Soccer:West Ham and Tottenham now face an anxious wait to see who will move in to the Olympic Stadium after a decision on the preferred tenant was postponed today.

It was thought the Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) would name a preferred bidder for the €630 million venue on Friday - but its board meeting has been postponed.

An OPLC spokesman said: “Given the detailed nature of both bids received, we need more time to seek further clarification with both bidders in order to identify a preferred bidder.

“The stadium is a significant public asset and we have a duty to run a robust process.

“Securing the most appropriate solution for the stadium is vital to our long-term aspirations for the future Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and the wider regeneration of the area.

“In addition to the two shortlisted bids, the Legacy Company also has the option of the original plan to convert the Olympic Stadium to a 25,000-seats, mixed-use venue. In going to market, the Legacy Company’s aim was to consider options which would enhance and build on that plan.”

The OPLC still wants to make a final decision on the showpiece venue in Stratford, east London, by the end of the financial year in March.

The preferred bidder will be picked at a board meeting to be held at an unknown date “probably sooner rather than later”, the spokesman said.

Work will carry on with that bidder in an effort to strike a deal by the end of March. The contract to move into the stadium will not be certain until then.

West Ham, in a joint bid with Newham Council, want to create a 60,000 capacity arena for football, athletics, concerts and community use. Under their proposal, the athletics track would be retained.

Tottenham, in a joint bid with sports and entertainment giant AEG, have pledged to create an athletics legacy elsewhere and contribute to the refurbishment of the National Sports Centre at Crystal Palace.

An athletics legacy was one of the key promises that London 2012 made to the International Olympic Committee when it won the right to stage the Games.

Final submissions were made by the rival bidding teams last Friday.

In what is becoming an increasing high-profile and tightly-run contest, the OPLC need to ensure it can reopen the stadium for operational use as quickly as possible after the 2012 Games.

London 2012 chairman Lord Coe believes there is a “moral obligation” to preserve the Olympic Stadium as a multi-sport facility and warned Britain’s international sporting reputation would be “trashed” if Tottenham’s bid was successful.

A host of Olympic athletes have also backed West Ham’s bid.

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy said the Spurs plan “will not under any circumstances provide any form of white elephant”.

There will be a return to the public purse and a very significant community and athletic legacy, he argues.

Brazilian football hero Pele endorsed Tottenham’s plan, saying: “I really don’t understand wanting to play with a track around the pitch. The players won’t like it and it probably won’t last.

“As a player, I need to feel the passion and the intensity of the fans.”

The OPLC is looking to find a value-for-money long-term deal that will secure a legacy for the venue.

Having a flexible use allowing year-round access for schools, the local community, the wider public and elite sport are other OPLC criteria. They are also concerned that the stadium remains a distinctive physical symbol supporting the regeneration of the local region.

The OPLC’s preferred bidder recommendation will have to get the green light from the British Government and the London mayor’s office.