Chelsea have been granted permission to sell away and cup tickets after an amendment to the club’s licence, with the proceeds be donated to charities helping Ukrainian refugees.
Chelsea have been operating under a special licence since the government sanctions imposed on owner Roman Abramovich, though amendments now mean tickets will be available to supporters for certain games, including the FA Cup semi-final with Crystal Palace at Wembley on April 16/17.
Sky Sports are reporting that home fixtures remain subject to restrictions and only season ticket holders and those who purchased tickets before the sanctions will be able to attend games at Stamford Bridge. Away fans will be able to attend games at Chelsea, with all revenue to go to the Premier League.
Sports Minister, Nigel Huddleston, confirmed the alterations to Chelsea’s current licence and thanked the west London side’s fans for ‘their patience’ in the current circumstances.
A spokesperson for the Premier League also confirmed the decision – on Chelsea’s request – to allocate all proceeds from ticket sales to charities supporting Ukraine.
“Chelsea FC have requested and the Premier League agreed that this revenue will be donated to charity to benefit victims of the war in Ukraine. The beneficiary charities will be announced in due course after consultation with the club.”
Another change to Chelsea’s licence is the access to a £30m fund from a parent company owned by Abramovich, Fordstram Ltd, which will cover potential ‘cashflow or liquidity issues faced by the club’ as a sale of the Blues is conducted.
