Open letter to Chelsea FC’s ownership, board of directors and senior leadership team

Expensive All,

Chelsea supporters have been requested to simply accept an unprecedented stage of change within the identify of a long-term imaginative and prescient that has by no means been clearly or constantly defined.

4 years on, that imaginative and prescient has nonetheless not earned their belief.

This isn’t a response to a single end result or a run of kind. It displays a deeper and extra sustained concern in regards to the route of Chelsea Soccer Membership, and the rising insecurity amongst supporters within the management, construction, and technique that underpin it.

It has now been greater than three months for the reason that Chelsea Supporters’ Belief formally introduced the findings of our January 2026 survey to the membership. These findings weren’t marginal. They mirrored a deep and sustained insecurity throughout a number of points of the membership’s management and route.

Within the time since that assembly, supporters have seen no significant change, nor a response that displays the seriousness of the considerations raised.

The size of that concern is evident. A major majority of respondents expressed low confidence within the membership’s soccer decision-making, dissatisfaction with the present construction, and a perception that management lacks readability and accountability. There’s additionally widespread dissatisfaction with the standard of engagement between the membership and its supporters.

This isn’t background noise. It’s a clear and evidenced mandate from Chelsea’s personal supporters.

These considerations will not be pushed by short-term outcomes, and they won’t be resolved by them. They relate to the underlying route of the membership, and they’ll persist no matter fluctuations on the pitch.

On the coronary heart of supporter concern is a straightforward level: the present mannequin has demanded an enormous quantity of religion from the fanbase, whereas giving too little readability in return.

Supporters have watched relentless upheaval. Gamers, managers, workers, and constructions have modified at tempo. This has been introduced as a part of a long-term plan. But 4 years on, there’s nonetheless no sufficiently clear or convincing clarification of how that plan delivers sustained success whereas preserving a recognisable Chelsea identification.

The imaginative and prescient stays unclear, its execution inconsistent, and its management insufficiently accountable.

That’s the reason this issues. Chelsea supporters will not be merely asking to win yearly. They’re asking to recognise the membership they’ve at all times supported. For the time being, too many don’t.

This erosion of belief is just not restricted to soccer issues alone. It extends to how supporters expertise the membership.

In current months, the Chelsea Supporters’ Belief has set out clearly that the membership’s ticketing system is damaged and in pressing want of reform. Supporters are going through growing boundaries to attending matches, whether or not by way of pricing, accessibility, or methods that fail to reward loyalty.

These will not be summary considerations. They go to the center of what it means to help Chelsea.

When loyal supporters are priced out of their very own membership, or locked out by methods that fail to reward loyalty, it does greater than frustrate. It damages belief and weakens the connection that has sustained Chelsea Soccer Membership for generations.

Choices on this space more and more give the impression that short-term returns are being prioritised over long-term supporter relationships. A steadiness that dangers lasting harm if not addressed.

Chelsea’s personal engagement constructions are meant to make sure supporter voices are heard on the highest stage, together with board-level illustration and formal session. These commitments ought to carry weight. Nonetheless, the proof from our members is that these constructions will not be delivering the extent of confidence, affect, or belief that supporters anticipate.

That hole between intention and actuality is now too important to disregard.

The membership’s wider strategic case is just not but convincing off the pitch both. Chelsea’s personal monetary outcomes present robust revenues alongside important losses. Supporters are subsequently entitled to ask why they need to proceed to position belief in a method that has concerned extraordinary disruption and expenditure, whereas nonetheless failing to supply ample reassurance or accountability.

This rising insecurity is not confined to survey information or non-public dialogue. It’s now turning into seen.

We’re conscious of deliberate supporter exercise being organised by the ‘NotAProjectCFC’ group forward of the fixture towards Manchester United on 18 April. This features a peaceable protest march starting on the Wolfpack Inn at 18:45 earlier than continuing in direction of Stamford Bridge.

The protest is anticipated to contain each Chelsea and Strasbourg supporters and proceed within the space across the stadium following the march.

Not all supporters will select to specific their views on this manner. Nonetheless, the organisation and scale of such exercise is a transparent sign that frustration is deepening and turning into more durable to disregard.

That ought to concern everybody answerable for the management of this soccer membership.

None of this detracts from the continued dedication of supporters to the staff on the pitch, which stays unwavering.

Chelsea supporters have proven endurance. They’ve absorbed upheaval. They’ve given the membership time to make the case for this route.

That goodwill shouldn’t be handled as inexhaustible.

For that purpose, we anticipate a transparent and substantive response from the membership’s management on the next:

Does the membership settle for that supporter confidence in its present management mannequin and route has fallen to an unacceptably low stage?
What particular adjustments will now be made to supply larger readability and accountability in soccer management and decision-making?
What is going to change in how supporters are engaged, in order that engagement is well timed, significant, and able to influencing choices fairly than merely explaining them after the very fact?
How does the membership intend to exhibit that its present technique can ship sustained sporting success, monetary stability, and a recognisable Chelsea identification in a manner that rebuilds supporter belief?

These will not be unreasonable questions. They’re questions the membership now owes its supporters a solution to.

Supporter confidence is just not static. With out significant change, it is going to proceed to erode. The longer this continues, the tougher it turns into to restore the connection between the membership and its supporters.

The Chelsea Supporters’ Belief stays keen to have interaction constructively. That has been our method all through. However constructive engagement can’t imply repeatedly presenting proof of great supporter concern with out seeing a response that matches its seriousness.

Chelsea Soccer Membership’s possession and senior management have had time, cash, upheaval, and a transparent warning from their supporters.

They haven’t but earned belief.

It’s the duty of those that lead the membership to handle that now – clearly and decisively.

We sit up for your response and to seeing this addressed with the urgency it requires.

Yours sincerely,

The Chelsea Supporters’ Belief Board