Chelsea owner Todd Boehly issues clear Stamford Bridge ultimatum in major stadium update

Chelsea owner Todd Boehly issues clear Stamford Bridge ultimatum in major stadium update Newspoint | 2025-03-25 03:39:14

Todd Boehly has admitted that conversations within the Chelsea hierarchy are ongoing over how to increase the stadium capacity. Almost three years into the Clearlake Capital-Boehly ownership and very little news on the Stamford Bridge front has emerged.

That would see Chelsea's rivals boast over two-times the number of supporters for a matchday.

Currently, Stamford Bridge is only the ninth largest stadium in the top flight but that will soon be overtaken by Everton's new ground. Leeds United are promotion contenders and could be in the Premier League next season, they are also planning to increase the capacity at Elland Road. Nottingham Forest have released their own blueprint for expanding at the City Ground.

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Improving the club's stadium facilities remains a priority for the ownership consortium, though.

"Stadium development is going around the world.," Boehly told Bloomberg. "Right now, we're here to see Africa-built stadiums; obviously, here in Hong Kong, they are opening their new stadium for the very first time. Stadium development is definitely a theme. You're going to see the NBA going to Europe, you're going to see stadiums and arenas, sporting infrastructure.

"We're just on the very front end of the sporting wave and sporting infrastructure is going to be a very big thing about it. We have 15, 20 years to work it out."

However, Chelsea supporters are increasingly concerned that their team will be left behind if revenues do not rise, allowing the club to spend more in order to compete with their rivals.

"Inside of London it's really complex," the American explained. "It's not like we're building something in the middle of a rural environment. We have a lot of constituencies to make sure that we care about. Certainly, the Chelsea fanbase is one, but long-term, we are going to be building something, and we are going to work it out."

Chelsea are yet to submit a proposal to the Chelsea Pitch Owners (CPO), a company who has the freehold of Stamford Bridge and the name Chelsea FC.

Chelsea are penned in at the moment by Fulham Broadway tube station and a set of buildings behind the west stand. Last year the club purchased the land from Sir Oswald Stoll Mansions, a group organised to home retired veterans. Chelsea have pledged to help offer new homes for those who will be leaving.

The club are limited to building up due to being in a corridor of historical significance dating back to Henry VIII's pastimes. Should the stadium problem rumble on, Boehly has claimed that it could split the ownership group.

"We have to think about long-term, what we're trying to accomplish," he said when asked about "There's a big stadium development opportunity that we have to flesh out.

"That's going to be where we are either aligned or we ultimately decide to go different ways. What has been written and what has been talked about is much more drama than what has actually happened."