa League after a draw with Gent and falling to Chelsea in last weekend's FA Cup semifinal.

The final match at White Hart Lane will be against Manchester United on May 14, and Spurs will announce farewell plans for the stadium, their home since 1899, in the coming weeks.

The club have already revealed a unique crest to mark the occasion and plan to bury a time capsule at a point of overlap between the old and the new stadiums, and there will be a commemorative programme for the Man United game.

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy said in a statement: "Both on and of the pitch this is an incredibly exciting time in the history of our club.

"The Lane means a huge amount to each and very one of us and we needed to gain greater certainty on the delivery of the new stadium before we made the final decision to commence with the decommissions of our iconic, historic home.

"We shall ensure that we give the Lane a fitting farewell when we play our last match there on May 14.

"Wembley will be our home for a season and then we will return to what will be one of the best stadiums of its kind and the most unique in the world, playing host to NFL games too -- a stadium that will be key to our future growth and success."

A win on Sunday would also ensure Tottenham finish above Arsenal for the first time since 1995, and the first time in Arsene Wenger's tenure with the Gunners.

Looking ahead to the derby, Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino said: "It will be the last [North London derby at White Hart Lane], but we're playing from the beginning of the season like [every game] is the last game at White Hart Lane -- the atmosphere, the players, the fans, everyone behaved with an amazing energy. You can feel that.

"Be sure that Sunday is special for everyone and we will try altogether to win. Be sure that we compete against a very good team in Arsenal -- they have fantastic players but altogether we can give our best and try to get the three points. That is our end."