The owner of Stamford Bridge stadium is Chelsea Pitch Owners PLC (CPO), a nonprofit organization that holds the freehold of the stadium as well as the naming rights of Chelsea Football Club. CPO was created to protect the stadium from being sold to property developers and to secure the club's future at Stamford Bridge. The club itself leases the stadium from CPO under a long-term lease agreement
. Chelsea Football Club's current operational ownership is held by a consortium led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, who acquired the club in 2022. However, they do not own the stadium freehold itself, which remains with Chelsea Pitch Owners. Any major redevelopment or relocation plans for Stamford Bridge require approval from CPO shareholders
. In summary:
- Stamford Bridge freehold and naming rights are owned by Chelsea Pitch Owners PLC.
- Chelsea FC operates under a lease from CPO.
- The club's owners (Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital) manage the football operations but do not own the stadium outright
