The Board

[DDA 10,284]

Look at what they are doing with tickets!!

Doing everything they can to prevent mass in game boycotting from the fans and to destroy loyalty.

I FUCKING HATE this ownership with a passion. 
 

 

[Vesper 31,180]

Season ticket holders bailing out and the CST being ignored - do they even want a fan connection?

Hideous trail of events yesterday that just angered fans even more

https://siphillipstalkschelsea.substack.com/p/season-ticket-holders-bailing-out

At this point, it has me wondering, do Blueco even want a fan connection? Do they not understand just how important the match-going fan is? Obviously EVERY fan is important and spends money on the club. But they are physically losing season ticket holders - I’ve seen it with my own eyes. At this rate, Stamford Bridge is just going to be full of tourists and corporate buddies. No real fans will be going to games anymore, it’s literally got to that state. I actually think Blueco are expecting and planning for a boycott….

Just look at some of these replies to this post yesterday regarding the new ticketing announcements. And I didn’t even screenshot half of them, there was loads more similar replies of fans saying they wont be renewing ST’s next season. It’s absolutely hideous.

They honestly think fans are stupid…

They are doing all they can to make fans hate them even more. I’ve seen so many match-going fans completely lose interest. Even my Dad turned off the Forest game at half time the other day, and he’s been supporting Chelsea for well over 60 years.

So many fans claim that Blueco are just all about profit and don’t care about fans. Well, they’re not doing much to refute those claims here, are they? It’s disgusting.

And what’s even more disgusting is ignoring a fan group who have actually been very professional and respectful when speaking about the owners.

Imagine not taking the time to even send a response…. Ignorance and arrogance.

It’s so toxic, and Blueco have done this.

I guess they’ve been too busy pumping out PR rather than replying to the CST.

If you want to see more evidence of the anger on the ticket announcements, check out the replies to this post too.

I’ve never been more disconnected to my club and it pains me on the daily. I’ve had to check out because I cannot invest myself in it emotionally anymore. I prefer to just laugh. But deep down, it’s not fucking funny…

[Vesper 31,180]

Chelsea now face a humbling reality, there must be consequences

The people who got us into this state need to leave the club

https://siphillipstalkschelsea.substack.com/p/Chelsea-now-face-a-humbling-reality

Simon reported the other day, that Chelsea are now in a position where first and even second choice targets don’t want to join us anymore. If that is correct, it’s an embarrassing and shameful state of affairs, created by the Sporting Directors and their shocking recruitment and managerial appointments.

The proud name of Chelsea Football Club is being dragged through the mud, and for a fan for over 40 years, its painful and upsetting to see.

I hate to say this, but as a fanbase, we’ve sadly got to recognise where we are, and that to get back to the top again is going to take time and work. This means we need to lower expectations in terms of what kind of coach we can attract and what players we’ll be able to sign. It may well be we still appoint the top choice, Xabi Alonso, but even if we do, there’s a lot of work to do to get us where the club should be - challenging for the PL and CL titles every season.

Sadly, that’s the reality our Sporting Directors have created for us. How they’re still in jobs is beyond me, the damage they’ve single-handedly done to our club on so many levels is incalculable. Respectfully, they owe fans an apology and their resignations.

As I’ve said before, my first choice for Chelsea manager is Xabi Alonso, and Si’s report today gives me hope that’s still possible. If they’re willing to give him the influence he’s demanding, there’s still a good chance we can appoint him. That would be a game changer for Chelsea if it happens. But its still a big if.

If Alonso eventually rejected us - and lets hope he doesn’t - I do have hope Andoni Iraola might join us however, because Fabrizio Romano said a couple of weeks ago he’d be keen on the job. He keeps getting linked to us (the only name Fabrizio links us with). He was linked with Man Utd, but they are being reported to go for other managerial targets, with Michael Carrick odds on favourite.

The other club he’s been linked with is Crystal Palace, and although one Spanish journalist reported today that he is likely to join them, its not been reported by legitimate sources at time of writing (could change very quickly, but not currently). Arne Slot is likely staying at Liverpool, so that job probably won’t be available for him (or Xabi Alonso) either.

The negative reception by many to the idea of Andoni Iraola coming to Chelsea makes no sense to me. He’s only lost 7 PL games this season (that’s only 2 more than Arsenal), with 3 games to go. He’s on a 16 game unbeaten run, the current longest in the PL this year and 6th in the league with a tiny budget. Bournemouth are probably going to qualify for Europe for the first time in their history, having lost all their best players in the last 12 months.

Iraola’s managerial career includes two semi finals in Spain, beating Barcelona 3 times, beating Real Madrid, Arsenal (x3), Liverpool, Man City and Man Utd. He’s consistently made the best of what he has and been successful, gaining respect of the players and his peers, never questioning the higher ups or really being involved in transfers. He’s also a calming influence, doesn’t have an unhealthy ego which could cause problems, and could give some much needed stability.

Andoni Iraola plays a brand of football much more likely to please match-going fans too. Many match-going fans I know are tired of the constant sideways and backwards passing of Pep/Maresca ball. I personally don’t have a preferred playing style, I’m open to the Maresca type football or Iraola’s style. But I think fans would enjoy their football under Iraola. The liklihood of playing one game a week next season also negates one of the concerns about him having never managed two games a week, for now.

Andoni Iraola is not my or most people’s first choices for the new manager - I think almost everyone now wants Xabi Alonso, and rightly so in my view - but for where we are as a club, I think he’d be a good fit. I believe Iraola, if appointed by Chelsea, could get us back to a baseline of consistent top 4 status, maybe winning some cups, and some stability. And frankly that’s what we need right now, talk of winning the league or Champions League is far off currently, even if we appoint Xabi Alonso it will take time to get there given the state of the club right now.

In terms of player signings, that may well change depending on which manager we appoint, with the right manager, it may help us attract players. But if our first choices do reject us, we’re going to have to be smart. However, there’s some good players available if you look in the right places.

Nathan Ake, linked to us this week by Simon and apparently interested in joining us as one of our two CB signings, would be smart. He is someone with experience, Chelsea know-how, and leadership, who has won it all. He can be a solid squad and rotational player in multiple positions. Again, one game a week makes the injury concerns less of an issue for me.

The other CB position will be more of a challenge. If, for example, you rule out Jan Paul Van Heycke and Maxine Lacroix (and again, our ability to get them may change depending on the new manager), we may end up looking at Murillo from Nottingham Forest by default. We could attempt to get Antonio Silva from Benfica, who is allegedly available more cheaply.

Some of the potential relegated teams have some talented players in midfield and attack, and we’ve been linked with some of them recently by Simon.

The likes of Mateus Fernandes and Joao Gomes in midfield are both talented players. Alex Scott from Bournemouth and Noah Sadiki from Sunderland are other midfield options, though neither from a relegation threatened team.

In attack, Mateus Mane, Crysencio Summerville and Jarred Bowen in attack, from clubs in the bottom three, all are good players with PL experience. Yes, they aren’t our first choices but they are talented players, and in particular in attack, are arguably better than some of our current options.

Up front, we may have no choice but to bring back Nicolas Jackson to compete with Joao Pedro in attack. There’ve been reports Jackson is willing to come back, and frankly 10 goals from him as a backup striker is better than what we’ve had this season. I don’t see another backup striker who is worth investing in that would join us, especially when we have big transfer priorities elsewhere.

Thankfully goalkeeper Mike Penders and winger Geovany Quenda are already ours, and both will improve our squad in key positions. If a GK is still needed, then James Trafford will be available and has PL experience.

I’d also not underestimate the Valentin Barco signing, he’s a massive talent with the ability to break down low blocks, there’s a good chance he can have a positive impact too.

In terms of players leaving, my mind is if they aren’t fully committed to Chelsea after one bad season - which they are partly to blame for - then let them go.

The likes of Reece James and Moises Caicedo undoubtedly had better offers but both were fully committed to Chelsea and signed new deals, which looks an even bigger achievement in hindsight. Levi Colwill is apparently in talks over a new deal too. These are three elite footballers who we can build around. Much of our squad have shown an abysmal attitude and lack of commitment, especially in the last two months, and frankly I’d not be sad to see many of them go.

Again, this is partly on the Sporting Directors who assured us of players characters and ‘character checks’ upon signing certain players, but, yet again, have clearly failed miserably in those assessments. Players appearing to down tools with weeks to go in the season - regardless of the considerable physical and mental fatigue which they’re clearly struggling with - isn’t the attitude I want from any player at Chelsea.

There’s simply no excuse to be that unprofessional, or to just give up when you go behind in games, regardless of player unhappiness. They’re well paid professionals, there’s no excuse to down tools.

I don’t want a squad of mercenaries, I want people committed to the long haul at Chelsea, who’ll stick with us after a down season. People who will never give up and fight to the end, through the worst times. People with the right attitude and character. Right now that matters more than anything else.

Its really sad that this is the state of affairs at our club. What we’re going through right now is very humbling, and it’s not easy when you’ve been where we have been, to be in this state. Most fans, including myself, are fuming right now, and rightly so.

Make no mistake, there need to be real consequences. The people who got us here need to be out of the club. They’ve done enough damage already and should be ashamed of themselves. If they don’t go, then we’ve learned nothing. This is elite level sport, there have to be consequences for this level of poor performance.

Ultimately, we have to swallow our pride, make the best decisions we can and hope that the next coach can rebuild the club and get us back to a baseline level of being a regular Champions League team. Only then, can we think of moving back to the level we all want and should be, title challengers and Champions League contenders.

I have no idea if or when that will happen at this point though. We just have to hope that this season is the low point, and we learn the lessons and begin to get it right.

The Score

[Special Juan 28,870]

Blue Co out and some of the players to follow hopefully.

[Vytis33 1,408]

What?

 

 

[ZAPHOD2319 4,976]

He does some serious promotions, if growing your brand in the US is the goal, it is a good move. 

[OneMoSalah 9,123]

4 hours ago, Vytis33 said:

What?

 

 

How about improving the fucking team and footballing structure 🙄

Also aren’t Jay Z & Beyonce not involved in that noncy Epstein island shit? 

[Vytis33 1,408]

 

[mkh 795]

☝️❌️Guess whose name isn’t here….

Edited May 15 by mkh

[mkh 795]

🔵❌️Chelsea have removed three senior figures from their men’s first-team loans department in a move the club describes as “strategic development”.

❌ Ed Brand ( Loan Technical Coach)

❌ Marlon Fahy (Senior Loan Operations & Performance Analyst)

❌ Luis Nedlo ( Loan & Mentor Technical Coach) 

 

✅️🗯The Chelsea new Loan Operation is now run by:

1️⃣ Former goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini (Loan Player Manager)

2️⃣ Josh Marsh (Loans and Pathways Manager)

3️⃣ Ross Turnbull (Goalkeeper Loans).

 

Edited May 17 by mkh

[Vesper 31,180]

What Chelsea’s Champions League absence means for their finances and UEFA agreement

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7291252/2026/05/20/Chelsea-champions-league-qualification-finances-uefa/

Despite Chelsea’s win over Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday night, they can no longer qualify for next season’s Champions League.

The club’s hopes of Champions League qualification have been hanging by a thread for some time, and were largely bolstered by the hope that Aston Villa winning the Europa League and finishing fifth in the Premier League would see the sixth-placed team in the league qualify. However, Tuesday’s results put that out of reach for Chelsea.

Their highest possible finish is seventh, which would see them qualify for the Europa League, but that relies on at least a draw against Sunderland and Brighton & Hove Albion losing by a number of goals at home against Manchester United. A win for Chelsea and defeat for Brighton would also do it.

Chelsea, as it stands, are eighth, which would mean a place in the Conference League. However, they still need to avoid defeat against Sunderland and rely on a beneficial result when Brentford travel to Liverpool to be guaranteed that spot.

Here, The Athletic explains what missing out on Champions League football — and possibly European competition altogether — means financially in the context of Chelsea’s settlement agreement with UEFA.

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What impact does missing out on the Champions League have on Chelsea’s finances?

Champions League football carries far more financial weight than UEFA’s second- and third-tier competitions.

The Athletic estimates that Chelsea’s Champions League campaign this season, which ended in the round of 16 with defeat by Paris Saint-Germain, generated around £80million in UEFA distributions — plus income from the matches they hosted at Stamford Bridge. By comparison, winning the Europa League in 2018-19 earned £40.8m in prize money, and their Conference League triumph in 2024-25 earned £18.3m.

Chelsea have a good chance of securing European football of some kind, but should they qualify for the Europa or Conference League, they carry nowhere near the same financial heft.

Any shot at glory should be welcomed but, in cash terms, the benefits of UEFA’s junior competitions to a club carrying Chelsea’s operational costs are marginal; in the Conference League, which often involves substantial travel and where home games pale in significance to Champions League fixtures, it’s debatable whether the club even turns a profit from participation.

Chelsea’s Champions League campaign generated significant revenueMike Hewitt/Getty Images

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What is the settlement agreement and what happens if Chelsea breach it?

There is particular focus on Chelsea’s finances because of the extra conditions imposed on them by a settlement agreement with UEFA.

In July 2025, the club were fined for breaching UEFA’s football earnings rules (€20m) and squad cost rule (€11m). The squad cost rule breach was punished by a one-off fine. It is the football earnings breach that is being managed under a four-year settlement agreement, and that is a cause for concern going forward.

In simple terms, the football earnings rule is UEFA’s mechanism designed to limit club losses. Clubs are allowed €60m in ‘adjusted losses’ over a rolling three-year period. That limit can be increased by €10m per season, for a total of €30m in a three-year assessment period, as long as clubs comply with the financial conditions UEFA uses to assess whether or not they are in good health.

In simple terms, the agreement sees Chelsea:

• Limited to a maximum €60million (£52m) Football Earnings deficit in the 2025-26 season;
• Limited to zero losses in 2026-27, which can be extended by any headroom the club has in its 2025-26 Football Earnings calculation, up to a maximum of €60m; and
• Limited to a maximum of €60m in Football Earnings losses (increasable to €90m if various ‘good’ financial conditions are showcased, though English clubs generally fail to do so) in the three seasons spanning 2025-26 to 2027-28.

If Chelsea exceed any of those individual targets by less than €20m, they’ll receive a fine proportional to the excess (up to €20m). If they exceed any of those by more than €20m, UEFA will deem them in breach of the settlement agreement, terminate it and ban them from its competitions for a season.

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What does that have to do with European qualification?

Compliance with the settlement agreement looks feasible for the 2025-26 season, but next season or the one after look more difficult without Champions League football.

As explained above, the prize money for competing in the Europa or Conference League is far lower. Also, fans and sponsors will not stump up the same money as they would for a Champions League campaign.

Many of Chelsea’s players are on incentivised contracts and will see their wages fall in a campaign without Champions League football. Yet even in 2023-24, when Chelsea played no European football and did not qualify for the Champions League during that season (and so had no such bonuses to account for), the club’s wage bill was still £338m. They would have other costs that a failure to qualify will not take away, either. For example, their player amortisation bill was £212.2m in 2024-25, and that will be a higher figure in UEFA’s calculations as they limit player amortisation periods to five years.

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If Chelsea did receive a ban, when would it be enforced?

If UEFA find Chelsea in breach of their settlement agreement, the terms of the agreement say that the club would be excluded “from the next one applicable UEFA club competition for which it would otherwise qualify in the following three seasons”. In that event, the settlement agreement would be terminated and the club would effectively start afresh, with the same regulations as any other side, after serving that ban.

That applies equally whether that competition is the Champions, Europa, or Conference League. There is therefore a theory that the club could somehow engineer things to serve a ban in a season where they qualified for the Europa League or Conference League, missing out on those less prestigious and less lucrative competitions rather than a Champions League campaign, then starting over. However, that is not really the case.

To use a hypothetical example, let’s say Chelsea finish eighth this season and qualify for the Conference League. They cannot simply decide to take a ban next season. Firstly, it seems likely they can comply with the settlement agreement this season anyway. But even if they were in breach, loss limits are adjudicated upon retrospectively — so any 2025-26 breach would likely be discovered during 2026-27, while they would already be competing in the Conference League in our hypothetical scenario. The ban would be applied to the following season instead. By the same logic, if Chelsea were to breach the agreement next season, a ban would likely await in 2028-29.

A ban would apply to any European competitionDean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images

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What impact could this have on transfer business?

As well as the obvious point that being in the Champions League helps attract talent, the missing revenue from not being in the competition means Chelsea will need to take extra care to stay within the settlement agreement. That includes their transfer spending, which has been enormous in the past few seasons.

As The Athletic have reported, Chelsea are intending to sign at least two starting-calibre players this summer. Given the financial situation, it is even more important that those are the right players for the right prices.

What’s more, Chelsea’s business model involves player trading and generating profitable sales. The club’s financial statements detail the two most important factors in determining whether future extra funding is required from their BlueCo owners: “the net impact of future player transfer activity and on-pitch performance of the men’s football team”.

If one of those drops off, the other will be even more important to club finances. Chelsea need Champions League football for BlueCo’s project to add up; without it, player sales, at a level beyond that already baked into the club’s strategy, will be required.

Cerys Jones| Football Writer

Chris Weatherspoon| Football Finance Writer

[Vesper 31,180]

Chelsea season review: Sackings, disobedience and ‘huddlegate’ define a woeful 2025-26

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7307274/2026/05/27/Chelsea-season-review-maresca-rosenior/

Remember how optimistic everyone felt about Chelsea going into 2025-26?

Many in the game felt the club were making significant strides towards becoming a top team again. Yet here we are in late May, and the club’s supporters will be pleased the campaign is over, so they can start forgetting about it as soon as possible.

Well, before dragging your painful memories to the same trash can you shoved 2022-23 in, here is one last look back with The Athletic’s annual season review.

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Chelsea’s grade for 2025-26 is… E

What a disappointment it has been. There is some mitigation. It was Enzo Maresca’s decision to leave in January, and that had a huge impact on the second half of the season, but the club chose Liam Rosenior to replace him as head coach, and that backfired badly.

Calum McFarlane, who was employed last summer to be the club’s under-21s coach, has had two spells as interim first-team boss. That says it all.

Over £100million of the summer budget was spent on Liam Delap, Jamie Gittens and Alejandro Garnacho, and they all failed to make an impression.

Qualifying for the Champions League via a top-five finish was seen as the bare minimum. Their hopes basically ended with a run of six straight league defeats between March and May. Only a spectacular late Joao Pedro strike against Nottingham Forest saved them from losing all six without finding the net, for the first time in club history.

Chelsea finished bottom of the Premier League fair play table for the second time in three seasons, accumulating a ridiculous eight red cards, double the number of next-worst Tottenham (the total was 11 across all competitions).

Key players Enzo Fernandez and Marc Cucurella spoke out against the hierarchy, while a section of fans organised protests. A seventh successive domestic final defeat in the FA Cup against Manchester City, plus finishing among the also-rans in the top division, was a fitting way to end it.

What You Should Read Next

Ranking all 11 of Chelsea’s red cards this season, according to our newly invented DAFT metric

The Athletic has decided to recognise Chelsea's remarkable ill-discipline this season with an outright ranking

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Goal of the season

Stamford Bridge was at its loudest when Estevao’s individual effort against Barcelona in November hit the back of the net.

All the talk pre-match had been about the visitors’ own teenage attacking talent, Lamine Yamal. However, Estevao’s name was the one on everyone’s lips after he waltzed past a bewildered Barca defence to put Chelsea two goals up (they went on to win 3-0).

Pau Cubarsi looked like a London tourist trying to figure out which way to go to find Big Ben as Estevao danced past, and Alejandro Balde did not do much better as he came across to cover. The Brazilian still had a lot to do, but he sent a fierce shot in with his right foot off the underside of the bar.

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Game of the season

This could easily be Barcelona too, but the scenes at the end of the 2-1 home win against champions Liverpool in October take you back to when even Maresca looked like he still cared about the job.

Chelsea won that match with a starting centre-back pairing of Benoit Badiashile and Josh Acheampong and finished it with Reece James and Jorrel Hato in the middle of their back line.

Estevao’s stoppage-time winner was so well received the crowd even sang along to Stamford Bridge’s controversial ‘goal music’.

Maresca ran down the touchline, Jose Mourinho-style, to celebrate with his players, and was clearly not thinking of leaving them mid-season at this point. However, the Italian did disappear before the final whistle as he was shown a second yellow card of the game and sent off.

Enzo Maresca is sent off after joining in Chelsea’s celebrations for Estevao’s late winner against LiverpoolRobin Jones/Getty Images

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Surprise of the season

Malo Gusto scoring his first Chelsea goal, against Wolves in November.

Such was my confidence in the full-back’s ability to find the net, I had begun putting a long read together to pay homage to his lack of finishing skills, as a light-hearted way to honour his 100th appearance for the club. So you can imagine my delight when he headed in from close range in his 98th.

In the end, some of the prep for that piece did not go to waste.

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Mistake of the season

So many to choose from, but it has to be hiring Rosenior to replace Maresca. A job this big came too soon for the 41-year-old, and he lasted just 107 days. Though that was enough time to cause major damage to dressing-room dynamics and the club’s chances of qualifying for next season’s Champions League.

His tenure ended with a run of five league defeats without scoring a goal, which sadly illustrated just how much the players had stopped playing for him.

What You Should Read Next

Inside Liam Rosenior’s 107 days at Chelsea: Squad splits, a strange admission and BlueCo regrets

The shortest managerial spell of the BlueCo ownership ended amid player unrest, fan anger and a dismal run of form

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Quote of the season

“Since I joined the club, the last 48 hours have been the worst because many people didn’t support us.”

Chelsea had just beaten Everton 2-0 on December 13 to end a streak of four games without a win. Cole Palmer actually played like Cole Palmer that day, so everyone in the press room was expecting a happy Maresca to walk in the door to wax lyrical about it all. Instead, he reacted to a tame question about Gusto’s performance by dropping this bombshell and leaving journalists looking at each other open-mouthed.

Everyone knew in that instant that it was the beginning of the end for Maresca, and he left just three weeks later.

Maresca’s press-conference bombshell in December signalled the beginning of the end of his time as Chelsea head coachDarren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images

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Funniest moment of the season

Referee Paul Tierney getting stuck in the middle of Chelsea’s pre-match huddle over the centre spot at home against Newcastle in March.

The ritual had been going on for weeks and had already put Chelsea under a lot of negative scrutiny, but Tierney’s actions that day made it more of a farce.

To make matters worse, Rosenior gave everyone else another excuse to chuckle at Chelsea’s expense in his post-match press conference by saying the players were doing it to “respect the ball”.

Referee Paul Tierney finds himself trapped inside a Chelsea huddleSky Sports

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Opposition player of the season

It has to go to a Paris Saint-Germain player. The European champions inflicted Chelsea’s joint-heaviest margin of defeat in the Champions League knockout phase when they won 8-2 on aggregate in the round of 16.

There were so many outstanding performers across the two games but Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is the one who took the tie away from Chelsea. He scored the final two goals of the first leg late on in Paris to make it 5-2, then ended any hope of a dramatic comeback at Stamford Bridge by opening the scoring in the sixth minute.

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The issue that will dominate this summer is…

Transfers, both in and out.

Incoming manager Xabi Alonso wants to build a team of ‘mentality monsters’, a phrase that cannot be applied to many individuals in the current group. Separating the wheat from the chaff is the biggest task facing everybody.

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This time next year, we’ll all be saying…

“No European football this season was a blessing in disguise for Chelsea.”

Simon Johnson has spent the majority of his career as a sports reporter since 2000 covering Chelsea, firstly for Hayters, then the London Evening Standard and finally The Athletic for the past six years. This included going to every game home and away as the west London club secured the Champions League in 2012. He also reported on the England national team between 2008-19 and been a regular contributor to talkSPORT radio station for over a decade.

[Vesper 31,180]

Chelsea announce general admission ticket prices to remain the same for 2026-27 season

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7332430/2026/06/04/Chelsea-ticket-prices-2026-2027/

Chelsea have confirmed that general admission prices for season and match tickets for men’s games at Stamford Bridge will remain the same for the 2026-27 season.

Adult (non-concession) season tickets will remain at the same price range of £700-1,095. In terms of single matches, for adult members, the most expensive Category AA fixtures range from £27-£78 (seats in non-restricted view sections start at £52). General sale tickets are £5 more expensive than for members across all categories.

The cost of single-match general admission tickets increased by four per cent for the 2025-26 campaign, while there was a three per cent reduction in the season ticket holder discount across each stand versus the cost of buying tickets for each match individually.

Announcing the pricing approach for 2026-27, the club said: “We would like to thank our loyal fans for their incredible support this season.

“While our general admission seasonal and match-by-match ticket prices will not change, the club will continue to focus on improving our ticketing policies to make the system fairer and more secure for our fans.”

Chelsea Supporters Trust have since released a statement that “welcomed” the club’s policy, calling it a “significant and positive decision.” They also stated that they “appreciated” that the club had listened to their concerns.

What You Should Read Next

Chelsea tickets: What changes are the club making and why are they controversial?

Chelsea Supporters’ Trust have branded the club “tone deaf” for announcing radical changes to the ticketing system for matches.

Chelsea’s failure to qualify for European competition, finishing 10th in the Premier League, means that Stamford Bridge will host far fewer games this season than last. As well as their 19 Premier League home games they will enter the Carabao Cup in the second round, which took place in late August last season, and compete in the FA Cup from the third round (usually in January).

The pricing approach follows May’s announcement of changes to the club’s ticketing policy, which were labelled ‘tone deaf’ by the Chelsea Supporters’ Trust. These changes included the introduction of ID verification for all supporters over the age of 16 purchasing match tickets and a new balloting system, or “ticket application window”, for ticket sales to club members.

A club spokesperson told The Athletic in April: “At Chelsea FC we want to keep improving the systems fans regularly use. Our priority is to ensure the process for supporters accessing tickets is fair, flexible and most importantly increases access for real fans to real tickets.

“The ticket application window — a system used by more than half of other Premier League clubs — will help to deliver this.”

Cerys Jones Cerys is a London-based writer covering Chelsea for The Athletic, as well as other London clubs and women's football. She joined The Athletic in summer 2025.