London City Lionesses’ Chelsea Clash Moved to Millwall’s The Den, Reigniting Historic Tensions

Published on 20 March 2026 at 14:11

London City Lionesses host Chelsea, but due to Bromley playing on the Saturday and this game then being moved due to Champions League football, the women's team are unable to use the stadium. This means they have to use the Den, the home of Millwall FC, which was secured as their backup stadium at the start of the season, as the WSL requires a secondary stadium.

However, this has caused significant controversy and reignited longstanding tensions within women's football. London City Lionesses was originally formed as Millwall Lionesses before breaking away in 2019 to pursue greater independence and financial stability.

But without a men's team to fall back on financially, the club came close to collapsing until December 2023, when Michele Kang bought the club. But Fans of the Millwall Lionesses are disappointed that the club has allowed them access to the stadium, especially given the historic split between the two clubs.

Millwall Supporters’ Club released a strong statement on social media, accusing London City of “stealing” Millwall Lionesses’ place in the women’s game and rejecting the staging of the fixture at The Den, stating: “Some things are more important and worth more than money.”

While the game will go ahead at The Den, the club has apologised following consultation with Millwall Lionesses, the Millwall supporters' club, and the fan advisory board.

There will be no plans for further collaboration with London City beyond the back-up stadium agreement, as the club acknowledges that more thorough consultation should have taken place earlier. They do fully understand the history and appreciate that the decision caused significant upset among supporters.

They also confirmed that all revenue generated by the club from this fixture will be reinvested directly into Millwall Lionesses, that Millwall FC will retain no financial benefits, and that the women's side remains central to future decisions involving the stadium.

After discussions with relevant people, including the Millwall Lionesses manager and captain, they have been described as constructive and vital in shaping the vision for the women's team. Including one Millwall Lionesses home fixture at The Den every season as they reaffirm their commitment to supporting the women's team.