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| Full name | Chelsea Football Club Women | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname | The Blues | |||
| Founded | 1992; 33 years ago (1992)[1] | |||
| Ground | Kingsmeadow Stamford Bridge (select home games) | |||
| Capacity | 4,850 (Kingsmeadow) 40,044 (Stamford Bridge) | |||
| Owner | BlueCo[2] | |||
| Head coach | Sonia Bompastor | |||
| League | Women's Super League | |||
| 2024–25 | WSL, 1st of 12 (champions) | |||
| Website | chelseafc.com | |||
 Current season | ||||
| Departments of Chelsea | ||||
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Chelsea Football Club Women, formerly known asChelsea Ladies Football Club, are an Englishwomen's football club based inKingston upon Thames,London. Founded in 1992, they compete in theWomen's Super League, the top flight of women's football in England, and play their home games at theKingsmeadow with some select games atStamford Bridge. Since 2004, the club has been affiliated withChelsea F.C., the men's team in thePremier League. Chelsea Women were a founding member of the Super League in 2010. From 2005 to 2010, the side competed in thePremier League National Division, the top tier of women's football in England at the time.
One of the most successful clubs inEnglish women's football, Chelsea have won a record eight Women's Super League championships, as well as theFA WSL Spring Series in 2017, and have the second-highest number of outright league championships afterArsenal.[3] They have also won sixWomen's FA Cup titles, threeWomen's League Cup titles, and wereWomen's FA Community Shield winners in 2020. They reached their firstUEFA Women's Champions League final in 2021, where they finished as runners-up toBarcelona.
In the early 1970s, an unofficial Chelsea Ladies F.C. was formed soon afterThe Football Association had lifted its 50-year ban on women's football. Under the management of John Martin, they beatMillwall Lionesses to win the 1974 London Women's Football Challenge Cup in a season when they did a league and cup double. They repeated the feat the following season. Although more of a supporters team rather than an official representative ofChelsea F.C., the club's president at the time wasJohn Hollins, who was a long-time Chelsea player.[4]
Chelsea Ladies Football Club was formed in 1992 after supporters of Chelsea F.C. expressed desire for a women's side.[5]Tony Farmer, a longtime Chelsea supporter who became interested in women's football when his girlfriend Val Lightfoot joinedCrystal Palace,[6] wrote a letter to Chelsea F.C. to propose adding a women's side.[7][8]
Upon approval, Farmer became the club's first manager, lobbied for it to be promoted in men's match programmes,[8][9] and began recruiting youth players to the club, includingCasey Stoney andFara Williams as 12-year-olds in 1994 and 1996, respectively.[7] The side's first home pitch wasHurlingham Park inFulham.[6] Farmer managed the club from theGreater London Regional League Division 3 to the Greater London Regional Premier Division before resigning in 1997.[7]
In June 2004, Chelsea Ladies were taken over and funded by Chelsea's Football in the Community department,[10] and in 2004–05 Chelsea won promotion to thePremier League National Division. The club has participated at the top level ever since.[8]
After starting 2005–06 with one point from six games, manager George Michealas was fired in September after four years in charge.[11] They finished bottom of the league that season underShaun Gore, but won a promotion/relegation play-off againstNorthern Division runners-upLiverpool 4–1 onaggregate to stay in the Premier League National Division.[12] During the season the club had been linked with atransfer bid for North American star playersTiffeny Milbrett andChristine Sinclair.[13]
After an eighth-place finish in 2006–07, Gore drafted inEngland playersSiobhan Chamberlain, Casey Stoney andEniola Aluko that summer.[14] AmericanWorld Cup winnerLorrie Fair, regarded as one of the best midfielders in the women's game, joined in January as Chelsea finished 2007–08 in fifth position.[15]
Chelsea Ladies introduced a new manager for the 2008–09 season, formerArsenal Ladies reserve team coach Steve Jones. On 2 July 2008 Chelsea surprisingly signedLianne Sanderson andAnita Asante from Arsenal Ladies,[16] in addition to veteranMary Phillip. Then Arsenal Ladies managerVic Akers criticised his former players as disrespectful,[16] while pursuing players from other clubs to bolster his own squad.
Chelsea Ladies finished the 2008–09 season third behind Arsenal andEverton.Mary Phillip retired a month into the new season,[17] Aluko and Asante left for the newWPS in March 2009, while Fair missed the whole campaign with a cruciate ligament injury sustained in May 2008.[18] Jones departed as manager in January 2009, leaving Stoney to act asplayer/manager.[19]
At Stoney's recommendation,Matt Beard became manager for the 2009–10 season. Cuts to the Ladies club's funding were offset by financial assistance fromJohn Terry and other Chelsea F.C. players.[19] A further blow arrived when Sanderson left for the 2010 WPS season.[20]
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The club bid successfully to be one of eight founding teams in theFA Women's Super League (WSL) in March 2011.[21] On 13 April 2011, the first-ever WSL fixture was played — atImperial Fields, Chelsea's home ground — between them and Arsenal, which they lost 1–0.[22] Beard led the club to theWomen's FA Cup final for the first time in2012, but Chelsea were eventually beaten byBirmingham City on apenalty shootout after twice taking the lead in a 2–2 draw.[23]
In July 2012, Matt Beard resigned as manager after three years in the post.[24] Former assistant at Arsenal,Emma Hayes, was brought in as manager in 2012, one of the first female managers in the WSL.[25] In Hayes's first season in charge, Chelsea, who were still a part-time professional club,[25] finished third-bottom of the league.[26] The following season, they finished second from the bottom.[27]
The 2014 season was successful for Chelsea, as they finished second in the WSL behind Liverpool on goal difference, after eight wins, two draws and four losses.[28] A final day win would have clinched them the league title, but they lost 2–1 away toManchester City. Their second-place finish meant that they qualified for theUEFA Women's Champions League for the first time in the club's history. They also reached the semi-finals of both the FA Cup and theLeague Cup, where they lost to both eventual winners, Arsenal and Manchester City, respectively.
In 2015, it was announced that many of Chelsea's players would be becoming full professionals for the first time.[29] On 1 August 2015, Chelsea won their first everWomen's FA Cup. They beatNotts County Ladies atWembley Stadium.Ji So-yun scored the only goal of the game and Eniola Aluko won the player of the match award.[30] The team then beatSunderland 4–0 in October 2015 to secure the FA WSL title and a League and Cupdouble.[31] Chelsea repeated that feat in the2017–18 season, winning another FA WSL and Women's FA Cup double; in the same season, the team also reached thesemi-finals of the UEFA Women's Champions League for the first time.[32] On 23 May 2018, the club rebranded as Chelsea Football Club Women.[33]
Chelsea were awarded the2019–20 WSL title on apoints-per-game basis after the season had to be abruptly terminated due to theCOVID-19 pandemic. The club was unbeaten at the time.[34]
Chelsea began the2020–21 season by winning their first everFA Community Shield, against Manchester City.[35] The season also saw them win their second consecutive League Cup, winning 6–0 againstBristol City.[36] Chelsea and manager Hayes won their fourth WSL title, the most by any WSL team at the time, by two points on the final day of the2020–21 FA WSL season with a 5–0 victory overReading.[37] Chelsea broke the record for most points in a season (57) and tied the record for most wins in a season (18). In addition, they became just the third team to defend the League title after Liverpool and Arsenal.[38]Sam Kerr won the WSLGolden Boot for most goals scored by an individual (21), whileFran Kirby was joint top for assists (11) and goalkeeperAnn-Katrin Berger registered the most clean sheets (12), winning theGolden Glove.[38] Given their remarkable performances over the season, Suzanne Wrack ofThe Guardian stated that Chelsea was "one of the best women's teams to ever play in England's top flight".[39] On 16 May 2021, Chelsea, on course for aquadruple, lost4–0 toBarcelona in their first-ever Champions League final appearance.[40] On 5 December 2021, Chelsea won the delayed2020–21 FA Cup, beating the league leaders Arsenal 3–0 in a dominant display with goals from Kirby and two from Kerr, winning their first domestic treble.[41]
Chelsea successfully retained the WSL title during the2021–22,[42]2022–23[43] (with both seasons also retaining the FA Cup) as well as the2023–24 seasons,[44] the latter of which was the club's last season under manager Emma Hayes as she left the club at the end of the season to become the manager of theUnited States women's national team.[45] She was replaced bySonia Bompastor from the2024–25 season, who was previously atLyon.[46] In her first season, Bompastor led Chelsea to a domestic treble as the club remained unbeaten in all three domestic competitions, and finished the WSL season with a record-breaking 60 points for a sixth consecutive title.[47][48][49]
In May 2025, technology entrepreneurAlexis Ohanian acquired a 10% minority stake in Chelsea Women for approximately £20 million, valuing the club at around £200 million. Ohanian was also reported to be taking a seat on the club's board of directors.[50]
Chelsea Women play atKingsmeadow inNorbiton,Kingston upon Thames,London.Chelsea F.C. bought Kingsmeadow for their youth and women's teams fromAFC Wimbledon in 2016 so that Wimbledon could fund their new ground,Plough Lane.[51] Kingsmeadow has a capacity of 4,850.[52]
Between 2012 and 2017, Chelsea played their home games atWheatsheaf Park.[53] The stadium is located inStaines-upon-Thames and has a capacity for 3,002 spectators.[54]
The team previously played atImperial Fields during the 2011 season, the home ground ofTooting & Mitcham United.[55]
Chelsea Women has increasingly usedStamford Bridge for high-profile fixtures in both domestic and European competitions. Since the 2020s, the club has staged itsUEFA Women's Champions League home matches at Stamford Bridge. In the2023–24 season, Chelsea Women played a record four Women's Super League matches at the stadium,[56] followed by three matches in the2024–25 season.[57]
The current home attendance record of a Chelsea Women's match is 39,398, set on 27 April 2024 during the2023–24 UEFA Women's Champions Leaguesemi-final second leg againstBarcelona, played at Stamford Bridge.[58] Their current home attendance record at their primary ground of Kingsmeadow is 4,670, set on 28 April 2019 in aChampion's League semi-final leg againstLyon.[4]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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For details of former players, seeCategory:Chelsea F.C. Women players.
| Year | Player | Position | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 |  Eniola Aluko | Forward | [60] |
| 2016 | Katie Chapman | Midfielder | [60] |
| 2017 | Karen Carney | Midfielder | [60] |
| 2017–18 | Fran Kirby | Forward | [60] |
| 2018–19 |  Erin Cuthbert | Midfielder | [60] |
| 2019–20 | Bethany England | Forward | [61] |
| 2020–21 | Fran Kirby | Forward | [62] |
| 2021–22 |  Sam Kerr | Forward | [63] |
| 2022–23 | Sam Kerr | Forward | [64] |
| 2023–24 | Lauren James | Forward | [65] |
| 2024–25 | Erin Cuthbert | Midfielder | [66] |
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Head coach |  Sonia Bompastor |
| Assistant coaches | Camille Abily |
| Théo Rivrin | |
| Head of women's football | Paul Green |
| Coach | Gemma Davison |
| Goalkeeping coach | Seb Brown |
| Assistant goalkeeping coach | Dan Smith |
| Movement coach | Harry McCulloch |
| Lead analyst | Jamie Cook |
| Opposition analyst | Jack Stephens |
| Lead scout | TJ O'Leary |
Source: Chelsea F.C.
| Name | Years | Ref. |
|---|---|---|
| Tony Farmer | 1992–1997 | [7] |
| Steve Leacock | 1997–2001 | [67] |
| George Michaelas | 2001–2005 | [68][69] |
| Shaun Gore | 2005–2008 | [70] |
| Steve Jones | 2008–2009 | [71][72] |
| Matt Beard | 2009–2012 | [73] |
| Emma Hayes | 2012–2024 | [74] |
| Sonia Bompastor | 2024–present | [75] |
Chelsea's first trophy was won during the 1998–99 season, when the team defeated Reading Royals 2–1 in theBerks & Bucks County Cup final.[4] The club's first major trophy was theWomen's FA Cup, won in2015. In the same year, the club also won its firstFA Women's Super League (FA WSL) title. After winning the2021–22 FA WSL, Chelsea became the first team to win the WSL title for three seasons in a row.[42] The club's most recent trophy is a sixth Women's FA Cup title, won in2024–25.
Doubles
Trebles
All results (home, away and aggregate) list Chelsea's goal tally first.
| Season | Round | Opponents | Home | Away | Aggregate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015–16 | Round of 32 | Glasgow City | 1–0 | 3–0 | 4–0 |
| Round of 16 |  VfL Wolfsburg | 1–2 | 0–2 | 1–4 | |
| 2016–17 | Round of 32 | VfL Wolfsburg | 0–3 | 1–1 | 1–4 |
| 2017–18 | Round of 32 | Bayern Munich | 1–0 | 1–2 | 2–2 (a) |
| Round of 16 |  Rosengård | 3–0 | 1–0 | 4–0 | |
| Quarter-final | Montpellier | 3–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | |
| Semi-final | VfL Wolfsburg | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–5 | |
| 2018–19 | Round of 32 |  SFK 2000 | 6–0 | 5–0 | 11–0 |
| Round of 16 |  Fiorentina | 1–0 | 6–0 | 7–0 | |
| Quarter-final | Paris Saint-Germain | 2–0 | 1–2 | 3–2 | |
| Semi-final | Lyon | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–3 | |
| 2020–21 | Round of 32 |  Benfica | 3–0 | 5–0 | 8–0 |
| Round of 16 |  Atlético Madrid | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | |
| Quarter-final | VfL Wolfsburg | 2–1 | 3–0 | 5–1 | |
| Semi-final | Bayern Munich | 4–1 | 1–2 | 5–3 | |
| Final | Barcelona | 0–4 | |||
| 2021–22 | Group stage | VfL Wolfsburg | 3–3 | 0–4 | 3rd place (Group A) |
| Juventus | 0–0 | 2–1 | |||
 Servette | 1–0 | 7–0 | |||
| 2022–23 | Group stage | Paris Saint-Germain | 3–0 | 1–0 | 1st place (Group A) |
 Vllaznia | 8–0 | 4–0 | |||
| Real Madrid | 2–0 | 1–1 | |||
| Quarter-final | Lyon | 1–2 | 1–0 | 2–2 (4–3p) | |
| Semi-final | Barcelona | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | |
| 2023–24 | Group stage | Real Madrid | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1st place (Group D) |
| Paris FC | 4–1 | 4–0 | |||
| BK Häcken | 0–0 | 3–1 | |||
| Quarter-final |  Ajax | 1–1 | 3–0 | 4–1 | |
| Semi-final | Barcelona | 0–2 | 1–0 | 1–2 | |
| 2024–25 | Group stage | Real Madrid | 3–2 | 2–1 | 1st place (Group B) |
| Twente | 6–1 | 3–1 | |||
| Celtic | 3–0 | 2–1 | |||
| Quarter-final | Manchester City | 3–0 | 0–2 | 3–2 | |
| Semi-final | Barcelona | 1–4 | 1–4 | 2–8 | |
| 2025–26 | League phase | Twente | — | 1–1 | TBD |
| Paris FC | 4–0 | — | |||
 St. Pölten | — | 6–0 | |||
| Barcelona | 1–1 | — | |||
| Roma | — | ||||
| VfL Wolfsburg | — | ||||
Colour key: Green = Chelsea win; Yellow = draw; Red = opponents win.
| Rank | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barcelona | 102.000 |
| 2 | OL Lyonnes | 89.000 |
| 3 | Chelsea | 73.000 |
| 4 | Bayern Munich | 56.000 |
| 5 | VfL Wolfsburg | 56.000 |
We started training at Cranford last month and have around 50 women and girls attending training and have played two friendlies, beating University College London 13–0 and Newham Reserves 5–1.
Chelsea Ladies turned full-time at the beginning of this season and are based alongside the men at the club's Cobham training complex.
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