England: Stamford Bridge expanded? Backup stadium already secured

02.05.2025 17:22 source: StadiumDB.com; author: Paulina Skóra

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) would be open to sharing Allianz Stadium with Chelsea if the Premier League club decides to rebuild Stamford Bridge.

Rugby will help Chelsea, Chelsea will help rugby?

RFU CEO Bill Sweeney, however, pointed out that such a plan would need to overcome a significant obstacle in the form of gaining approval from the local council.

RFU openly speaks of its desire to host more events unrelated to rugby at Allianz Stadium, and Chelsea had previously considered the 82,000-capacity stadium as a temporary home should it decide to modernize and expand Stamford Bridge. Chelsea mentioned Twickenham as a potential option as early as 2017 when discussions took place about whether to renovate their current venue or perhaps find a new site for the stadium.

If the club were to play at Twickenham during the reconstruction, such collaboration would provide RFU with a cash boost, which would be beneficial after the organization recorded a record loss last year. However, Sweeney emphasized that the entire agreement would need to be approved by the local authorities, who are sensitive to the needs of the delicate local residents.

A serious obstacle to overcome

To begin with, RFU would need to change the current regulations limiting the number of non-rugby events allowed at Twickenham. The limit is currently set at three such events per year, with a maximum attendance of 55,000. Raising this limit could open the stadium to other sports as a temporary venue.

This would enable the realization of such a plan. Talks have already taken place with potential Premier League clubs. The Richmond Council is more cautious about this. I think it's mostly about the impact on the residents—such as the number of fans and so on—they are more sensitive to this. It may also depend on which club it is. We're talking about a lot of money, but I know the Richmond council would want to have a say in this matter, said Sweeney.