Chelsea’s new stadium remains just a dream at the Blue Bridge.

By Han Bing Arsenal is nearing 20 years at the Emirates, yet Chelsea’s vision for a large stadium has remained only on blueprints for the same period. With land in central London extremely limited and Stamford Bridge hemmed in by two railways, expansion is impossible. While rivals Arsenal, Tottenham, and even West Ham boast stadiums seating over 60,000, Chelsea is still confined to the 40,000-capacity Bridge. For the foreseeable future, there is no sign of construction starting on a bigger stadium. For Chelsea’s ambitious American owners, the cramped Bridge is a critical weakness compared to other top clubs.

Since Roman Abramovich took over Chelsea in 2003, he has envied Arsenal’s new stadium project. Initially, the Russian owner sought larger land nearby to build a new stadium, considering sites like the Earl’s Court Exhibition Centre, White City, Battersea Power Station, Imperial Road gasworks, and Chelsea Barracks. However, after failing to acquire Battersea Power Station and Earl’s Court in 2012, by the end of 2015, the focus returned to expanding or rebuilding at the Stamford Bridge site.

In 2017, the Fulham Council approved the Stamford Bridge redevelopment plan, which also had strong backing from London Mayor Sadiq Khan. Chelsea’s design featured a Gothic-style stadium inspired by Westminster Abbey, along with a new club store, hotel, museum, and restaurant. However, residents opposite the east stand refused to sell their homes, causing the entire redevelopment project to be halted in May 2018.

In summer 2022, Chelsea was acquired by American investors led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, reigniting the Stamford Bridge redevelopment. In July 2023, Chelsea purchased 1.2 acres of land between Stamford Bridge and Fulham Broadway station for the project. Yet, two years later, progress remains stalled. Boehly is even reconsidering relocating the stadium to Earl’s Court, but this proposal lacks support from Chelsea’s stadium owners, as any move requires at least 76% shareholder approval.

Chelsea owner Boehly is pessimistic about starting stadium expansion soon; this summer he publicly stated it may take 15 to 20 years. Meanwhile, construction costs continue to rise. Abramovich’s 2011 plan for a new stadium at Earl’s Court was estimated at around £800 million. Now, rebuilding Stamford Bridge alone is projected to cost £1.5 billion, with relocating to Earl’s Court estimated at no less than £2 billion.

Although Chelsea’s season ticket revenue still exceeds €100 million, this is largely due to continuous price hikes and is nearing its limit. Meanwhile, Arsenal and Tottenham already generate at least €135 million in season ticket sales, both with stadium expansion plans that promise significant future revenue growth. If Chelsea cannot promptly begin expanding its stadium, it will inevitably be at a fundamental disadvantage in competing with Europe’s elite clubs moving forward.