Multiple outlets report that West Ham United’s possible relegation from the Premier League could lead to higher costs for London taxpayers tied to the club’s lease of the London Stadium. The BBC Sport and others say the figure is up to £2.5 million, with the additional payment linked to the rent structure under a 99-year lease between West Ham and the Greater London Authority (GLA). Under the reported terms, if West Ham are relegated, the club would pay the GLA approximately half of its current annual rent of about £4.4 million. Several reports frame the potential payment escalation as an annual impact for Londoners, with the London mayor cited in at least one account. The Athletic and the Evening Standard also connect the issue to the stadium deal and how relegation would affect the arrangement financially. Across coverage, the sporting scenario is tied to the Premier League season’s final-day situation, with West Ham near the bottom of the table and needing results elsewhere to determine relegation. Overall, sources agree on the central claim: relegation could trigger a financial hit to public funds associated with the stadium lease.