41,631 (all seated)
Fulham Road, London, SW6 1HS
0371 811 1955*
113 x 74 Yards
Grass
The Blues
1905
Undersoil Heating:
Yes
Shirt Sponsors:
Yokohama Tyres
Kit
Manufacturer:Nike
Royal Blue With White Trim
Chelsea’s stadium Stamford Bridge is quite impressive looking, having had three new stands built since the mid-1990s.
The developers have taken advantage of the fact that the ‘old’ Stamford Bridge was oval shaped and have stretched the new stands right around the ground ‘filling in’ the corners so that the stadium is totally enclosed.
The latest addition to the Chelsea ground is the attractive West Stand, which was opened in 2001. Located on one side of the pitch, it is a superb three-tiered affair having a row of executive boxes running across its middle, the type of which you are able to sit outside. Its roof is virtually transparent, allowing more light to reach the pitch and gives it a unique look.
Opposite is the older East Stand. Opened in 1973 this towering stand is also three-tiered and has the team dugouts situated at its front.
Both ends are smaller being two-tiered. One of these is the Matthew Harding Stand, named in memory of the man who did so much to transform the club.
Opposite is the Shed End which has a Police Control Box suspended below its roof. There are two large video screens located in opposite corners of the stadium. Outside the ground, behind the West Stand is a statue of former playing legend, Peter Osgood.
Chelsea are one of only a few clubs who have played at the same stadium since they were formed. Chelsea FC came into being in 1905 in a pub in Fulham Road just across from what is now Stamford Bridge. The club have played at on the Stamford Bridge ever since. Interestingly, the pub where the club were formed still exists and is now called the Butcher’s Hook.
Stamford Bridge actually predates Chelsea football club; the Blues were founded with the intention of playing their games at Stamford Bridge and that has been the case since 1905.
What is Stamford Bridge famous for?
The original construction was a 100,000 capacity bowl stadium with every inch exposed to the elements as there was no roof at all. Come 1930, work started on the very first roof which, along was seating, was put on what would become known as the Shed End. Further development of that nature followed at the end of the thirties.
Are Chelsea knocking down Stamford Bridge?
There were plans to revamp the entire stadium some thirty to forty years later but finances ran dry meaning the entire project wasn’t completed. Question marks over the long term future of Chelsea’s tenancy at Stamford Bridge remained through to the nineties with little development taking place. The only modern day changes have been additions of things like shops, restaurants and a hotel. Any hope of growing the capacity is pinned on the new stadium.
Plans for a Chelsea stadium redevelopment were first floated with some serious weight behind them back in 2017. At this time the revamped 60,000 capacity ground was granted planning permission with a demolition and rebuild the route likely to be followed. Fast forward a few years and that planning had expired with no noteworthy work undertaken.
That brings us to the current day – September 2023 – and a new look Chelsea ground is very much near the top of the club’s priority list – along with the squad and performances on the pitch, of course.
Todd Boehly, the club owner, is the driving force of the latest talks, with a reported £1.5bn project in mind, albeit the plans are currently a tad on the loose side. Right now, the likely scenario is still a knock down and re-build from a blank canvas of sorts. What though, will the new ground look like?
What will the new Chelsea stadium look like?
Well, firstly, alongside the Chelsea stadium development, the club are looking to purchase over an acre of land that sits next door. This is likely to be used to add to the ‘experience’ for fans with additional food and drink offerings, retail outlets and fanzone type entertainment. The LA Dodgers, a well known baseball side in the States, have undergone a similar process in recent years with one of the key persons behind that project – Janet Marie Smith – involved with the Chelsea ground revamp.
As for what the stadium itself will look like, well, we just don’t know. Seemingly, nor do the club. 2030 is the big year though. Apparently.
Where are the away fans at Stamford Bridge?
Away fans are located on one side of the Shed End lower tier (towards the East Stand side), where the normal allocation for league games is 3,000 tickets.
For cup games, the whole of the Shed End can be allocated. The view from this area of the ground is pretty good and the refreshment areas are modern looking.
There are televisions on the concourses, showing amongst other things at half time, highlights from the first half.
The range of food on offer on the concourse is quite limited with just there being Pies (£4.60), Hot Dogs (£5.30) and Vegetable Wraps (£6). Alcohol is also available in the form of Singha Beer (Pint £5.30), Old Speckled Hen (500ml Bottle) £5.20, Guinness (400ml can) £5 and Red or White Wine (187ml miniature bottle) £5.50).
Is Chelsea a good away day?
On the whole, fans tend to find Stamford Bridge a pleasurable day out. There is a good atmosphere within the ground and even though there isn’t a lot of space between the home and away fan sections, it didn’t feel intimidating. The stewards are also pretty laid back.
I was seated in the Shed End and I did find a little difficult to go up and down the steps of the stand, due to the stand itself being quite steep and the steps between rows quite small. The only ‘real hassle’ I had was trying to get through the lines of stewards situated outside the stadium at the entrance to the away section. They seemed to assume that I was a Chelsea fan and kept ushering me towards the home end. Only after showing my ticket for the visiting section for the third time did I finally make it inside!
Pay By Card For Food and Drink? Yes
The pubs near the Stamford Bridge ground can be quite partisan, so I would recommend getting a drink somewhere on the journey there.
Which pub is best for away fans at Chelsea?
A number of away fans drink in the pubs around the Earl’s Court area, which is only a couple of tube stops away from Fulham Broadway station. The Courtfield Tavern, which is almost opposite the main entrance to Earls Court Tube Station, is a particular favourite with away supporters.
What is the away pub at Chelsea?
John Ellis a visiting Leicester City fan adds: “We found that away fans were allowed into the Goose pub on North End Road, which is located about a mile away from Stamford Bridge. The beer was reasonably priced by London standards and it showed Sky Sports.”
Alcohol is available inside the stadium (£4.60 a pint), however for certain fixtures, the club opt not to sell any to away supporters, so don’t bank on it!
Leave the M25 at Junction 15 and take the M4 towards London, which then becomes the A4. Carry on over the Hammersmith flyover and after a further one and half miles, take the Earls Court turning (A3220). Continue past Earls Court station and down the one way system until you reach the junction with Fulham Road (A304). At this junction, turn right at the traffic lights and after about half a mile, you will see the ground on your right.
A number of local resident schemes are in operation around the stadium, so you may well end up having to park some way from the ground itself. What parking there is available in the local area is rather pricey too. There is also the option of renting a private driveway near Stamford Bridge via YourParkingSpace.co.uk.
Post Code for SAT NAV: SW6 1HS
What is the best tube station for Stamford Bridge?
The nearest tube station is Fulham Broadway which is on the District Line. Take a tube to Earls Court and if necessary, change for a Wimbledon bound tube.
What is the best overground station for Stamford Bridge?
The nearest overground train station is West Brompton, which is served by trains from Clapham Junction (which is in turn served by trains from London Waterloo and Victoria stations). It is around a 15-minute walk to the ground from West Brompton station.
As you come out of the station turn right and proceed along Old Brompton Road. You will soon see the Brompton Cemetery immediately on your right and further along set back from the road is its impressive looking entrance. Turn right through the entrance into the cemetery (there are normally a number of other supporters doing the same) and as you walk on through the cemetery you will soon see the tops of the stands of Stamford Bridge. If it is a night game then do not go into the cemetery, but take the next right after the cemetery into Finborough Road. After a half-mile, turn right onto the Fulham Road and the stadium is located down on the right.
The best known club song associated with Chelsea is ‘Blue is the colour’
As with most clubs nowadays, the ticket pricing at Chelsea’s stadium, Stamford Bridge, is tiered depending on the ‘grade’ of game you’re watching and the area of the stadium you sit in.
A full breakdown of the current pricing can be found on the official Chelsea website.
You can also book your tickets with SeatPick.
- Official Programme £3.50
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- CFCUK Fanzine
- Blue Tinted
Chelsea vs Tottenham rivalry: We probably don’t need to tell you that Tottenham’s biggest grudge match is against Arsenal. That does not for one minute mean that Chelsea and Spurs don’t hate each other though; they do. The obvious connection is that both clubs are London based but their rivalry is more complex than that. It all began with the 1967 FA Cup Final before Tottenham, a relegation candidate themselves, played a major role in the Blues relegation in 1975. It’s been a fierce match ever since with the Battle of Stamford Bridge the best recent example of their dislike; that game saw Tottenham travel to the Chelsea stadium in a title race. Chelsea came from 2-0 down to ensure Leicester were named Champions.
Chelsea vs Arsenal rivalry: Like the Spurs rivalry, Arsenal have bigger fish to fry but trips to Chelsea’s ground aren’t just another game. Chelsea and Arsenal have long been the biggest clubs in London, which brings spice naturally but the hatred intensified in the 2000s as Jose Mourinho took the Blues back to the top of English football. The controversial transfer of Ashley Cole and Mourinho vs Arsenal Wenger have added further smoke to the fire in recent times.
Chelsea vs Liverpool rivalry: Chelsea’s ground and Liverpool’s Anfield stadium might be a four-hour drive apart but there is little love lost between the duo. It’s another rivalry that Mourinho has played a role in creating. The two were regularly meeting as big clubs but when the Portuguese elevated Chelsea to true elite status. There have been a few events that have whipped this game into one of the biggest rivalry’s in the Premier League and none are more significant than Luis Garcia’s ghost goal in 2005.
For details of disabled facilities and club contact at the ground please visit the relevant page on the Level Playing Field website.
Peter Osgood was a striker, who to this day is a legend at Stamford Bridge. He was part of the FA Cup winning side in 1970 and the Cup Winners Cup Final winning team a year later. He spent a total of 10 seasons at Chelsea, scoring 105 goals in 289 appearances. He was capped four times by England. He passed away in March 2006. The statue was unveiled in October 2010 and is located behind the West Stand.
Thanks to Joris from the Doing the 116 website for providing the photo above.
Stamford Bridge offers football fans a host of different tour options ranging from a “classic” stadium tour through to matchday tours and legend tours with the majority coming twinned with the addition of access to the Chelsea museum.
The tours vary in price and your best bet is to check out the full tour options directly:
Stadium Tours & Museum | Official Site | Chelsea Football Club (chelseafc.com)
That being said, we can give you a flavour of the prices you can expect to see. The Stamford Bridge classic tour and museum prices are set at £27 for children, £28 for concessions (students & 65+) with adults £40. Carers and children under 5 go free.
Record Attendance:
82,905 v Arsenal
Division 1, October 12th, 1935.
Modern All Seated Attendance Record:
42,328 v Newcastle United
Premier League, December 4th, 2002.
Average Attendance:
2022-23: 40,002 (Premier League)
2021-2022: 39,452 (Premier League)
2020-2021: N/A – Covid
2019-2020: 40,563 (Premier League)
2018-2019: 40,437 (Premier League)
2017-2018: 41,282 (Premier League)
If anything is incorrect or you have something to add, please e-mail me at: [email protected] and I’ll update the guide.
Special thanks to:
Owen Pavey for providing the ground layout diagram and stadium photos.
Haydn Gleed for providing the YouTube video of Stamford Bridge.
The video of the Stamford Bridge Tour and Museum was produced by Raidin and is made publicly available via YouTube.