Chelsea have confirmed refunds will be issued to supporters affected by CFC+ streaming problems during Saturday’s 3-1 victory over Real Sociedad.
Thousands of fans attempted to watch Xabi Alonso’s first Stamford Bridge match through Chelsea’s paid streaming service, but technical problems disrupted the broadcast during the first half.
The timing could hardly have been worse. Morgan Rogers scored his first Chelsea goal after only nine minutes following his £117million move from Aston Villa, but some supporters were unable to properly watch his breakthrough moment.
According to The Sun, viewers were instead shown an error message stating that stream information was temporarily unavailable. Chelsea subsequently confirmed affected supporters would receive refunds.
App froze now can’t get back in. Brilliant work @ChelseaFC. 👍 https://t.co/FwKG7AZDYD pic.twitter.com/zVem0G4J5I
— ChelseaReport (@chelsreport_) August 15, 2026
Chelsea respond after CFC+ stream problems
The disruption caused particular frustration because CFC+ is a paid service.
Chelsea offered supporters a £9.99 individual match pass for the Real Sociedad friendly, while a full CFC+ subscription costs £14.99 per year in the UK. Both prices are confirmed by Chelsea’s official CFC+ information.
ReadChelsea covered the launch of CFC+ and Chelsea’s new membership structure earlier this summer, with live men’s pre-season games forming one of the main attractions of the new service.
Saturday’s match was the final men’s first-team friendly of pre-season and Chelsea had promoted CFC+ as the official UK streaming option for supporters unable to attend Stamford Bridge.
The technical failure therefore came during one of the service’s most prominent broadcasts since its launch.
Chelsea do provide a dedicated CFC+ support service for users experiencing problems, while the club’s website includes troubleshooting guidance for the app and online platform.
The confirmation of refunds should at least provide some compensation for those who missed parts of an entertaining afternoon.
Rogers opened his Chelsea account before Joao Pedro scored twice after the break as Alonso’s side completed pre-season with a 3-1 victory.
For Chelsea, however, the streaming problems provide an early reminder that supporters paying specifically for live access will expect the digital service to match the standards promised when CFC+ was launched.
Watch Chelsea vs Real Sociedad highlights after Rogers and Joao Pedro shine
Watch Chelsea vs Real Sociedad highlights after Rogers and Joao Pedro shine
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Xabi Alonso makes Stamford Bridge vow after emotional Chelsea reception