Chelsea are considering leaving Stamford Bridge and building a new stadium as the club look to increase the capacity of their home ground.
Stamford Bridge currently boasts a capacity of 40,343 and increasing their stadium size is a priority for the board, with the Blues’ current venue trailing behind Premier League rivals. Eight teams in the Premier League have larger stadiums, with Stamford Bridge only the fourth-largest venue in London alone.
The Guardian are reporting that Chelsea have held talks over moving to a venue at Earl’s Court, given the difficulty in redeveloping their current home.
Discussions are understood to have been had with Transport for London and real estate developers Delancey. Currently, the Earl’s Court Development Committee wants to build a multi-purpose development with no football stadium included in its plan for the site.
However, productive talks have taken place between Chelsea and the relevant authorities and an initial plan has been drawn up for a stadium on the Lillie Bridge depot area of the plot.
Chelsea have not ruled out redeveloping Stamford Bridge with a stand-by-stand extension, though the proximity to the tube line presents challenges. The West Londoners could need to play at a temporary venue while developments take place, most likely Wembley, as Spurs did during the construction of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
