Chelsea F.C. facts for kids
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| Full name | Chelsea Football Club | |||
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| Nickname(s) | The Blues | |||
| Founded | 10 March 1905 | |||
| Ground | Stamford Bridge | |||
| Capacity | 40,044 | |||
| Owner | BlueCo | |||
| Chairman | Todd Boehly | |||
| Head coach | Calum McFarlane (interim) | |||
| League | Premier League | |||
| 2018–19 | Premier League, 3rd of 20 | |||
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Chelsea Football Club is a famous English football team from Fulham, West London. They play in the Premier League, which is the top football league in England. Chelsea is known as one of the most successful clubs in English football history.
The club has won many important trophies. In England, they have won six top league titles, eight FA Cups, five League Cups, and other cups. On the international stage, Chelsea has won the UEFA Champions League twice, the UEFA Europa League twice, and the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup twice. They also won the UEFA Super Cup twice and the FIFA Club World Cup twice. After winning the UEFA Conference League in 2025, Chelsea became the first club to win all four main UEFA competitions!
Chelsea was founded in 1905 and plays its home games at Stamford Bridge. They won their first big trophy, the First Division championship, in 1955. Their first Premier League title came in the 2004–05 season. Chelsea has exciting rivalries with other London teams like Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, and also with Leeds United.
Contents
Chelsea Football Club: A Journey Through History
How Chelsea Started: The Early Years (1905–1952)
In 1904, a businessman named Gus Mears bought the Stamford Bridge athletics stadium. He wanted to turn it into a football ground. When a nearby club, Fulham F.C., didn't want to use it, Mears decided to start his own team.
Since there was already a team called Fulham, he chose the name of the nearby area, Chelsea. The club was officially founded on March 10, 1905, at a pub called The Rising Sun. Soon after, they joined the Football League.
Chelsea quickly moved up to the First Division in their second season. They often moved between the First and Second Divisions in those early years. The team reached the 1915 FA Cup final in 1915 but lost. By 1920, they finished third in the First Division, which was their best league result back then. Chelsea was known for signing star players and always had many fans watching their games.
Modernizing the Club and First Big Win (1952–1983)
In 1952, Ted Drake, a former player, became the manager. He made many changes to modernize the club. He updated the club's badge, improved the youth training, and brought in talented players. These changes led Chelsea to win their first major trophy, the League championship, in the 1954–55 season.
After this success, the club didn't win much for a while. In 1961, Tommy Docherty took over as manager. He built a new team with young, talented players. Chelsea came close to winning more trophies in the 1960s, winning the League Cup in 1965.
Under the next manager, Dave Sexton, Chelsea won the FA Cup in 1970. They beat Leeds United in an exciting final. The very next year, Chelsea won their first European trophy, the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, by defeating Real Madrid.
Challenges and Comebacks (1983–2003)
The late 1970s and 1980s were tough for Chelsea. Plans to rebuild Stamford Bridge caused money problems. Star players were sold, and the team was relegated to a lower league. In 1982, Ken Bates bought Chelsea for a very small amount of money. He worked hard to save the club.
Manager John Neal put together a strong new team. Chelsea won the Second Division title in 1983–84 and returned to the top league. They were relegated again in 1988 but quickly bounced back, winning the Second Division championship in 1988–89.
In the mid-1990s, a fan and businessman named Matthew Harding helped the club financially. He loaned money to build a new stand and buy new players. In 1996, Ruud Gullit became player-manager. He brought in many international players and led Chelsea to win the FA Cup in 1997, their first major trophy in 26 years.
Gianluca Vialli took over from Gullit. Under him, Chelsea won the League Cup, the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, and the UEFA Super Cup in 1998. They also won the FA Cup in 2000. They even made their first appearance in the UEFA Champions League.
The Abramovich Era: Big Successes (2003–2022)
In June 2003, businessman Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea Football Club. He took on the club's debts and invested a lot of money in new players. This marked the start of a very successful period for Chelsea.
Under manager José Mourinho, Chelsea won back-to-back league championships in 2004–05 and 2005–06. They also won an FA Cup and two League Cups. In 2012, Roberto Di Matteo led Chelsea to win their first ever UEFA Champions League title, beating Bayern Munich in a penalty shootout. This was a historic moment for the club.
The next year, Chelsea won the UEFA Europa League. This made them one of only a few clubs to have won all three main UEFA trophies. Mourinho returned in 2013 and led Chelsea to another League Cup and Premier League title in 2015.
In 2017, under coach Antonio Conte, Chelsea won their sixth English league title. The club continued to win trophies, including another FA Cup in 2018 and the UEFA Europa League again in 2019 under Maurizio Sarri.
In 2021, with Thomas Tuchel as manager, Chelsea won their second UEFA Champions League title. They also won the UEFA Super Cup and their first ever FIFA Club World Cup in 2021. During this time, Chelsea also helped the National Health Service during the COVID-19 pandemic by lending their hotel.
Due to challenging circumstances, Roman Abramovich decided to sell the club in 2022.
New Owners, New Era (2022–Present)
In May 2022, a new ownership group, led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, took over Chelsea. This group became known as BlueCo. This change marked a new chapter for the club.
The club brought in Graham Potter as manager in September 2022. The 2022–23 season was a difficult one, and Potter was later replaced by Frank Lampard as caretaker manager. Chelsea finished in the bottom half of the league table that season.
Mauricio Pochettino became manager in 2023. He led Chelsea to a 6th-place finish in the league and reached the 2024 EFL Cup final. After the season, Pochettino left the club.
On June 3, 2024, Enzo Maresca was announced as the new manager. He led Chelsea to win the UEFA Conference League in 2025, making them the first team to win all four main European trophies. He also guided Chelsea to victory in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, the first time this expanded competition was held. Maresca left the club in January 2026.
Liam Rosenior was appointed head coach in January 2026 but was replaced by Calum McFarlane as interim Head Coach in April 2026.
League History: Where Chelsea Played
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Our Home: Stamford Bridge Stadium
Chelsea has always played at one home ground: Stamford Bridge. The stadium opened in 1877 and was first used for athletics. In 1904, the Mears brothers bought the ground to host football matches.
Stamford Bridge was designed by a famous architect, Archibald Leitch. It was one of the biggest stadiums in England when it first opened, holding about 100,000 people. Over the years, parts of the stadium were updated. The "Shed End" became famous as the home of Chelsea's most passionate fans.
The Story of Stamford Bridge
In the 1970s, there were plans to make Stamford Bridge a modern, all-seater stadium. However, the project ran into problems and almost caused the club to go bankrupt. For a while, Chelsea was even at risk of losing their home ground.
It wasn't until the mid-1990s that Chelsea's future at Stamford Bridge was secure. Renovation work started again, and the stadium was updated with new stands. In 1996, the North Stand was renamed the Matthew Harding stand, honoring a club director who had helped the club.
When the stadium was redeveloped, many extra features were added, like hotels, restaurants, and the Chelsea Megastore. These were meant to help the club earn more money.
Today, the land, pitch, and Chelsea's naming rights are owned by Chelsea Pitch Owners. This is a special group where fans are shareholders. It ensures the stadium can never be sold to developers again. If the club ever moves to a new stadium, they might have to change their name!
Chelsea's training ground is in Cobham, Surrey. The team moved there in 2004, and the new facilities were completed in 2007.
Stamford Bridge has hosted many important matches, including FA Cup finals and international games. It has also been used for other sports like rugby, baseball, and cricket.
The club's owners have considered building a larger stadium to compete with other big clubs. However, due to its location, expanding Stamford Bridge is difficult. In 2017, plans to redevelop it into a 60,000-seater stadium were approved, but the project was later put on hold. In 2022, new owner Todd Boehly appointed an architect to oversee stadium renovations.
Our Club Identity
Our Club Badge
Chelsea has had four main badges over the years. The first badge, from 1905, showed a Chelsea Pensioner, who are army veterans from a nearby hospital. This gave the club its first nickname, "the Pensioners."
In 1953, the badge changed to a blue lion looking backward and holding a staff. This design was inspired by the local coat of arms. It also featured three red roses for England and two footballs. This was the first badge to appear on the players' shirts.
In 1986, the badge changed again to a more modern-looking white lion over the letters C.F.C. This badge was used for 19 years. In 2005, for the club's 100th anniversary, Chelsea brought back a design similar to the popular 1950s badge, featuring the blue heraldic lion with a staff.
Our Famous Blue Kits
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| Chelsea's first home colours (1905 – c. 1912) |
Chelsea has always worn blue shirts. At first, they wore a lighter "Eton blue" with white shorts and dark socks. Around 1912, the shirts changed to a royal blue.
In the 1960s, manager Tommy Docherty changed the kit to blue shorts and white socks. He thought this made the club's colors more modern and unique. This combination has mostly stayed the same ever since.
Chelsea's away kits are usually yellow or white with blue details. Sometimes, they have had more unusual designs, like blue and black stripes or red, white, and green kits.
Songs and Chants We Sing
"Blue is the Colour" is a very famous song released by Chelsea in 1972. All the first-team players sang on it, and it became a big hit!
Chelsea fans love to sing many chants at matches. Some popular ones include "Carefree", "Ten Men Went to Mow", "We All Follow the Chelsea", and "Zigga Zagga". Another fun chant is "Celery," which sometimes involved fans throwing celery, though this is now not allowed at Stamford Bridge. Fans also sing "Super Chelsea" and "Super Frank" for legendary player Frank Lampard.
Our Amazing Fans
Chelsea is one of the most popular football clubs in the world. They have the sixth-highest average attendance in English football history. Over 40,000 fans regularly come to watch games at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea fans come from all over London and beyond. There are many official fan clubs around the world. Chelsea is also very popular on social media, with millions of followers.
In the past, there were some issues with crowd behavior at matches. However, since the 1990s, things have greatly improved due to better security and all-seater stadiums. In 2007, the club even started a campaign called "Back to the Shed" to make the atmosphere at home games even better.
Our Biggest Rivalries
Chelsea has long-standing rivalries with other London clubs like Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur. There's also a strong rivalry with Leeds United from exciting matches in the 1960s and 70s. More recently, a rivalry with Liverpool has grown from many cup clashes.
Club Records and Achievements
Ron Harris holds the record for playing the most games for Chelsea, with 795 matches between 1961 and 1980. Other legends like Peter Bonetti, John Terry, Frank Lampard, John Hollins, and César Azpilicueta have also played over 500 games.
Frank Lampard is Chelsea's all-time top goalscorer, with 211 goals. He broke Bobby Tambling's record in 2013. Many other players have scored over 100 goals for the club, including Didier Drogba and Eden Hazard.
Breaking Records
Chelsea's biggest win in a competitive match was 13–0 against Jeunesse Hautcharage in 1971. Their biggest top-flight league win was 8–0 against Wigan Athletic in 2010 and Aston Villa in 2012.
From 2004 to 2008, Chelsea went an amazing 86 league matches at home without losing, which is an English record! They also hold the English record for the fewest goals conceded in a league season (15) and the most clean sheets (25) in the 2004–05 season.
Chelsea's Many Firsts
Chelsea has achieved many "firsts" in football history:
- In 1928, Chelsea and Arsenal were the first clubs to play with shirt numbers.
- In 1957, they were the first English team to travel by airplane for a domestic away match.
- In 1974, they were the first First Division team to play a match on a Sunday.
- In 1999, Chelsea was the first British team to start a Premier League match with an entirely foreign line-up.
- In 2007, Chelsea was the first team to win the FA Cup at the new Wembley Stadium, having been the last to win it at the old Wembley.
- Chelsea is the only London club to have won the UEFA Champions League.
- After winning the UEFA Europa League in 2013, Chelsea became the first English club to win all three major UEFA club trophies of that time.
- In 2025, Chelsea became the first club to win all four main UEFA club competitions.
- Chelsea has also broken the British transfer fee record three times for signing players like Andriy Shevchenko, Fernando Torres, and Enzo Fernández. The £71 million paid for Kepa Arrizabalaga in 2018 remains a world record for a goalkeeper.
Who Owns and Runs the Club
From Mears to Abramovich
Chelsea Football Club was founded by Gus Mears in 1905. His family owned the club until 1982, when Ken Bates bought it for just £1. Bates worked to improve the club and even listed it on the stock exchange. In the 1990s, businessman Matthew Harding also became a director and helped the club with significant loans.
In July 2003, Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea. He invested a lot of money into the club, helping them to become very successful. He converted the loans he gave the club into ownership shares, making the club debt-free from external sources.
The Boehly Era Begins
In February 2022, due to challenging circumstances, Roman Abramovich decided to sell Chelsea. He made sure the club's future was secure and pledged to donate the money from the sale to help others.
In May 2022, a new group of owners, led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, bought the club. This group is now known as BlueCo. They also own other sports teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team. This new ownership began an exciting new chapter for Chelsea.
Chelsea is considered a global brand and one of the most valuable football clubs in the world.
Our Partners and Sponsors
Kit Makers and Shirt Sponsors
Chelsea's kit has been made by Nike since 2017, in a big deal worth £900 million over 15 years. Before that, Adidas and Umbro made their kits.
The club has had many shirt sponsors over the years. The first was Gulf Air in 1983. Other sponsors have included Commodore International, Coors, Autoglass, Emirates, Samsung, Yokohama Tyres, and Three. For the 2023–24 season, Infinite Athlete was the main shirt sponsor. In April 2025, DAMAC Properties became the shirt sponsor for the rest of the 2024–25 season. Chelsea started the 2025–26 season without a primary shirt sponsor.
Chelsea also has sleeve sponsors and many other official partners, including Cadbury, EA Sports, and Hilton Worldwide.
Kit Suppliers and Shirt Sponsors
| Period | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor (chest) | Shirt sponsor (sleeve) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975–1981 | Umbro | – | – |
| 1981–1983 | Le Coq Sportif | ||
| 1983–1984 | Gulf Air | ||
| 1984–1986 | – | ||
| 1986–1987 | The Chelsea Collection | Bai Lin Tea | |
| 1987 | Simod | ||
| 1987–1993 | Umbro | Commodore | |
| 1993–1994 | Amiga | ||
| 1994–1997 | Coors | ||
| 1997–2001 | Autoglass | ||
| 2001–2005 | Emirates | ||
| 2005–2006 | Samsung | ||
| 2006–2015 | Adidas | ||
| 2015–2017 | Yokohama Tyres | ||
| 2017–2018 | Nike | Alliance Tire Company | |
| 2018–2020 | Hyundai | ||
| 2020–2022 | Three | ||
| 2022–2023 | WhaleFin | ||
| 2023–2024 | Infinite Athlete | BingX | |
| 2024–2025 | – | Fever | |
| 2025 | DAMAC | Live Nation | |
| 2025–2026 | – | FPT | |
| 2026 | IFS |
Meet the Players
Our Current Squad
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Young Talent and Loan Players
- Players to have at least one first-team appearance for Chelsea.
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Players Out on Loan
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Other Players Under Contract
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The Coaching Team
Our Coaches and Staff
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Interim head coach |  Calum McFarlane |
| First team coaches |  Kalifa Cissé |
| Justin Walker |
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| Goalkeeper coach | Ben Roberts |
| Assistant goalkeeper coach | James Russell |
| Set-piece coach |  Bernardo Cueva |
| First team analyst | Ben Warner |
| Loan technical coach |  Carlo Cudicini |
| Player support and development officer |  Willie Isa |
| Under-21s head coach | Harry Hudson |
| Under-21s assistants |  Andy Ross |
| James Simmonds |
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| Under-18s head coach | Hassan Sulaiman |
Source: Chelsea F.C.
Notable Managers Who Won Trophies
Here are some managers who led Chelsea to win at least one trophy:
| Name | Period | Trophies |
|---|---|---|
| Ted Drake |
1952–1961 | First Division Championship, Charity Shield |
| Tommy Docherty |
1962–1967 | League Cup |
| Dave Sexton |
1967–1974 | FA Cup, UEFA Cup Winners' Cup |
| John Neal |
1981–1985 | Second Division Championship |
| John Hollins |
1985–1988 | Full Members' Cup |
| Bobby Campbell |
1988–1991 | Second Division Championship, Full Members' Cup |
 Ruud Gullit |
1996–1998 | FA Cup |
| Gianluca Vialli |
1998–2000 | FA Cup, League Cup, Charity Shield, UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, UEFA Super Cup |
 José Mourinho |
2004–2007 2013–2015 |
3 Premier Leagues, 3 League Cups, FA Cup, Community Shield |
| Guus Hiddink |
2009 2015–2016 |
FA Cup |
| Carlo Ancelotti |
2009–2011 | Premier League, FA Cup, Community Shield |
| Roberto Di Matteo |
2012 | FA Cup, UEFA Champions League |
 Rafael Benítez |
2012–2013 | UEFA Europa League |
| Antonio Conte |
2016–2018 | Premier League, FA Cup |
| Maurizio Sarri |
2018–2019 | UEFA Europa League |
 Thomas Tuchel |
2021–2022 | UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup |
| Enzo Maresca |
2024–2026 | UEFA Conference League, FIFA Club World Cup |
Club Leaders
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Chairman |  Todd Boehly |
| Directors | David Barnard |
| Barbara Charone |
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| Behdad Eghbali |
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| José E. Feliciano |
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| Daniel Finkelstein |
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| Jonathan Goldstein |
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| James Pade |
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| Mark Walter |
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 Hansjörg Wyss |
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| Chief executive officer | Jason Gannon |
| President of business | Tom Glick |
| Director of football operations | David Barnard |
| Vice presidents | Joe Hemani |
| Anthony Reeves |
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| Alan Spence |
Source: Chelsea F.C.
All Our Trophies
Chelsea is one of only a few clubs in history to have won the "European Treble" of the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, and UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. After winning the UEFA Conference League in 2025, Chelsea became the first club to win all four main UEFA competitions!
| Type | Competition | Titles | Seasons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic | First Division/ Premier League | 6 | 1954–55, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2009–10, 2014–15, 2016–17 |
| Second Division | 2 | 1983–84, 1988–89 | |
| FA Cup | 8 | 1969–70, 1996–97, 1999–2000, 2006–07, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2011–12, 2017–18 | |
| Football League Cup | 5 | 1964–65, 1997–98, 2004–05, 2006–07, 2014–15 | |
| FA Charity Shield/FA Community Shield | 4 | 1955, 2000, 2005, 2009 | |
| Full Members' Cup | 2s | 1985–86, 1989–90 | |
| Continental | UEFA Champions League | 2 | 2011–12, 2020–21 |
| UEFA Europa League | 2 | 2012–13, 2018–19 | |
| UEFA Conference League | 1s | 2024–25 | |
| UEFA Cup Winners' Cup | 2 | 1970–71, 1997–98 | |
| UEFA Super Cup | 2 | 1998, 2021 | |
| Worldwide | FIFA Club World Cup | 2 | 2021, 2025 |
- record
- s shared record
Winning Doubles
Chelsea has won multiple trophies in the same season several times:
- 1997–98: League Cup and UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
- 2004–05: League Cup and Premier League
- 2006–07: League Cup and FA Cup
- 2009–10: Premier League and FA Cup
- 2011–12: FA Cup and UEFA Champions League
- 2014–15: League Cup and Premier League
- 2021–22: UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup
- 2024–25: UEFA Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup
Chelsea Women's Team
Chelsea also has a very successful women's football team, called Chelsea Football Club Women. They have been part of the club since 2004. They play their home games at Kingsmeadow.
The women's team was promoted to the top league in 2005. They were one of the founding members of the FA Women's Super League in 2010. In 2015, Chelsea Women won their first FA Women's Cup and their first FA WSL title, achieving a league and cup double. They repeated this success in 2018 and again in 2020, winning a third league title and their first FA Women's League Cup. In the 2020–21 season, Chelsea Women won a domestic treble, taking home the league, FA Cup, and League Cup. They also reached the final of the UEFA Women's Champions League for the first time.
John Terry, a former captain of the men's team, is the president of Chelsea Women.
See also
In Spanish: Chelsea Football Club para niños
- List of world champion football clubs
