Chelsea have been exploring the possibility of building a new stadium in recent years
Matty Hewitt
14:57, 27 Nov 2025
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Chelsea is exploring their options ahead of potentially building a new stadium or relocating elsewhere in London.
Chelsea's plans for a new stadium at a new stadium at Earl's Court have been dealt a significant blow after alternative plans were given the green light by one of the councils involved.
The Athletic claims Hammersmith and Fulham council have approved plans for a development on the site of the old Earls Court Exhibition Centre.
The proposals, led by the Earls Court Development Company (ECDC), include a range of new homes, retail, hospitality, and workplaces.
A statement from the group read: "the 44-acre, £10billion masterplan will transform central London's largest cleared development site, which spans both the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham and the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea.
"This first milestone paves the way for ECDC to work with partners across the public and private sectors to move forwards with plans to start on site as soon as possible."
Around 4,000 homes and 12,000 jobs will be created as part of the redevelopment of the site. However, the Kensington and Chelsea council is still to vote on the proposals, and even if the ECDC gains planning permission, there's no guarantee that the development at Earls' Court will go ahead.
Roman Abramovich and Chelsea are all too aware of this after the club secured planning permission for a 60,000-seater stadium on the current Stamford Bridge site; however, the build did not come to fruition due to complications regarding Abramovich's visa.
That being said, the council decision is a massive boost for the ECDC project, which would rule out a new Chelsea stadium on that site, first earmarked as a potential site for a new ground more than 20-years ago.
In a 460-page document submitted for Wednesday's council meeting, the only mention of football was discussing overcrowding at local tube stations on matchdays, and the ECDC is not factoring in a new ground as part of their plans.
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Chelsea's president and chief operating officer, Jason Gannon, is leading the Blues' new stadium project, having had a significant involvement in the 70,000 seater SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
If the ECDC proposals are given the green light, all signs suggest Chelsea will look to redevelop Stamford Bridge after purchasing 1.9 acres of land adjacent to the ground in 2023.
If the Blues do opt to redevelop Stamford Bridge, they would likely have to relocate temporarily, just as London rivals Tottenham Hotspur did during the 2017/18 and 18/19 seasons while their new ground was being built.