Chelsea is moving into a new chapter: not only are they playing all their WSL matches at Stamford Bridge, but they are also saying goodbye to Kingsmeadow. They have announced their second stadium option, a requirement in the WSL, will be at AFC Wimbledon’s Cherry Red Records stadium.
The games they will play there include cup matches and Champions League playoff matches. If they make it through the European playoffs, they will have to play their Champions League games at Stamford Bridge due to UEFA requirements.
The reason for this option is that, due to fixture schedules for both men's and women's teams, there could be clashes; therefore, to comply, two stadiums must be available to play.
They have played their last game at Kingsmeadow; fans will be sad that they did not get a proper goodbye to their home stadium, where so many trophies were lifted over the years. There were rumours that it would be used for FA Cup fixtures, but given its capacity of only 4,000, the club wanted to push the game and attendance with the new stadium's capacity of 9,000. Kingsmeadow became their home from the 2017/18 season and will be part of a wider venue restructuring ahead of the new campaign.
As the club only finished third in the WSL, they will not automatically enter the Champions League group stage and will instead begin at the third qualifying round. As with Arsenal, they will play if they make it to the group stage; they will play them at Wimbledon, but should they reach the knockout stages, they will be moved to Stamford Bridge. The club is very much following the model Arsenal perfected last season to ensure they can host large capacities while remaining financially and economically sensible, balancing smaller and larger venues to ensure the sustainability of the teams.
The arrangement is designed to manage scheduling conflicts and meet UEFA and FA stadium regulations.
The stadium has a capacity of around 9,000. It is described as a modern, accessible venue meeting all competition requirements, something Kingsmeadow could not provide, which is why all their Champions League fixtures had to be held at Stamford Bridge, even with low attendances likely becoming a burden on the club. The two clubs previously shared Kingsmeadow.
Nadia Shahrestani, Chelsea Women’s business operations director, said:
“We are delighted that from next season we will be playing league phase cup fixtures at the fantastic Cherry Red Records Stadium.”
She added: “While Stamford Bridge is our home, we want to ensure that our alternative venue is inclusive, convenient, and fully compliant with all competition regulations.”
The club also thanked AFC Wimbledon for their support and said they look forward to building new memories at the stadium with fans.
James Woodroof, AFC Wimbledon managing director, said: “We would like to thank Chelsea Women FC for selecting our home as a stage for their cup matches.”
He added that the agreement is significant for AFC Wimbledon as it increases stadium usage and financial sustainability.
He also confirmed proceeds will help support AFC Wimbledon Women’s team development and match opportunities. This is a smart move and something likely they learned from Millwall who controversially let London City Lionesses have their stadium as a back up but given the history that they used to be the Millwall lionesses and broke away for financial independence fans saw it as undermining the current women's Millwall team so they had to u-turn their decision for future fixtures and give all earning from that game to be invested in the women's team.
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