Chelsea Women’s team to establish Stamford Bridge as their permanent venue starting next season.
Chelsea Women have declared that they will establish Stamford Bridge as their permanent venue starting next season.
The Blues will conduct all 13 of their Women’s Super League (WSL) matches at the 40,000-capacity stadium beginning next season.
Stamford Bridge has hosted a limited number of WSL matches each year — four this season and three the previous season — and has been the venue for all Chelsea Women’s Champions League matches since 2023.
This decision followed discussions with players, the Chelsea Fan Advisory Board (FAB), and various fan groups. It marks the conclusion of their nearly ten-year tenure at Kingsmeadow, which has been the site for the majority of Chelsea’s matches since 2017.
The nearly 5,000-seat venue located in the outskirts of southwest London is closely linked to Chelsea’s successful era over the past decade. Seven of their eight WSL titles were secured during their time at Kingsmeadow.
“We are honored to be part of women’s football, witnessing thousands of our amazing supporters following us and being integral to our journey. We will always cherish our connection to Kingsmeadow and everything our fans, staff, and local community have contributed to enable us to commit our future to Stamford Bridge,” stated Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor.
“The squad, along with every player who has worn a Chelsea shirt before them, has put in tremendous effort for this, as has every staff member on the sidelines. We eagerly anticipate welcoming you in September and providing a venue that supports us as we embark on the next chapter for this remarkable club.
“This presents an exciting opportunity for us to continue our growth, perform at the highest level, and foster a unique atmosphere in a stadium we all cherish.”
The club generated nearly Β£12 million in revenue by transferring the Kingsmeadow stadium to their women’s team during the fiscal year ending June 2025. They sold the women’s team to a subsidiary company in 2024 for nearly Β£200 million, significantly contributing to a profit of Β£128.4 million in that year’s financial statements.
Chelsea joins Arsenal, Aston Villa, and Leicester City as the latest WSL teams to host all their league matches at their men’s stadium. The inaugural WSL match at the venue took place in 2019 against Tottenham, and out of their 14 matches there, they have won 13. The only defeat occurred against Arsenal in January of this year.
The 2024 Champions League semifinal second leg saw the women’s team sell out Stamford Bridge for the first and, to date, only time in their history. The Blues ultimately lost the match 2-0, which marked Emma Hayes’ final game at the venue.
Sonia Bompastor’s team will play their remaining two home matches this season at Stamford Bridge — against Manchester City in the FA Cup semifinal and Manchester United on the final day of the WSL. The latter could be crucial in securing European football at the Bridge next season.
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“You inspire us, and we hope to continue inspiring you — and further cultivate the most passionate fanbase in women’s football,” the Chelsea players expressed in an open letter to the fans.
“This marks a new chapter, but our ambition remains unchanged. We aim to win. We aspire to lift more trophies. We seek to create further history. That is what Chelsea has always done — and we will continue that legacy with our supporters alongside us at the Bridge.”
Information from PA contributed to this report.
