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Dear CST members,
The Chelsea Supporters’ Trust (CST) recently conducted a short, anonymous survey of its members to understand supporter views on the current ownership, governance, and wider structure of Chelsea Football Club.
The survey received a strong response from members and provides a clear snapshot of supporter sentiment at this point in time. The results set out below reflect levels of confidence, perceptions of leadership and structure, and priorities for improvement as expressed by supporters.
The Trust recognises that supporters do not have access to all the information or context behind decisions taken by the club. However, supporter confidence and trust are shaped by what supporters see, experience, and are able to understand. Measuring and reflecting that sentiment independently, accurately, and without dilution is a core responsibility of the CST.
While the strength of feeling reflected in the results may be uncomfortable, the themes identified are not new. They have been evident over a sustained period and have persisted even during times of on-pitch success, indicating that these concerns relate to confidence, clarity, and trust rather than short-term results or isolated events.
The CST believes the findings highlight a material and ongoing confidence gap between the club and its supporters. Addressing this gap will require clearer explanation, greater transparency, and more meaningful engagement. As a first and necessary step, we urge the club to provide further information and rationale, particularly in areas where supporter confidence is weakest, to help supporters better understand the decisions being taken on their behalf.
The CST will continue to press Chelsea FC for better clarity, accountability, and engagement for the supporters in our ongoing dialogue, and we remain committed to engaging positively with the club on behalf of supporters. At the same time, the Trust will continue to reflect member views independently, responsibly, and transparently, recognising that trust is built through openness, clarity, and sustained engagement.
The CST will always support a new head coach and wishes Liam Rosenior every success. At the same time, we see this moment as an important opportunity for the club’s leadership to step forward with clearer communication and greater transparency, recognising that responsibility for confidence and trust extends beyond the head coach alone.
The CST would like to thank all members who took the time to respond to the survey.
Yours sincerely,
The Chelsea Supporters’ Trust Board
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Chelsea Supporters’ Trust – January 2026 Survey Results
Question 1 – Overall confidence: How confident are you that Chelsea FC is currently being run in a way that will deliver sustained on-pitch success over the next 3–5 years?
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Very confident
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1.3%
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Somewhat confident
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6.4%
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Neither confident nor unconfident
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9.5%
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Somewhat unconfident
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30.2%
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Very unconfident
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52.5%
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Question 2 – Ownership decision-making: How much confidence do you have in the ownership group’s football-related decision-making?
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A great deal of confidence
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0.78%
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A fair amount of confidence
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3.7%
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Neutral
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5.8%
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Not very much confidence
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36.9%
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No confidence at all
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53.7%
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Question 3 – Sporting structure: Which statement best reflects your view of Chelsea FC’s current sporting structure (e.g. sporting directors, recruitment, relationship with head coach)?
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Well-structured and effective
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1.0%
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Generally sound, needs improvement
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9.0%
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Neutral
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4.0%
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Significant weaknesses
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42.69%
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Not fit for purpose
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43.2%
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Question 4 – Leadership planning: To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statement: “Chelsea FC currently demonstrates a clear and effective plan for its football leadership, including head coach appointments and succession.”
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Strongly agree
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1.0%
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Tend to agree
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3.7%
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Neither agree nor disagree
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4.8%
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Tend to disagree
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21.07%
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Strongly disagree
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67.6%
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Not sure / don’t know
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1.7%
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Question 5 – Sporting leadership confidence: How much confidence do you have in the current team responsible for Chelsea FC’s sporting decisions (e.g. sporting directors, recruitment, football operations)?
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A great deal of confidence
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1.1%
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A fair amount of confidence
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4.5%
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Neutral
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7.3%
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Not very much confidence
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40.6%
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No confidence at all
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46.3%
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Question 6 – Supporter engagement: How satisfied are you with the level of meaningful engagement between Chelsea FC’s ownership and supporters?
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Very satisfied
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0.8%
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Fairly satisfied
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3.2%
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Neither
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15.1%
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Fairly dissatisfied
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27.0%
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Very dissatisfied
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53.7%
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Question 7 – Ticket pricing: To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statement: “Supporters should not be expected to pay higher ticket prices to cover the financial impact of the club’s commercial decisions and changes in football leadership.”
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Strongly agree
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57.3%
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Tend to agree
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12.0%
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Neither
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12.2%
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Tend to disagree
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5.9%
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Strongly disagree
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12.3%
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Question 8 – Priorities for improvement: If the club were to prioritise areas for improvement, please rank what you believe is the order of priority. Top is the highest priority, bottom is the lowest.
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Priority area
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Ranked 1st
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Ranked 1st or 2nd
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Ranked 4th or 5th
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Overall signal
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Clearer football leadership & accountability
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59.3%
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88.6%
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3.3%
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Overwhelming top priority
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Greater managerial stability
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25.4%
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64.6%
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13.8%
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Strong secondary priority
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Better communication & transparency with supporters
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10.2%
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28.5%
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35.1%
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Mid-tier priority
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Improved commercial strategy and execution
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3.1%
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13.6%
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57.9%
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Lower priority
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Retaining current approach but improving results
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2.1%
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4.7%
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89.9%
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Clear lowest priority
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