CHELSEA FOOTBALL CLUB MEN’S FANS FORUM
2025-26, 2nd MEETING MINUTES
Meeting held in the Vialli suite at 6.30pm on Thursday 4th December 2025
Attendees Club title/ group represented
Akers, Diane Chelsea Disabled Supporters Association
Allen, Laura Club Senior Strategy Manager
Brooker, John UK away scheme
Brown Tracy Fan Advisory Board Co-Chair
Clarkson, Meg Club Senior Supporter Services Manager
Cornall, Michael Club Head of Supporter Relations
Crowe, Laura Female
Curteis, Sam Club Supporter Liaison Officer
De-Morgan, Malakai Chelsea Pride
Eldridge, Andy Chelsea Supporters Club (“CSC”)
Morar, Bhavesh Club Director of Strategy and Transformation
Murray, James Club Chief Operating Officer
Peters, Theo 16-22
Regan, Andy Forum Chair
Robinson, Adam UK supporters club
Rolfe, Bonnie Club Venue Director
Sheppard, Nick 66 and over
Travers, Hannah Club Disability Access Officer
Trenter, Liz Chelsea Supporters Group (“CSG”)
Williams, Ben Chelsea Supporters Trust (“CST”)
Williams, Darren Access Forum representative
Wolff, Brian Overseas supporters club
Woodger, David Ethnically and culturally diverse
Wrighton, Leslie Family stand
Apologies for absence
Finkelstein, Daniel Club Director
Gedalla, Brian Member
Kirk, Duncan Club Chelsea
Mcintosh, Aileen LGBTQI+
Willson, Paul Home season ticket (“ST”)
(Action points are underlined.)
MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING
There were no changes to the minutes. Action points were as follows:
Assisting fans to find the right turnstiles: The club have improved signage and steward briefings, especially for cup matches.
Entering on the same QR code for successive matches: The club said they haven’t received further information.
Matches in chronological order on the App: The club have now resolved this, with matches appearing in chronological order. The CL bundle appearing under ‘Renew Season Ticket’ was accepted by the club as human error.
Publicity for travel issues at away fixtures: The club said they post information on the WhatsApp channel and the website, such as for the Leeds match, and welcomes further ideas of how to publicise this.
Single seat sales: This will be considered by the club.
Publicising Pride: The club said they are in consultation with key stakeholders for its new Pride campaign. Rainbow Laces has been dropped by the Premier League.
Camera operators in the Matthew Harding Lower: They have been reminded to sit down and not obscure views when possible, and fans have been reminded not to abuse camera operators.
AGENDA ITEMS
Ticketing communications – supporter help channels and strategy
The club said they’re aware the move to digital ticketing has represented a significant change. Teething issues have been dealt with quickly and the club appreciates fan feedback and patience.
The club asked representatives how they can better communicate ticketing information with supporters.
A representative stated it would be appreciated if advance information for on sale dates is better publicised and also announce the loyalty points required for each sales period in a timely manner. The club will consider these.
It was suggested more of this information goes in the App. It was suggested the club could message fans individually with their loyalty point purchase slot.
Representatives also suggested that an executive summary of the new Ticketing Policy which highlights changes would be useful. An access-relevant audio version was requested.
TICKETING POLICY
The club used this forum to review a number of proposals and themes in preparation for the Ticketing Policy for the 2026/27 season. They asked representatives to remember that all items are proposals only.
The club stated they wish to review the Policy to create a fairer, more efficient process for fans that delivers:
– A safe and secure matchday experience
– Rules that are easy to understand
– Positive change for fans
– Learning from its peers.
Loyalty points
The club said they would like to revisit the loyalty point system to ensure they are rewarding genuine loyalty the right way. It was raised that selling away matches solely on loyalty points may result in a ‘closed shop.’ Another representative added this could negatively affect overseas fans.
A representative said access fans wouldn’t want loyalty points for away games as an issue can arise at a late stage to prevent attendance. Another commented that cheaper away ticket prices encourage purchasing just for the points. It was suggested having a split for sales, with only some tickets per match sold on points.
The club discussed the proposal of awarding loyalty points on attendance and points to be awarded to both the purchaser and the seller on the exchange. The forum was largely supportive of these approaches.
Ticket forwarding and purchasing
The club said they are considering limiting the number of tickets that can be forwarded by an ST holder in a season but acknowledged there are nuances to this. Striking a balance is required for the right thresholds, again all with the aim of supporting our anti-touting measures.
The club also wishes to introduce stricter parameters around the transfer of away tickets to improve fan security.
The club added there may be ID implications for the above proposals.
The club will continue with an exemption process.
It was suggested there could be two tiers of forwarding, with family network members being differentiated from others.
Season tickets and memberships
The club stated they want to ensure season tickets are being allocated and used fairly.
This includes stricter rules regarding season ticket identities, minimum seat utilisation and introducing a Cup scheme.
Family stand
The club are considering reducing the size of the family stand to a better controlled area that is a safer environment for families in the East Lower North and repurposing the East Lower South as an area for all home fans. The club said accessible seating wouldn’t be moved and supporters would be provided with the option should they wish to stay in their seat.
The club added that our family stand is proportionately larger than that at many other clubs. There will still be access to the sensory room.
Home member tickets by ballot
The club said that balloting home match tickets could assist with the virtual queue and increase the likelihood of more supporters being able to attend home matches. A representative said his group is against the ballot and another mentioned it may be difficult for families who wish to sit together, or if they are a mix of season ticket holders and members. The club are benchmarking the proposal in comparison to other clubs and looking at how various models may look for balloting.
Loyalty points for women’s matches at Stamford Bridge
The club said awarding loyalty points for women’s matches at Stamford Bridge creates a ‘one club’ culture across fan bases. Representatives generally opposed the idea.
The club will consider various additional communication to supporters when the new Ticketing Policy is published.
Membership
A representative commented that membership tiers don’t always provide the access to tickets desired. The club are reviewing loyalty.
The club will consider all initiatives raised regarding the Ticketing Policy alongside input from other stakeholders.
The meeting finished at 8.00.