For the first time in the Todd Boehly, Clearlake Capital era, Chelsea FC have won silverware. Sure, it’s the only the lowly UEFA Europa Conference League, but hey, you know what they say- you can only play the games in front of you. It is not Chelsea’s fault that we now have a third-tier continental competition. But hey, if you’re in it, then win it, and Chelsea did exactly that. Now it’s, as Jay-Z would say “on to the next one,” the FIFA Club World Cup.
Chelsea FC FIFA Club World Cup FYIs
How They Qualified: Winners of the 2020-21 UEFA Champions League
Group D Matches:
June 16, 3pm EST, LAFC, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
June 20, 2pm EST, Flamengo, Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA
June 24, 9pm EST, ES Tunis, Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA
Past Titles Won: 1, in 2021 and 1 runner-up in 2012
Chelsea FC Club World Cup Storyline: Little Time to Prepare
We just learned today that the Blues’ very first opponent in the Club World Cup will be LAFC, instead of Club Leon.
We won’t get into all the qualifying rules, stipulations and what not, but the interesting question here is- how will this affect preparations?
Did they do a lot of prep for Leon? If so, it must obviously be scrapped now, with the Blues game-planning for Los Angeles’ second Major League Soccer team instead.
Club World Cup Player to Watch Liam Delap
He hasn’t been officially announced yet, but according to reports, he’s already passed the first part of his medical.
Did Chelsea overpay for the Ipswich Town striker? How will his arrival impact the rest of the position group?
What will be the other transfer dominos that will fall, after his arrival?
How fast does he settle in at his new club?
2025 FIFA Club World Cup Previews
Manchester City Atletico Madrid Paris Saint-Germain Bayern Munich Real Madrid Borussia Dortmund Inter Miami CF Chelsea FC Juventus
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter