Chelsea F.C. Planning To Introduce Rail Seating

Premier League football club Chelsea F.C. is hoping to have plans approved to introduce safe rail seating provision to its Stamford Bridge ground for the 2021‑22 season, a change that will result in a loss of over 500 seats in the Matthew Harding Lower and Shed End Upper and Lower tiers.

This announcement follows months of consultation with the various safety advisory and regulatory authorities and is still subject approval from the Sports Ground Safety Authority (SGSA) and its Safety Advisory Group (SAG).

Chelsea said the decision, which they are confident optimises capacity at the stadium has been taken now ahead of any future government decision to introduce safe standing across the Premier League.

Season ticket holders who wish to move seats from the affected areas will be able to apply when the renewal period opens, information on which will be provided over the coming weeks.

This decision by Chelsea comes after Manchester United and Manchester City outlined their plans for a similar reconfiguration to their stadiums whilst Wolverhampton Wanderers became the first Premier League club to install seats incorporating barriers in an existing stadium during last season.

Since the Hillsborough disaster in 1989, standing has been outlawed in the top two leagues of English football. However, there have been increasing efforts to return safe standing, which has received provisional support from the Football Association (FA), Premier League and English Football League (EFL), together with many fan groups.

Chelsea have also detailed plans to significantly renovate their West Stand Upper as part of the club’s new Westview project, which marks the biggest development to the West Stand since 2001, and this will form part of the club’s hospitality offering refurbishing the concourse in the upper tier.

The plans include two new 360‑degree bars and a new food court offering form part of the experience, with fans able to take in views across London. The match‑day experience will also be enhanced with three new big screens, ensuring seats in all locations can view screen content for the first time.

All seats in the section will be replaced with new padded seating, while a wheelchair‑accessible platform has also been installed with four wheelchair and personal assistant places.

The announcement of the stadium upgrades was made as Chelsea detailed plans to freeze season ticket prices for the 2021‑22 campaign, with a new model to now be adopted from 2022‑23. The freeze will mean season ticket holders in general admission areas will pay the same as in 2011‑12.