Chelsea considering plan to build new £2billion stadium at Stamford Bridge
Chelsea are considering a plan to build a new £2bn stadium at Stamford Bridge, which would mean they would have to play off the pitch for FOUR YEARS at Craven Cottage, Twickenham or Wembley
- Chelsea are considering building a stadium that could cost up to £2bn
- The move would see them play away from Stamford Bridge for four years.
- Possible venues for Chelsea include Craven Cottage, Twickenham or Wembley
Chelsea are considering building a stadium that could cost up to £2bn and involve them playing away from Stamford Bridge for four years, either at Fulham’s Craven Cottage, Twickenham or Wembley.
The club needs to overcome several obstacles as part of a plan to demolish the ground that has been their home since 1905 and erect a state-of-the-art stadium capable of holding 60,000 fans.
Train and subway lines, an underground river and an adjacent cemetery will present challenges for owner Todd Boehly and could force the club to turn the pitch 90 degrees to stay on its current site.
Rising material costs, traffic restrictions and noise will drive up the construction price, which could exceed £2bn by the time it is expected to be completed in 2030, a date independent experts say is optimistic.
However, the club owners do not consider the anticipated cost prohibitive. They have set no fixed budget for the stadium, apart from setting aside funds for both its rebuilding and player transfers as part of Boehly’s £4.25bn takeover of the club last year.
Chelsea are considering building a new stadium at Stamford Bridge worth up to £2bn
Chelsea may have to play at an alternative venue for four years, such as Craven Cottage
Todd Boehly has informally approached Shahid Khan about Fulham’s use of the ground
Boehly is understood to have informally approached American billionaire Shahid Khan, the owner of Fulham, about his club’s use of the ground.
One possibility is to play most league games at Craven Cottage, with Champions League and A-tier Premier League games to be played at Wembley or Twickenham.
Fulham are likely to be sympathetic to the request after moving to Loftus Road from QPR while their ground was being refurbished in 2002. Chelsea have also approached the Rugby Football Union, who are interested in expanding the number of non-rugby events rugby unions that are held at Twickenham to increase revenue. and help pay for future renovations.
Wembley, formerly Tottenham’s temporary home, is another possible option for Chelsea
Chelsea have approached the RFU about the possibility of playing games at Twickenham
The club faces a minimum of four years away from Stamford Bridge if they decide to rebuild it. Boehly is determined to transform the stadium into a world-class venue, which would mean not retaining any of the current stands. It is understood that Chelsea will need to build a platform on the London Overground railway line to demolish the East Stand. One option would be to make the platform permanent, to create more space for new construction.
The owners also intend to excavate several meters below the current pitch due to height restrictions. Chelsea are expected to find out this month if they have acquired a 1.2-acre site next to the stadium for £50m. The land is owned by Stoll, a housing association that provides housing for military veterans.