Home of Chelsea FC

Opened 1877

Capacity 40,834

Rating: 4.6

(22700) Google Reviews

Amazing experience visiting this stadium and I am not even a football fan. The hospitality of the staff was amazing, they are so attentive and caring. I had a 3 course meal, watched a match, then came out at half time to get pork skewers on the table, and cheese and biscuits were served after the match in the restaurant. The facilities of the stadium are impeccably clean and well looked after.
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a month ago
They did a fantastic breakfast for us today. So much better than Southampton FC last week. It wasn't too bad getting away on the tube. So many Chelsea staff around and stadium is showing its age.
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2 months ago
What a wonderful experience!! My dad is a Chelsea fan since 1970 and brought him to visit the stadium and museum. Will was our guide for the tour and I can just say that Will you deserve a 10/10. Even being a Manu fan myself, I loved the atmosphere around Stamford Bridge. My dad was over the moon at having access to the dugout, stands, news room and the dressing rooms. Unfortunately we will not be able to attend a game there but this tour surely made our day.
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4 months ago
Stamford Bridge it’s just an amazing experience to see a game like Chelsea against Arsenal ! The London Derby was so nice ! Chelsea fans were making the mood grow! Chelsea supporters' songs give an incredible atmosphere to the match! Me and my friend, we were really into it! It was a very close match between two great teams! There was no waiting, because we arrived 1 hour and a half in advance in the stadium to enjoy the view! Tickets to see the match are however very expensive, especially for a London derby! The Chelsea shop is very large, there are a number of choices of jersey and accessories for fans with in addition to showcase, replicas of trophies of Chelsea in any competition! Long live the Premier League ! Hoping to see another Chelsea match in this stadium! Thank you to the fans and the atmosphere for this London derby!
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2 months ago
Was my first time at Stamford Bridge. Decided to go for a Stadium Tour to see the stadium from all its sides. I bought the tickets on the spot as there was availability, but you can also purchase them online as there lots of timeslots available at slightly discounted rate. As for the tour, our group got lucky to have an amazing guide. You could see he was a longtime passionate fan. We covered different stands of the stadium, the press room, home and away changing rooms and walked pitchside to the managerial area. Also learned lots of fun and historical facts and stories about the stadium and the club. All in all, it was a well spent hour so definitely recommend to come if you haven't been in the stadium!
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a month ago

History (from Wikipedia)

The Bridge pitch is surrounded on each side by four covered all-seater stands, officially known as the Matthew Harding Stand (North), East stand, The Shed End (South) and West Stand. Each stand has at least two tiers & was constructed for entirely different reasons as part of separate expansion plans.

Matthew Harding Stand[edit]

The Matthew Harding Stand, previously known as the North Stand, is along the north edge of the pitch. In 1939, a small two storied North Stand including seating was erected. It was originally intended to span the entire northern end, but the outbreak of World War II and its aftermath compelled the club to keep the stand small. It was demolished and replaced by open terracing for standing supporters in 1976. The North Terrace was closed in 1993 and the present North Stand of two tiers (the Matthew Harding Stand) was then constructed at that end.

It is named after former Chelsea director Matthew Harding, whose investment helped transform the club in the early 1990s before his death in a helicopter accident on 22 October 1996. His investment in the club enabled construction of the stand which was completed in time for the 1996–97 season. It has two tiers and accommodates most season-ticket holders, giving it an excellent atmosphere, especially in the lower tier. Any proposal to enlarge the facility would necessitate demolition of the adjacent Chelsea F.C. Museum and Chelsea Health Club and Spa.

For some 
Champions League matches, this stand operates at reduced capacity, some entrances being obstructed by the presence of TV outside-broadcast vehicles.

East Stand[edit]

The only covered stand when Stamford Bridge was renovated into a football ground in 1905, the East Stand had a gabled corrugated iron roof, with around 6,000 seats and a terraced enclosure. The stand remained until 1973, when it was demolished in what was meant to be the opening phase of a comprehensive redevelopment of the stadium. The new stand was opened at the start of the 1974–75 season, but due to the ensuing financial difficulties at the club, it was the only part of the development to be completed.

The East Stand essentially survives in its 1973 three-tiered cantilevered form, although it has been much refurbished and modernised since. It is the heart of the stadium, housing the tunnel, dugout, dressing rooms, conference room, press centre, Audio-Visual and commentary box. The middle tier is occupied by facilities, clubs, and executive suites. The upper tier provides spectators with one of the best views of the pitch and it is the only section to have survived the extensive redevelopment of the 90s. Previously, it was the home to away supporters on the bottom tier. However, at the start of the 2005-06 season, then-manager José Mourinho requested that the family section move to this part of the stand, to boost team morale. Away fans were moved to the Shed End.

Shed End[edit]

The Shed End is along the south side of the pitch. In 1930, a new terrace was built on the south side, for more standing spectators. It was originally known as the Fulham Road End, but supporters nicknamed it 'The Shed' and this led the club to officially change its name. It became the most favoured spot for the loudest and most die-hard support, until the terrace was demolished in 1994, when all-seater stadia became compulsory by law as a safety measure in light of the Taylor Report following the Hillsborough disaster. The seated stand which replaced it is still known as the Shed End (see below).

The new stand opened in time for the 1997/98 season. Along with the Matthew Harding Stand, it is an area of the ground where many vocal fans congregate. The view from the upper tier is widely regarded as one of the best in the stadium. The Shed also contains the centenary museum and a memorial wall, where families of deceased fans are able to leave a permanent memorial of their loved ones, indicating their eternal support. A large chunk of the original wall from the back of the Shed End terrace still stands and runs along the south side of the stadium. It has recently been decorated with lights and large images of Chelsea legends. Since 2005, it has been where away supporters are housed; they are allocated 3,000 tickets towards the east side, roughly half of the capacity of the stand.

Peter Osgood's ashes were laid to rest under the shed end penalty spot in 2006.[25]

West Stand[edit]

In 1964–65, a seated West Stand was built to replace the existing terracing on the west side. Most of the West Stand consisted of rising ranks of wooden tip up seats on iron frames, but seating at the very front was on concrete forms known as "the Benches". The old West Stand was demolished in 1997 and replaced by the current West Stand. It has three tiers, in addition to a row of executive boxes that stretches the length of the stand.

The lower tier was built on schedule and opened in 1998. However, difficulties with planning permission meant that the stand was not fully completed until 2001. Construction of the stand almost caused another financial crisis, which would have seen the club fall into administration, but for the personal intervention of Roman Abramovich. In borrowing £70m from Eurobonds to finance the project, Ken Bates put Chelsea into a highly perilous financial position, primarily because of the repayment terms he had agreed to.

Now complete, the stand is the primary external 'face' of the stadium, being the first thing fans see when entering the main gate on 
Fulham Road. The Main Entrance is flanked by hospitality entrances, formerly named after former Chelsea players Nigel Spackman and David Speedie. Signage at those entrances with those players' names was removed in 2020, to be replaced by directional signage, meaning those entrances are no longer named after any player.[26][27] The stand also features the largest concourse area in the stadium, it is also known as the 'Great Hall' and is used for many functions at Stamford Bridge, including the Chelsea Player of the Year ceremony.

Things to do in Chelsea.