Just In: Chelsea To Reveal Plans For Stamford Bridge

Though a renovation might take up to seven years, Chelsea is wrapping up plans to revamp their stadium and expand Stamford Bridge’s capacity to 60,000. Owner Todd Boehly has already had “informal talks” with Fulham, the Blues’ neighbours, about utilising Craven Cottage, so the team may ground-share while work is being done.

But Craven Cottage can only hold 27,500 people, which would be detrimental to Chelsea’s sources of income. Other possible locations are Twickenham and Wembley. Tottenham recently spent two seasons of games at Wembley while White Hart Lane was being renovated.

A statement on Chelsea website reads: “CPO has not yet been informed of any decision made by the Club on its future plans for the stadium. We believe their decision is due to be finalised shortly, having worked through all the available options,” read the statement.

“Board members may choose to make their own views clear on the process but cannot of course do so until there is a proposal, and its detail can be properly considered. As we understand it, although the purchase of the Stoll site has been agreed, it will be some considerable time before the site can be vacated.”

“In addition, a new planning application would be required, even though some of that work was done during the earlier project under Roman Abramovich. Once an application has been approved, estimates on the time required for demolition and rebuild vary from four years up to as much as seven years, during which time the Club would need to relocate its home games.”

On Saturday in the Premier League Brentford will face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.