Chelsea will play all of their Women’s Super League home matches at Stamford Bridge from next season, the club have announced.
The move follows Arsenal, who shifted their WSL fixtures to the Emirates last summer. Chelsea have already staged their European home games at Stamford Bridge this season, while the majority of their matches have been at Kingsmeadow in Kingston, south-west London.
Kingsmeadow — the first ground owned by a women’s team and Chelsea’s main home for almost a decade — became the club’s sole base in November 2020 when AFC Wimbledon moved to Plough Lane. The club had been exploring options away from Kingsmeadow after head coach Sonia Bompastor flagged the possibility in January.
The decision to make Stamford Bridge the permanent home for Barclays WSL fixtures was taken in consultation with players, commercial partners, the fan advisory board and supporter groups. The move will raise capacity from just under 5,000 at Kingsmeadow to around 40,000 at Stamford Bridge. The club says the stadium “will give CFCW a stage befitting the club’s achievements and ambition, a place to compete and win.”
It is not yet confirmed where domestic cup fixtures will be played; Champions League matches are likely to remain at the west London ground, and Kingsmeadow will continue to be used for girls’ academy matches. The announcement coincided with the club unveiling a new ‘Never Done’ identity.
Since Chelsea moved to Kingsmeadow (2017/18) in the WSL:
P80 W69 D6 L5 — 86.3% win percentage — average 2.7 points per game
WSL games at Stamford Bridge:
P12 W11 L1 — 91.7% win percentage — average 2.8 points per game
An open letter from the players accompanied the announcement: “This moment is not just for us. It’s for every player to have worn the Chelsea badge. It’s for every person who has pushed the women’s game forward. It’s for every supporter who has been with us on our incredible journey. This is a new chapter, but our ambition remains the same. We want to win. We want to lift more trophies. We want to create further history. That is what Chelsea has always done — and we’re going to continue that legacy with our supporters beside us at the Bridge.”
In an interview with Sky Sports, Bompastor said the move reflects the growth of the women’s game and Chelsea’s ambition: “The women’s game is growing and we need to make sure we follow and we also initiate that growth. We want to be really ambitious, really top in terms of what we do off and on the pitch. That’s the right time for us to do that. Even for the fans, we want to create a really special experience for them. So giving them the opportunity to come to the Bridge, bringing even more fans to our games. The players played a big, big part because obviously they are the most important people in this project. When you are a player, you want to play in stadiums where you can bring the most fans possible. You want to live that experience with winning games in a great atmosphere.”
Sky Sports analyst Charlotte Marsh described the move as “a huge statement of intent” but warned of the risks. Chelsea have struggled to dominate the WSL in recent seasons despite winning the League Cup, and their Champions League ambition remains unmet. Stamford Bridge has been made accessible for women’s fans through initiatives such as family packages and dedicated hospitality, but Chelsea have not yet consistently attracted large crowds there. Marsh notes that smaller grounds can provide louder, sold-out atmospheres that have benefited Chelsea at Kingsmeadow, and the club must work to replicate or replace that intense home support if the move is to succeed. She called the decision understandable but risky, requiring significant effort to make it a success.