Chelsea

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Chelsea's pre-season tour of Australia ended on a sour note as Richarlison's last-minute goal gave ten-man Tottenham a 2-1 win in Sydney, a result that will give Xabi Alonso pause for thought despite the circumstances. His side dominated after Kevin Danso's controversial red card but could not convert that numerical advantage into a victory, a familiar story for a club that has struggled with consistency in recent years. The defeat follows a chaotic 6-4 win over Western Sydney Wanderers in Alonso's first match in charge, and the defensive numbers across both games suggest the new manager has real work to do before the Premier League season begins.

Off the pitch, the FA handed Chelsea a £10m fine over 74 financial breaches related to agent payments made between 2009 and 2022. The governing body opted against a points deduction, citing extensive self-reporting by the club's current ownership, bringing a long-running regulatory process to a close. It is a significant penalty, though the decision to set aside any sporting punishment will be seen as a relief.

Alonso has moved aggressively in the transfer market to reshape the squad. Defender Maxence Lacroix arrived from Crystal Palace for £52m, Morgan Rogers joined in a club-record £117m deal, and Jordan Henderson terminated his Brentford contract to join on a free. Mykhailo Mudryk's return adds further depth after his doping ban was cut short on appeal. Chelsea face Juventus next in pre-season before their Premier League opener at Fulham on August 24.

Chelsea Overview

Chelsea v Nottingham Forest - Premier League

Chelsea fined £10m for 74 breaches as FA opts against points deduction

Chelsea have been fined £10m and given a suspended transfer ban over historical financial breaches regarding payments made to agents between 2009 and 2022. The Football Association opted to set aside a suspended six-point deduction following extensive self-reporting by the club’s new owners, bringing regulatory proceedings to a formal close.

Mykhailo Mudryk

Mudryk permitted to return to Chelsea after doping ban resolved

Mykhailo Mudryk, Chelsea's mercurial winger, has been allowed to return to the club after seeing his case for doping resolved. The Ukrainian forward was handed a four-year ban by the FA in June 2025, but after appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport has seen the suspension ended early. He will join the club's preseason camp as they revamp under Xabi Alonso.

York City v Sunderland - Pre-Season Friendly

FA strengthens bans for discriminatory abuse ahead of new season

The Football Association (FA) has introduced tougher regulations to combat discriminatory conduct across English football ahead of the upcoming campaign. Under the updated framework, players, managers, and technical staff found guilty of aggravated misconduct will now face an increased minimum suspension of 10 matches to foster an inclusive environment.

John Stones transfer grade GFX Inter

Stones needed fresh start at Inter after inevitable Man City exit

For some football fans, the summer is the part of the calendar that they look forward to the most - and that's not just because it's filled by a World Cup every four years! Rather, it's because the end of the season means only one thing: It's time for transfers! The 2026 window is once again proving to be busy, with some huge names making big-money moves before deadline day on September 1.

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Standings

Premier League crestPremier League

PosTeamPWDLFA+/-PTSForm
4Brentford crestBrentford00000000
5Brighton & Hove Albion crestBrighton & Hove Albion00000000
6Chelsea crestChelsea00000000
7Coventry City crestCoventry City00000000
8Crystal Palace crestCrystal Palace00000000
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Frequently asked questions

Chelsea were founded on March 10, 1905, following Gus Mears' acquisition of the Stamford Bridge in 1904. Several names were put up for consideration: Kensington FC, Stamford Bridge FC, and London FC. However, all these names were rejected and the name Chelsea F.C. was finally selected.

Chelsea are co-owned by an American consortium consisting of Todd Boehly, Mark Walter. Hansjorg Wyss, and Behdad Eghbali-led Clearlake Capital. Boehly, Walter, and Wyss each own a 12.8% stake in the club, while Clearlake Capital are the majority shareholder with a 61.5% stake.

Chelsea's stadium is known as the Stamford Bridge and has been the club's home venue ever since their inception in 1905. Interestingly, the Stamford Bridge was owned by a separate company after businessman Ken Bates bought the club in the 1980s, when they were on the verge of bankruptcy and stuck in the second division. In 1992, however, after a long-fought legal battle and a 'Save The Bridge' campaign from the fans, Chelsea regained ownership of the stadium.

The Stamford Bridge has a capacity of around 40,000.

Chelsea have won an impressive 32 trophies throughout their history, including two Champions League titles and six English top-flight titles.

Chelsea have won the English top flight on six occasions, with their most recent title coming at the end of the 2016-17 season.

Legendary defender Ron Harris holds the record for making the most appearances for Chelsea, featuring for the club in 795 games, ahead of Peter Bonetti and John Terry. The latter two are the only other players along with Harris to make over 700 appearances for the club.

Frank Lampard, arguably the greatest Chelsea player ever, is the club's leading goalscorer of all-time, netting the ball into the net 211 times in 648 games. The fact that he was a midfielder makes the feat all the more impressive.

Didier Drogba, John Terry, Eden Hazard, Claude Makelele, Arjen Robben, Petr Cech, Michael Ballack, and David Luiz are some of the most famous players to have represented Chelsea.

Jose Mourinho, Antonio Conte, Mauricio Pochettino, Thomas Tuchel, Carlo Ancelotti, and Maurizio Sarri are among the biggest managerial names to have been a part of Chelsea's eminent history.

Chelsea are called The Blues, which is a reference to the colour of their kit since the early 20th century.