It has been rumoured for months that Chelsea Women could relocate to a high-capacity stadium. In the last few years, the women's side has used the main stadium more often, especially since Kingsmeadow, their current home, does not meet, and cannot be modified to meet, Champions League requirements.
It was originally rumoured that they could move to the 9,000-capacity Plough Lane, the current home of AFC Wimbledon, but this proposal, reported by The Athletic, drew heavy online criticism.
But the most current possibility is to move all home WSL games to Stamford Bridge from next season.
This format is what Arsenal women have done this season, who also play other games at their other location. Chelsea could play only FA Cup games at Kingsmeadow, the former home of AFC Wimbledon, or any clashes with the men's team.
The reigning league champions could move to the 40,000-seater stadium permanently, as they wish to grow and develop to the level of Arsenal.
Their current home has a capacity of only 4,850 and is not easily connected to public transport, as it is not directly in London.
Lucy Bronze, when asked about the rumours after the 2-0 defeat to Arsenal in January at the Bridge, joked, "I know more than you do.”
Head coach Sonia Bompastor said, “It’s important for clubs like Chelsea to have a backup plan.
“The club is having some really good conversations about the future and the stadium because when you play many games in a season with your men’s team and women’s team, and you play Champions League, sometimes you can have clashes.”
In January, Bompastor said stadium plans were progressing and noted the need for backup options due to potential clashes with the men’s and European schedules.
She also praised Arsenal’s connection with their fanbase and said Chelsea wants to move in that direction.
Sonia Bompastor has recently hinted that the club is "probably close" to announcing a more permanent solution for a larger stadium, as they have officially outgrown Kingsmeadow.
This has been a gradual plan as Chelsea has increased the number of games over the last few seasons at the Bridge. In the 2023/24 season, they played a record four WSL matches. Then, from 2024/25, the club committed to playing a minimum of six matches at the stadium at the start of the season, including three WSL fixtures and the Champions League group-stage matches they had to play there.
Unlike Arsenal, Chelsea have rarely filled the 40,000-seat Bridge but are likely to get a higher attendance at the main stadium than at a smaller venue.
More than 30,000 watched January’s 2-0 defeat by Arsenal, yet attendances generally lag behind their London rivals.
Chelsea have struggled to pull in significant numbers to compete with Arsenal’s regular 40,000-plus crowds at the Emirates. A move to the club’s main stadium could help attract more fans, given its central location and its familiarity with fans of the men’s team. Plus, it has Wetherspoons nearby for pre-drinks.
The recent game against Barcelona at the Bridge had the highest attendance of the week in the competition.
Their all-time home record was against Barcelona in the second leg of the Champions League back in 2024, when they went 1-0 up thanks to a goal from Erin Cuthbert in the first leg. The attendance matched the previous record for the stadium's first official women's fixture, with 39,398 tickets sold.
Key Attendance Records at Stamford Bridge
- All-Time Home Record: 39,398 – Barcelona (UWCL), 27 April 2024
- WSL Home Record: 34,302 – Arsenal (WSL), 26 January 2025
- Previous WSL Record: 32,970 – Arsenal (WSL), 15 March 2024
- Previous Overall Record: 38,350 – Tottenham (WSL), 20 November 2022
- First WSL Match at Bridge: 24,564 – Tottenham (WSL), 8 September 2019
Their largest attendance this season was 34,302 for the big women's football derby against Arsenal, surpassing their previous club record for a home league fixture. Their only other WSL game at the Bridge will be the final game of the season against Manchester United, which they likely decided when they thought they could win the trophy.
Match Attendances:
- Chelsea vs Arsenal (WSL) – 26 Jan 2026 – 34,302
- Chelsea vs Man City (WSL) – 5 Sept 2025 – 14,182
- Chelsea vs London City (WSL) – 1 Nov 2025 – 10,441
This plan stems from a desire to compete with Arsenal's ever-growing fan base and equity. While they won the domestic treble last season, Arsenal, who won the Champions League, topped the Deloitte Football Money League.
The Blues earned more in broadcast and commercial streams, but Arsenal’s matchday income was £2.9m higher.
The move to make Emirates Stadium the primary home for Arsenal Women's WSL fixtures has yielded record-breaking attendance, significant revenue growth, and a diversified fan base.
Chelsea's women's team has seen substantial financial growth, driven by a "hybrid" model of using Stamford Bridge for high-profile matches.
Personally, I think this is overdue. To be playing in the biggest competitions and facing the biggest teams, you should play on the biggest stages, and ultimately, they will get more people at Stamford Bridge than at Kingsmeadow, not just because there are more seats, but because it is more tourist-attraction-friendly, with better facilities and better connected to public transport.
A hybrid system, like the one adopted by Arsenal,l will help them. Arsenal are the guinea pigs for this expansion. The only real issue is that Arsenal did update Meadow Park to host Champions League matches in response to men's team clashes. While Chelsea have not faced that issue yet, if they play more, there could be clashes. Kingsmeadow cannot be adapted to host Champions League matches, which is why their European games are played at Stamford Bridge. So they have to be careful. But this will only benefit the professionalism and growth of the women's game.
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