Chelsea Women
Chelsea F.C. crest
Full nameChelsea Football Club Women
Nickname(s)The Blues
Founded1992 (1992)[1]
GroundKingsmeadow, Kingston upon Thames, London
Capacity4,850
OwnerBlueCo[2]
ChairmanAdrian Jacob[3]
ManagerEmma Hayes
LeagueWomen's Super League
2022–23WSL, 1st of 12 (champions)
WebsiteClub website
Imperial Fields, Chelsea's home ground in 2011

Chelsea Football Club Women, formerly known as Chelsea Ladies Football Club, are an English women's football club based in Kingston upon Thames, London. Founded in 1992, they compete in the Women's Super League, the top flight of women's football in England, and plays their home games at the Kingsmeadow with some select games at Stamford Bridge. Since 2004, the club has been affiliated with Chelsea F.C., the men's team in the Premier League. Chelsea Women were a founding member of the Super League in 2010. From 2005 to 2010, the side competed in the Premier League National Division, the top tier of women's football in England at the time.

One of the most successful clubs in English women's football, Chelsea have won a record six Women's Super League championships, as well as the FA WSL Spring Series in 2017, and have the second-highest number of outright league championships after Arsenal.[4] They have also won five Women's FA Cup titles, two FA Women's League Cup titles, and were Women's FA Community Shield winners in 2020. They reached their first UEFA Women's Champions League final in 2021, where they finished as runners-up.

History

Establishment and promotion (1992–2005)

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 joined Crystal 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, including Casey Stoney and Fara Williams as 12-year-olds in 1994 and 1996, respectively.[7] The side's first home pitch was Hurlingham Park in Fulham.[6] Farmer managed the club from the third division of the Greater London Women's Football League to the Premier League Southern Division before resigning in 1997.[7]

In June 2004, Chelsea Ladies voted to be taken over and funded by Chelsea's Football in the Community department,[10] and in 2004–05 Chelsea won promotion to the Premier League National Division. The club has participated at the top level ever since.[8]

FA Premier League National Division (2005–2010)

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 under Shaun Gore, but won a promotion/relegation play-off against Northern Division runners-up Liverpool 4–1 on aggregate to stay in the Premier League National Division.[12] During the season the club had been linked with a transfer bid for North American star players Tiffeny Milbrett and Christine Sinclair.[13]

After an eighth-place finish in 2006–07, Gore drafted in England players Siobhan Chamberlain, Casey Stoney and Eniola Aluko that summer.[14] American World Cup winner Lorrie 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, former Arsenal Ladies reserve team coach Steve Jones. On 2 July 2008 Chelsea surprisingly signed Lianne Sanderson and Anita Asante from Arsenal Ladies,[16] in addition to veteran Mary Phillip. Then Arsenal Ladies manager Vic 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 and Everton. Mary Phillip retired a month into the new season,[17] Aluko and Asante left for the new WPS 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 as player/manager.[19]

At Stoney's recommendation, Matt Beard became manager for 2009–10. Cuts to the Ladies club's funding were offset by financial assistance from John Terry and other Chelsea F.C. players.[20] A further blow arrived when Sanderson left for the 2010 WPS season.[21]

Women's Super League (2011–present)

The club bid successfully to be one of eight founding teams in the FA Women's Super League (WSL) in March 2011.[22] On 13 April 2011, the first-ever WSL fixture was played — at Imperial Fields, Chelsea's home ground — between them and Arsenal, which they lost 1–0.[23] Beard led the club to the Women's FA Cup final for the first time in 2012, but Chelsea were eventually beaten by Birmingham City on a penalty shootout after twice taking the lead in a 2–2 draw.[24]

In July 2012, Matt Beard resigned as manager after three years in the post.[25]

Former assistant at Arsenal, Emma Hayes, was brought in as manager in 2012, who was one of the first female managers in the WSL.[3] In Hayes' first season in charge, Chelsea, who were still a part-time professional club,[3] finished third-bottom of the League.[26] The following season, they finished second from the bottom.[27] The club subsequently went full-time.[3]

The 2014 season was successful for Chelsea, as they finished second in the FA Women's Super League 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 to Manchester City. Their second-place finish meant that they qualified for the UEFA 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 the League 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]

Chelsea players celebrating their first FA Women's League Cup win in 2020.

On 1 August 2015, Chelsea won their first ever Women's FA Cup. They beat Notts County Ladies at Wembley 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 beat Sunderland 4–0 in October 2015 to secure the FA WSL title and a League and Cup double.[31] Chelsea repeated that feat in the 2017–18 season, winning another FA WSL and Women's FA Cup double; in the same season, the team also reached the semi-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 the 2019–20 WSL title on a points-per-game basis after the season had to be abruptly terminated due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[34][35]

Chelsea began the 2020–21 season by winning their first ever FA Community Shield, against Manchester City.[36] The season also saw them win their second consecutive League Cup, winning 6–0 against Bristol City.[37] Chelsea and manager Hayes won their fourth WSL title, the most by any WSL team, by two points on the final day of the 2020–21 FA WSL season with a 5–0 victory over Reading.[38] Chelsea broke the records for most wins (18) and most points (57) in a season, and became just the third team to defend the League title after Liverpool and Arsenal. Sam Kerr won the WSL Golden Boot for most goals scored by an individual (21), while Fran Kirby was joint top for assists (11) and goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger registered the most clean sheets (12), winning the Golden Glove.[34] Given their remarkable performances over the season, Suzzane Wrack of The 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 a quadruple, lost 4–0 to Barcelona[40] in their first-ever Champions League final appearance.[41] On 5 December 2021, Chelsea won the delayed 2020–21 FA Cup, beating the league leaders Arsenal 3–0 in a dominant display, with goals from Kirby and two from Kerr, helping clinch the trophy and their first domestic treble.[42]

Stadium

Chelsea Women play at Kingsmeadow in Norbiton, Kingston upon Thames, London. Chelsea F.C. bought Kingsmeadow for their youth and women's teams from AFC Wimbledon in 2016 so that Wimbledon could fund their new ground, Plough Lane.[43] Kingsmeadow has a capacity of 4,850.[44]

Between 2012 and 2017, Chelsea played their home games at Wheatsheaf Park.[45] The stadium is located in Staines-upon-Thames and has a capacity for 3,002 spectators.[46]

The team previously played at Imperial Fields during the 2011–12 season, the home ground of Tooting & Mitcham United.[47]

Attendance

The current home attendance record of a Chelsea Women's match is 38,350, set on 20 November 2022 during the 2022–23 Women's Super League season match against Tottenham Hotspur, played at Stamford Bridge.[48] Their current home attendance record at their primary ground of Kingsmeadow is 4,670, set on 28 April 2019 in a Champion's League semi-final leg against Lyon.[49]

Players

Current squad

As of 10 January 2024[50]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Sweden SWE Zećira Mušović
2 FW United States USA Mia Fishel
3 DF Netherlands NED Aniek Nouwen
4 DF England ENG Millie Bright (captain)
5 MF Wales WAL Sophie Ingle
6 MF Germany GER Sjoeke Nüsken
7 DF England ENG Jess Carter
8 MF Germany GER Melanie Leupolz
9 FW United States USA Catarina Macario
10 FW England ENG Lauren James
11 MF Norway NOR Guro Reiten
12 DF Canada CAN Ashley Lawrence
13 MF Czech Republic CZE Kateřina Svitková
14 FW England ENG Fran Kirby
15 DF France FRA Ève Périsset
16 GK Belgium BEL Nicky Evrard
17 MF Canada CAN Jessie Fleming
No. Pos. Nation Player
18 DF Norway NOR Maren Mjelde
19 MF Sweden SWE Johanna Rytting Kaneryd
20 FW Australia AUS Sam Kerr
21 DF England ENG Niamh Charles
22 MF Scotland SCO Erin Cuthbert
23 FW Japan JPN Maika Hamano
24 GK England ENG Hannah Hampton
26 DF Canada CAN Kadeisha Buchanan
28 MF Serbia SRB Jelena Čanković
29 DF England ENG Jorja Fox
30 GK Germany GER Ann-Katrin Berger
31 FW England ENG Aimee Claypole
33 FW England ENG Aggie Beever-Jones
36 MF England ENG Ashanti Akpan
38 DF England ENG Cerys Brown
39 DF Sweden SWE Nathalie Björn

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— GK England ENG Emily Orman (at Reading until June 2024)
— DF Russia RUS Alsu Abdullina (at Paris FC until June 2024)
— DF England ENG Brooke Aspin (at Bristol City until June 2024)
— DF Spain ESP Alejandra Bernabé (at Real Sociedad until June 2024)
— MF England ENG Reanna Blades (at Lewes until June 2024)
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF Netherlands NED Wieke Kaptein (at Twente until June 2024)
— MF England ENG Lexi Potter (at Crystal Palace until June 2024)
— MF England ENG Charlotte Wardlaw (at Glasgow City until June 2024)
— FW England ENG Lucy Watson (at Crystal Palace until June 2024)

Former players

For details of former players, see Category:Chelsea F.C. Women players.

Player of the Year

Year Player Position Ref.
2015 England Eniola Aluko Forward [51]
2016 England Katie Chapman Midfielder [51]
2017 England Karen Carney Midfielder [51]
2017–18 England Fran Kirby Forward [51]
2018–19 Scotland Erin Cuthbert Midfielder [51]
2019–20 England Bethany England Forward [52]
2020–21 England Fran Kirby Forward [53]
2021–22 Australia Sam Kerr Forward [54]
2022–23 Australia Sam Kerr Forward [55]

Management team

Position Staff
ManagerEngland Emma Hayes
General managerEngland Paul Green
Assistant manager United States Denise Reddy
Head of performance Belgium Bart Caubergh
Assistant coach England Stuart Searle
Coach England Gemma Davison
Movement coach England Harry McCulloch
England Ed Ryan-Moore
Performance analystRepublic of Ireland Ferdia O'Hanrahan
Match analyst England Jamie Cook
Opposition analyst England Cameron Meighan
Lead scoutEngland TJ O'Leary

Source: Chelsea F.C.

Honours

Chelsea players celebrating winning the 2014–15 FA Women's Cup.

Chelsea's first major trophy was the Women's FA Cup, won in 2015. In the same year, the club also won its first league title. After winning the 2021–22 FA Women's Super League (FA WSL) season, Chelsea became the first team to win the WSL title for three seasons in a row.[56] Their most recent success came in May 2023, when they won their sixth Women's Super League title.

Domestic competitions

League titles

Cups

  • Surrey County Cup[59]
    • Winners (9): 2002–03, 2003–04, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2011–12, 2012–13
    • Runners-up (2): 2004–05, 2010–11

Notes

  1. ↑ The 2017 Spring Series was a shortened competition played in a single round-robin format,[57] and is not considered an official WSL title by the FA.[58]

International competitions

Runners-up (1): 2020–21
Runners-up (1): 2013

Other

Doubles

Trebles

Season-by-season records

Record in UEFA Women's Champions League

All results (home, away and aggregate) list Chelsea's goal tally first.

SeasonRoundOpponentsHomeAwayAggregate
2015–16 Round of 32 Scotland Glasgow City 1–0 3–0 4–0
Round of 16 Germany VfL Wolfsburg 1–2 0–2 1–4
2016–17 Round of 32 Germany VfL Wolfsburg 0–3 1–1 1–4
2017–18 Round of 32 Germany Bayern Munich 1–0 1–2 2–2 (a)
Round of 16 Sweden Rosengård 3–0 1–0 4–0
Quarter-final France Montpellier 3–1 2–0 5–1
Semi-final Germany VfL Wolfsburg 1–3 0–2 1–5
2018–19 Round of 32 Bosnia and Herzegovina SFK 2000 6–0 5–0 11–0
Round of 16 Italy Fiorentina 1–0 6–0 7–0
Quarter-final France Paris Saint-Germain 2–0 1–2 3–2
Semi-final France Lyon 1–1 1–2 2–3
2020–21 Round of 32 Portugal Benfica 3–0 5–0 8–0
Round of 16 Spain Atlético Madrid 2–0 1–1 3–1
Quarter-final Germany VfL Wolfsburg 2–1 3–0 5–1
Semi-final Germany Bayern Munich 4–1 1–2 5–3
Final Spain Barcelona 0–4
2021–22 Group stage Germany VfL Wolfsburg 3–3 0–4 3rd place
(Group A)
Italy Juventus 0–0 2–1
Switzerland Servette 1–0 7–0
2022–23 Group stage France Paris Saint-Germain 3–0 1–0 1st place
(Group A)
Albania Vllaznia 8–0 4–0
Spain Real Madrid 2–0 1–1
Quarter-final France Lyon 1–2 1–0 2–2 (4–3 p)
Semi-final Spain Barcelona 0–1 1–1 1–2
2023–24 Group stage Spain Real Madrid 2–2
France Paris FC 4–1
Sweden BK Häcken 0–0 3–1

Colour key: Green = Chelsea win; Yellow = draw; Red = opponents win.

UEFA club coefficient ranking

RankTeamPoints
1Spain Barcelona124.099
2France Lyon118.166
3Germany VfL Wolfsburg104.333
4France Paris Saint-Germain97.166
5Germany Bayern Munich96.333
6England Chelsea81.366
As of 15 May 2023[60]

References

  1. ↑ "Chelsea FC Women [Women]". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  2. ↑ "Group Tax Strategy". Chelsea F.C. Archived from the original on 5 April 2023. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Kinsella, Nizaar (16 May 2021). "Abramovich took Chelsea Women from playing before '100 people and a dog' to a Champions League final". goal.com. Archived from the original on 16 May 2021.
  4. ↑ "England – List of Women Champions". RSSSF. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  5. ↑ "Club history". Chelsea L.F.C. Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  6. 1 2 Page, Sarah (14 February 1992). "Ladies Love the Blues". The Informer. p. 88.
  7. 1 2 3 Twomey, Liam (11 May 2020). "Making Chelsea Women: spotting superstars, stellar signings and ruthless Hayes". The Athletic. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
  8. 1 2 3 "The History of Chelsea Women – part two: From a 90s rebirth to the Women's Super League" (Press release). Chelsea F.C. 27 August 2019. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
  9. ↑ Farmer, Tony (4 April 1992). "Cheer the Chelsea Ladies". Chelsea Official Matchday Magazine. p. 61. 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.
  10. ↑ "Chelsea FC Take Over Ladies". Fair Game. Archived from the original on 30 June 2012. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  11. ↑ "Chelsea Sack Manager". Fair Game. Archived from the original on 30 June 2012. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  12. ↑ "Sunderland & Chelsea Survive Play-Offs". Fair Game. Archived from the original on 8 February 2008. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  13. ↑ Cocozza, Paula (13 February 2006). "Tiffeny breaks Chelsea fast". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
  14. ↑ "Chelsea Ladies Start Season". Chelsea F.C. Archived from the original on 3 December 2007. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  15. ↑ "Lorrie Fair Joins Chelsea". Fair Game. Archived from the original on 30 June 2012. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  16. 1 2 "Chelsea Ladies sign Arsenal pair". BBC. 3 July 2008. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  17. ↑ "Mary Phillip Retires". Fair Game. Archived from the original on 30 June 2012. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  18. ↑ "Chelsea F.C. likes the Carolina way". The Chapel Hill News. Archived from the original on 16 June 2011. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  19. ↑ "FA Women's Cup Quarter-Finals". Fair Game. 22 February 2009. Archived from the original on 30 June 2012. Retrieved 9 December 2009.
  20. ↑ Leighton, Tony (18 October 2009). "John Terry digs deep to rescue Chelsea Ladies after funding cuts". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  21. ↑ Leighton, Tony (24 January 2010). "Lianne Sanderson cites Super League delay as reason for US move". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 8 March 2010.
  22. ↑ "Lincoln Ladies FA Women's Super League bid success". BBC. 22 March 2010. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
  23. ↑ "Whole new ball game: How Chelsea Women kicked off WSL era 10 years ago today". Chelsea F.C. 13 April 2021. Archived from the original on 16 May 2021.
  24. ↑ Nisbet, John (27 May 2012). "Shoot-out has unhappy ending for Chelsea Ladies". The Independent. Retrieved 27 May 2012.
  25. ↑ "Matt Beard leaves Chelsea". She Kicks. 6 July 2012. Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 7 July 2012.
  26. ↑ "2012 Table – Women's Super League". soccerway.com. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  27. ↑ "2013 Table – Women's Super League". soccerway.com. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  28. ↑ "2014 Table – Women's Super League". soccerway.com. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  29. ↑ "Chapman targets Wembley double". Sporting Life. 28 July 2015. Archived from the original on 15 January 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2015. Chelsea Ladies turned full-time at the beginning of this season and are based alongside the men at the club's Cobham training complex.
  30. ↑ "Chelsea lift FA Cup in front of record crowd". She Kicks. 2 August 2015. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
  31. ↑ Garry, Tom (4 October 2015). "WSL 1: Chelsea Ladies 4–0 Sunderland Ladies". BBC Sport. Retrieved 8 October 2015.
  32. ↑ Hunt, Josh (15 May 2018). "Bristol City Women 0–2 Chelsea Ladies". BBC Sport. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
  33. ↑ "Chelsea: Women's Super League champions renamed Chelsea FC Women". BBC Sport. 23 May 2018. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  34. 1 2 Marsh, Charlotte (9 May 2021). "Chelsea Women win 2020/21 Women's Super League title with Man City Women second, Bristol City Women relegated". Sky Sports. Archived from the original on 10 May 2021.
  35. ↑ "Aluko: 'Relentless' Chelsea the best team in the world". Sky Sports. 10 May 2021. Archived from the original on 10 May 2021.
  36. ↑ "Chelsea 2–0 Man City in Women's Community Shield: Millie Bright stunner helps Blues win". BBC Sport. 29 August 2020. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  37. ↑ "Bristol City Women 0–6 Chelsea Women: Fran Kirby inspires Blues to League Cup triumph". BBC Sport. 14 March 2021. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  38. ↑ "Chelsea vs. Reading – Football Match Report – May 9, 2021". ESPN. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  39. ↑ Wrack, Suzzane (10 May 2021). "How Emma Hayes turned Chelsea from also-rans to all-conquerors". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 10 May 2021.
  40. ↑ Wrack, Suzzane (16 May 2021). "Barcelona stun Chelsea with early blitz to win Women's Champions League". The Guardian. Gothenburg. Archived from the original on 16 May 2021.
  41. ↑ "Barcelona beats Chelsea 4–0 to win Women's Champions League final for first time". Gothenburg. Associated Press. 17 May 2021. Archived from the original on 24 May 2021 – via The Hindu.
  42. ↑ "Chelsea secure treble with FA Cup victory". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  43. ↑ "Chelsea exchange contracts to buy AFC Wimbledon's Kingsmeadow ground". BBC Sport. 7 June 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  44. ↑ "Kingsmeadow Stadium, Kingston (England)". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  45. ↑ "Chelsea Ladies to play at Kingsmeadow". BBC Sport. 25 May 2017. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
  46. ↑ "Wheatsheaf Park". Soccerway. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  47. ↑ Lomas, Mark (14 April 2011). "A new day for women's football". ESPN. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  48. ↑ "Chelsea ease past Tottenham as Emma Hayes returns to Blues dugout". The Independent. 20 November 2022. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
  49. ↑ "The History of Chelsea Women". Chelsea F.C. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
  50. ↑ "Chelsea Women". Chelsea F.C. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  51. 1 2 3 4 5 "Chelsea Women's awards go to Erin Cuthbert and Sophie Ingle". Chelsea F.C. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  52. ↑ "Chelsea Women's Player of the Year – awarded to Bethany England". Chelsea F.C. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  53. ↑ "Kirby named Chelsea Women's Player of the Year". Chelsea F.C. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  54. ↑ "Sam Kerr named Chelsea Women's Player of the Season". Chelsea F.C. 22 May 2022. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  55. ↑ "Kerr voted Chelsea Women's Player of the Season again". Chelsea F.C. 27 May 2023. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  56. ↑ "Women's Super League: Chelsea win historic third title in a row". BBC. 9 May 2022. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  57. ↑ "FA WSL Throwback: Chelsea blossom in 2017 Spring Series". The Football Association. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  58. ↑ "Barclays WSL club guide for 2022–23 season". womenscompetitions.thefa.com. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  59. ↑ "Womens Cup Previous Winners". surreyfa.com. Archived from the original on 16 July 2015. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  60. ↑ "Women's club coefficients – UEFA Coefficients". UEFA. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
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