ABOUT CHELSEA TICKETS
Going to a Game:
So you want to go to Stamford Bridge or see an away game? There is no US equivalent to a Premier League game experience. A SEC football game might be closest for the passion and traditions before and during the events.
Travel in the UK is easy. Here are key things to research on this page:
• Getting Tickets
• Picking Up Tickets
• Picking a Game
• About CFC Loyalty Points
• For additional first-time travel tips click here
***NOTE: GAME DATES DO CHANGE - PLAN YOUR TRAVEL ACCORDINGLY***
Allow some leeway in your travel plans until TV changes are announced about 30-45 days in advance (less advance notice in the spring.) And even then they can change if either team is involved in some other Cup that affects the date. We've had numerous members miss games because the originally scheduled Saturday game gets moved to Sunday, or Monday night or even Friday night. Give yourself some extra time in London to allow for possible changes (especially at New Year and in the spring). For weekend matches, it's recommended you allow for the match to be played anywhere from Friday night to Monday night.
Getting Tickets:
You must be a Platinum Level CIA & CFC Ticket Member (meaning you currently have both CIA and CFC Ticket memberships) to order tickets. As an official supporters club, we are able to provide tickets at face value, with the best access available outside of the UK to great seats.
To order through the Chelsea in America website:
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Your regional group must be a Platinum Level Member (all five are again for 2022-23)
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You, and every person in your party, must be a CFC Ticket member,
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You, and every person in your party, must be a CIA member
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You must have notified CIA of your CFC Ticket number. We then notify CFC so that they cross-reference the memberships. This does not happen automatically. We suggest joining CFC Ticket membership first so you can list your membership number when you sign up for CIA.
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Only US residents can order through CIA.
Assuming you are a Platinum Club level member with both Chelsea and CIA:
• One ticket per member. You can order multiple tickets in one CIA payment but must include the membership info for each person that needs a ticket with the order.
• CIA ticket windows for each game typically close about 60 days before a Premier League game.
CFC sets the order date and we turn our orders in before tickets go on sale to the public.
• Depending on the anticipated game demand, CFC institutes a Loyalty Point scheme to handle demand. This requires each person to have a certain number of points to be eligible to buy tickets. See Loyalty Points below.
• Order your tickets on the CIA web site via the Shed End page. You are required to have the CIA provided password and we still double check every order before we turn them in.
• On the CIA Shed End web page, you can choose each game and a variety of seating options. Note that the Shed End Lower typically stands during the entire game while the Family Zone is policed to keep the activities more kid friendly.
• We may temporarily “over charge” because of variable exchange rates, but you will be refunded the difference later. CFC charges in GB pounds. Thus, we refund the difference after CFC confirms the ticket order and final exchange cost on that date.
• You will get a confirmation from the CIA Club Secretary approximately 45 days before the game; shorter notice for quick turnaround cup games.
Your group/region will be sat together so long as you order the same section of the stadium.
Alternative ticket options:
• Chelsea Hospitality: Expensive hospitality packages are sold only through CFC and official third-parties
• Chelsea Ticket Exchange for CFC Ticket members. This is where ticket holders can legally resell home match league tickets they can’t use. Always check here but know that big games have far fewer offerings.
• Ticket agencies: CFC and CIA strongly recommend against using StubHub or scalper aftermarket systems. Far too often they turn out to be counterfeit. Proceed at your own risk.
How To Order:
• Each member ticket is an individual transaction and payment. So a family would do 4 orders; one per person with their individual Chelsea 8 digit member #.
• HOW TO SIT TOGETHER: Each order has a field to enter 'sit me with'. So long as you each order the same grandstand you will be sat together.
• East Stand Family Section: Only families so a family of 2 parents and 1+ child can order in this stand. Please note that a group of 3 adults and 1 child (say a family of 3 and 1 adult friend) could NOT sit together as the it has to be at least a 2 adult to 1 child ration per CFC policy.
What To Order:
• Away tickets are in the Chelsea Away block. Supporter group allotment (150 for the 32 worldwide Platinum supporter groups) are typically towards the back of the 3,000 block.
• Stamford Bridge: Every person has a different preference. Some like low, some like high, some like end zones and some like midfield. Here's a cheat sheet:
West Lower: Sideline and largely seated for the game
East Upper: Sideline high and seated. Think third deck for NFL game.
East Family Lower: Similar to West Lower, near a corner and seated during game.
Matthew Harding Lower: End zone, standing throughout, singing (i.e. profanity)
Shed End Lower: End zone, very close, standing, near visiting section and singing
Shed End Upper: End zone, 2nd deck, steep and tight seats though could be standing, some singing, near visitors.
Picking Up Your Tickets:
When ordering through CIA, you will receive a confirmation about your tickets from our Club Secretary as soon as we hear from CFC. This is usually about 45 days before a league home game, 30 days before an away game and much shorter for other competitions.
• HOME GAMES when ordering through your Platinum Supporter Group via CIA website: Home tickets will be PDF emailed to you approx 14 days prior to the game. As soon as we get them from CFC will forward to you.
• AWAY GAMES when ordering through CIA: Your tickets will be 'slow' mailed vid Royal Mail/US Post to the address the ticker user member (not necessarily the purchaser) has on their Chelsea (ex True Blue) membership.
Chelsea will post away tickets but it's a nerve-wracking process. Royal/US Mail takes approximately 11 days. With away tickets often not confirmed and posted until 12-15 days in advance of a match (Chelsea must receive the hard ticket from opponent), the tickets may not reach you if you are on an extended trip.
When tickets do not arrive prior to departure, you then must contact Chelsea in America (not Chelsea FC) no later than 72 hours before the match to arrange a 'duplicate' ticket pick up at the visiting ground.
CIA then contacts CFC 48 hours in advance (per CFC policy) and 24 hours in advance CFC will send back instructions. Game day you go to the visiting box office. Keep in mind your duplicate ticket may not be available for pick up until 2 hours or less before kick off.
• REMEMBER: You are ordering through your regional supporter’s group (American Heartland, American Southwest Blues, Carefree CA, Mid-Atlantic, or Southeast Blues). We all share the Chelsea in America web platform but CFC considers you a member of your regional group. If asked what group you are with, it’s your regional group, NOT Chelsea in America.
• DO NOT RESELL YOUR TICKETS. Your name is on the ticket and you could be asked for I.D. If caught (and CFC do monitor the StubHubs), you could be banned from purchasing again and risk sanction to your Platinum Supporter Group.
As always, this process is subject to change by CFC.
Picking a Game:
Historically, we have received 95+% of the tickets we have ordered since CFC put this system in place during 2012.
Our five regional Supporter’s Groups are among 32 Platinum Level clubs worldwide with priority access to a limited number of tickets set aside for the supporter groups. This number can vary from 800 to just 50 for a game. That number is finite and can be smaller than the number of tickets requested in total.
When worldwide orders exceed supply, CFC allots a percentage per club. This could mean we only get 6 of 8 tickets requested by your region. It’s only happened 5 times in 5 years but demand is growing.
If this occurs, we prioritize based on continuous length of membership. Members with years of CFC and CIA membership are prioritized over a first-time member in appreciation of their continuous support to CIA.
As such, CIA strongly suggests you ‘keep your place in the queue’ each year and maintain continuous CFC and CIA membership even if you may not go over to the UK during the current season.
Picking a Game Date – Part One:
• Game dates and times can change due to TV or cup competitions.
Allow for that when booking flights/hotels or risk missing the reason you are going to the UK.
TV makes adjustments between 30-90 days in advance. For example, a listed Saturday 10am match could eventually play on Friday night, Sunday or Monday night. At New Year’s, that January 1 match may actually play three days later.
If you have purchased tickets for a game and it is moved, you have 24-48 hours from the announcement to cancel through CIA. We then notify CFC and they will refund the payment.
• As we advance in the other competitions (Champions Lg, FA Cup, League Cup), game dates and times can change for EPL dates on short notice. Example: When we advanced in the League Cup, a Premier League game three weeks later was moved backwards 2 days to fit in enough rest between dates.
You need to be fluid with dates or wait to book closer to the game you desire (yes, that makes reservations and cost tricky).
Picking a game date – Part Two:
• Toughest tickets: Big clubs away (Man U, Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham and the local away's vs West Ham, Crystal Palace, Fulham and Watford). These also required additional Loyalty Points. Refer to that information below. Chelsea only set aside 150 total tickets for the 32 Platinum Supporter Groups so it's simple match. Also the Leed's away is always over subscribed (high demand).
Examples: Watford away each worldwide group got 60% of total order. Spurs away and Arsenal way at the holidays will be worse. Flip side, our groups received 100% of away orders to Man City and at Southampton.
• High demand dates: The holiday fixtures, Thanksgiving time and the spring break time frames can be high demand. Lots of supporters world-wide travel to London during those times so there are a lot of requests if an away match is near London.
• Away tickets for clubs with smaller grounds may not be available (i.e. Bournemouth.)
• Champions League/Europa League home games in the group stage are available, though if we draw a Barcelona or other big club it may revert to a loyalty point match. Knockout rounds in Feb-April are almost always 10 loyalty point matches.
• Champions League/Europa League away games are either very limited or often not available through supporter groups depending on the allotment and stadium size. However, many members are able to buy direct through Chelsea's web site.
• FA Cup and League Cup home games are available, but away games depend on the size of the host stadium.
• Cup (UK and Europe) semi-final and finals are NOT made available to supporter groups. All sales are through the the Chelsea web site. Do not give up, these tickets can be had if you get on the CFC web site right away.
About Loyalty Points
• CFC True Blue ‘Ticket Only’ or higher membership is required to purchase tickets through CIA. This membership is available on the CFC web site. There are discounts for kids and disabled members.
• Loyalty points are required for select games. Loyalty points are needed for about 1/3 of all games.
Loyalty points are gained by early membership registration (before late July; 5 points given) or through purchase of game tickets during the season (early Cup matches offer the most points for least cost). Games provide different point values.
• Games requiring loyalty points: Home or away vs Man U, Man City, Arsenal, Tottenham, Liverpool. Local aways such as at West Ham, Crystal Palace and Watford. Leeds away now requires loyalty points too due to high demand. The final home and away league game each season also required 10 points. Additionally, late round Cup games 'may' have loyalty point requirements (such as the 2019 Europa League home semi final v Frankfurt).
• How many points? Where required, Sep-Dec events require 5 points in Sep-Dec. Where required in Jan-May it's 10 points. And, if a game requiring points in August, it's again 10 points but using the previous season total.
• Loyalty point totals build up through a season. They do not decrease if you buy tickets. Points build up.
• Lastly, each season is a new start on your total.
How to Gain Loyalty Points:
• Join CFC Ticket membership by July 22. This gives you 5 loyalty points for early registration.
• Buy tickets to games. The most points are offered for Carabao Cup and Champions League groups stage home games in the fall. Chelsea offers up to 5 loyalty points for buying these lesser events. Examples: The home Carabao League Cup game versus Everton and the Community Shield each offered 5 loyalty points and relatively inexpensive tickets.
• More popular game like Man United will only give you 1 loyalty point. We strongly suggest NOT using the big matches but plan ahead and buy from the Cup matches that are big points and cheaper price.
• Loyalty points post once your ticket is confirmed by Chelsea and then paid for by CIA. Plan ahead!
Yes, you may need to buy tickets to game you do not plan to attend to earn loyalty points. It’s the quirky UK system. Bottom line: If you plan trip from January 1 or later, or possibly next August, for a ‘big game’ than you need to work on getting 10 loyalty points well in advance.
For a few tips on your visit to London and game days, click TRIP TIPS