Chelsea head into the 2026-27 Women's Super League campaign facing arguably the most significant rebuild of the club's recent history, with Guardian writers tipping them to finish third this term after a summer of substantial squad turnover.
Last season yielded only the League Cup, a modest return by the standards Chelsea have set over the past decade, which included a domestic treble in 2024-25. That relatively lean campaign has been followed by an exodus of major names. Millie Bright has retired, while Catarina Macario, Sam Kerr and Guro Reiten have all departed for the NWSL. Johanna Rytting Kaneryd has joined Lyonnes and Niamh Charles has crossed London to Manchester City, underlining the scale of change at Kingsmeadow.
In response, manager Sonia Bompastor has moved to refresh her squad significantly, bringing in Katie McCabe from Arsenal, Melvine Malard from Manchester United, Giulia Dragoni from Barcelona, Manaka Matsukubo from North Carolina Courage and Nelly Las from Leicester. The Frenchwoman, now entering her third pre-season in charge, is attempting to reshape the team around her own philosophy while preserving the winning culture she inherited.
"I said last season we are facing a transition, and I think we are rebuilding in terms of refreshing the squad, rebuilding the culture within the team, and we'll try our best," Bompastor said. "We'll work as hard as possible to try to win trophies. There are fine margins, and sometimes as much as you work hard, things don't always go the way you want. It's up to us to make sure we turn things our way."
Among the new arrivals, McCabe's move from Arsenal has attracted the most attention. The 30-year-old Republic of Ireland captain enjoyed an outstanding campaign at the Emirates before Chelsea convinced her to switch allegiances, and she arrives with Champions League pedigree, versatility and a combative edge that Bompastor will hope to lean on.
Statistically, attack was Chelsea's weak point last season. Their tally of 44 goals represented a drop of 12 from the previous campaign, which itself was down 15 on the season before that. The decline mirrors a steady reduction in shots taken from inside the penalty box, falling from 332 to 315 and then to 269 across three seasons, despite still ranking third in the league for such attempts.
Defensively the team conceded more than in recent years, though they still averaged under a goal per game. With Manchester City now having to balance Champions League commitments as reigning champions, Chelsea's title prospects, while less certain than in past seasons, remain alive.
One player to watch is 18-year-old academy product Lola Brown, who signed a new contract this summer after making her senior debut in the 2024-25 campaign. Brown impressed during a loan spell at Crystal Palace, particularly in the second half of the season once she recovered from injury, and is expected to push for more first-team opportunities.
Off the pitch, Chelsea's finances showed encouraging growth, with turnover rising to £21.3m for the year ending June 2025, up from £11.5m the previous year. Broadcast and matchday revenues both increased, though the club's post-tax loss grew to £17.10m, partly due to the £12.08m purchase of Kingsmeadow. Notably, Chelsea will now play all WSL home fixtures at Stamford Bridge, a move designed to boost attendance and matchday income, which had lagged behind rivals Arsenal.
Right-back Ellie Carpenter, speaking to Sky Sports, summed up the mood at the club: "Chelsea are going through a bit of a transition phase at the moment. A lot of legends have gone and they left such a great legacy. Now it's our turn to do that, follow in their footsteps and to build on what Chelsea is as a club."
Based on reporting from The Guardian.