Wembley Stadium's Swan Song

The Chairman of the Watford Football Club is scheduled to make a special appearance and perform at the AXA Final Ball marking the demolition of famed Wembley Stadium. Hours later, the wrecking ball strikes the venue that has housed such music and sporting events as Live Aid, World Cup soccer, and the Olympic Games.

If that doesn’t exactly sound worth a $1,448 ticket to you, it might help to know that the Watford football honcho is Sir Elton John.

The benefit is a cozy dinner party for 2,000 on the hallowed field of the historic stadium, and is expected to draw heavily from Britain’s sports and entertainment elite, particularly those who performed there.

The Final Ball marks a farewell for Wembley Stadium, which will be demolished to make room for a new 90,000-seat venue set to open in 2003.

The dinner and show benefit the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, an organization strongly supported by athletes – especially footballers – in England. In particular, the cash raised will benefit the NSPCC Full Stop Campaign, an anti-child-abuse initiative.

Sir Elton is expected to take time off from a legal battle with his former accountant to contribute a 30-minute performance. He’s also reportedly been booking time in a Los Angeles studio with longtime collaborator Bernie Taupin, writing new material.

Other celebrities are expected to be confirmed for the party shortly.