We Are Chelsea

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The club traces its origins to an unofficial team formed in the early 1970s under John Martin, which won the London Women's Football Challenge Cup in 1974 and repeated the feat the following season. The official Chelsea Ladies Football Club was established in 1992 after Tony Farmer, a longtime supporter whose girlfriend Val Lightfoot joined Crystal Palace, wrote to the men's club to propose a women's side. Farmer became the first manager, recruiting youth players like Casey Stoney (12 years old in 1994) and Fara Williams (12 years old in 1996). The team played their first home games at Hurlingham Park before moving up through regional leagues. In June 2004, the club was taken over by Chelsea's Football in the Community department, leading to promotion to the Premier League National Division in 2005-06. After a rocky start finishing bottom in 2005-06 and surviving a play-off against Liverpool, the club hired Emma Hayes in 2012. Under her leadership, the team transitioned from part-time to full professionals in 2015, winning their first FA Cup that year and securing their first WSL title in October 2015 with a 4-0 victory over Sunderland.

In Their Own Story

The journey to dominance began in earnest after Emma Hayes took charge in 2012. Following two modest finishes near the bottom of the table, the 2014 season saw Chelsea finish second on goal difference, securing their first UEFA Women's Champions League qualification. The breakthrough came in 2015 when they won the FA Cup against Notts County Ladies with a Ji So-yun strike and Eniola Aluko named player of the match, followed by a league title secured by beating Sunderland 4-0. The club rebranded as Chelsea Football Club Women on May 23, 2018. A historic season in 2020-21 saw them win their fourth WSL title with a record 57 points and 18 wins, breaking records for most goals (Sam Kerr, 21) and assists (Fran Kirby, 11). They reached their first Champions League final on May 16, 2021, losing 4-0 to Barcelona. However, they completed a domestic treble later that year by winning the delayed FA Cup against Arsenal 3-0. Under new manager Sonia Bompastor, who joined in 2024 from Lyon, Chelsea secured a sixth consecutive WSL title in the 2024-25 season with a record-breaking 60 points while remaining unbeaten in all domestic competitions.

Reader's Guide

Chelsea Women play their home games at Stamford Bridge in Fulham, London. The club played its first match there in 2016 against VfL Wolfsburg in the Champions League. Usage of the stadium has increased significantly since the early 2020s; in the 2023-24 season, they hosted a record four WSL matches at the venue, followed by three in 2024-25. Ahead of the 2026-27 season, all WSL home matches will move permanently to Stamford Bridge, while domestic cup and Champions League league phase matches will shift to Plough Lane. Previously, the team played at Kingsmeadow in Norbiton, Kingston upon Thames. The club's affiliation with Chelsea F.C. since 2004 has been central to its growth, supported financially by figures like John Terry during leaner years. Fans can trace the evolution from the unofficial 1970s side through the formal establishment in 1992 and the professional era that began under Matt Beard and flourished under Emma Hayes.

Did You Know?

• Chelsea Women were a founding member of the FA Women's Super League in March 2011.
• The club won a record eight Women's Super League championships as of the 2024-25 season.
• Sam Kerr scored 21 goals to win the WSL Golden Boot in the 2020-21 season, while Fran Kirby provided 11 assists.
• In May 2025, Alexis Ohanian acquired a 10% minority stake in Chelsea Women for approximately £20 million.
• Sonia Bompastor led Chelsea to a domestic treble in her first season (2024-25) while the team remained unbeaten in all three domestic competitions.