May round-up - farewell to two legends who will always be remembered… and goodbye to a season to forget
###The Chelsea FC Women May round-up - farewell to two legends who will always be remembered… and goodbye to a season to forget
Welcome to the final Chelsea FC Women monthly round-up of the 2025/26 season.
These reviews are posted on a monthly basis throughout the season, and each features a summary of all the action for Chelsea FC Women - and a preview of the month to come.
As this is the final round-up of 2025/26 there will of course be no preview - but watch out for the 2026/27 season preview, which will be posted over the summer!
(These posts are long read, so feel free to skip to the end for the summary!)
###Introduction
The Blues came into the final month of our most challenging season in years, in probably our best form since before Christmas. Our results in April - and Manchester United stumbling - had left us well positioned to finish in the top three and qualify for next season’s Champions League, and a win over Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup meant we progressed to the semi-finals, and kept alive our hopes of ending the season with more silverware.
The title was of course long gone - and Manchester City were set to be crowned champions, barring an all-timer collapse. We would face City in that FA Cup semi-final, in-between two WSL fixtures - Leicester City away, and then Manchester United at home on the final day of the season, although given results in April, it was likely that would no longer be decisive in the battle for Europe.
One last push was needed - and there was still a chance to end a difficult season well.
Off the pitch, however, there was some seismic news…
###Key headlines
The end of an era - Millie Bright retires as captain, leader and legend
Technically, this news came at the end of April - but it was felt throughout much of May.
Club captain Millie Bright had been sidelined since February with injury - and then rocked the footballing world by announcing her immediate retirement from the sport . Although this was a surprise, really it wasn’t - Bright has struggled with recurrent injuries in recent years, and been open with the toil on her physically and mentally. She retired from international football in 2025 ahead of the Euros, and with her seemingly having lost her starting role at the club this season, it did seem a matter of time.
By taking this decision, Millie ensures that she retires on her terms, and on top - and spoke movingly about her desire to focus on her family, health, and to spend time as a Chelsea fan, rather than player.
She will continue to work with the club as an ambassador, and leaves a legacy unmatched by most who have worn the famous Chelsea blue.
Our record-appearance holder, her 12-year career at Chelsea saw her win 20 trophies - and an incredible statistic is that we have not won a single trophy without her.
Millie is also now forever immortalised with her own tribute on the Shed Wall at Stamford Bridge - with her friend, and former manager, Emma Hayes, present for the unveiling.
Farewell to another legend - Sam Kerr leaves Chelsea
This was more news that was expected by many - but still difficult to take.
After six and a half glorious years at the club, Sam Kerr is to leave the club when her contract expires at the end of the season - and leaves it as our greatest ever striker.
At the age of 32, it is undeniable that Kerr’s powers are starting to wane - and her rehab back from her ACL injury was a difficult one. However, her form since returning from the Asian Cup shows what a force she remains - and she will be sorely missed. It is not yet confirmed where the Aussie forward will move, although the NWSL is heavily rumoured.
All legends must leave - and the solace we can take is that her return from injury has been a successful one, and her goals in the final few months of the season key to our aim of securing Champions League football for next season.
It was a privilege to have her.
#Now - to the action!
Leicester 1-3 Chelsea (WSL)
Results elsewhere fell nicely for Chelsea ahead of our first league game in May - Manchester United once again dropping points meant that a point against bottom side Leicester would be enough for the Blues to secure a top three finish, and Champions League football for next season.
This was the first objective of this month - and it was looking like we would soon achieve it, and be able to focus our attention elsewhere.
Perhaps with that in mind, Sonia Bompastor made five changes to her starting XI. This included a rare league start for Livia Peng, in place of Hannah Hampton in goal. Kadeisha Buchanan, Wieke Kaptein, Johanna Rytting Kaneryd and Lexi Potter were the other players in from the start.
There was also happy news in the form of the return of Aggie Beever-Jones to the match day squad following injury. The player who led the line however, was Sam Kerr - with history in her sights. If the Aussie could score against the Foxes then she would claim the club record for WSL goals outright, having moved level with Fran Kirby with her brace in the win against Everton in the previous game.
One player who would not be returning from injury was club captain Millie Bright, who after having been out since February with injury, shocked the footballing world by announcing her immediate retirement in the days leading up to this fixture. It was a surprise, but not really - when you consider the increasing injuries the centre back has had to contend with in recent years, the struggles she has spoken publicly (and bravely) about with her mental health, and the unavoidable advancing of years.
Bright would no doubt be given the most fond of send-offs - but meanwhile, her former team mates had a job to do.
It did not take Kerr long to get to work - and make history. As expected, the opening exchanges were all Chelsea - completely dominant over a side who are all but consigned to a bottom place finish.
Fittingly, the record-breaking goal was a trademark one - Kerr heading home after an excellent cross from Niamh Charles with just 13 minutes on the clock.
By the midway point of the first half, the scoreline did not quite reflect the dominance, with Kaptein having had the best chance to double the lead after some excellent work from Rytting Kaneryd - but somehow her header missed the target from point blank range.
It soon did not matter, as just minutes later Lauren James had made it 2-0 - and whilst the earlier was a trademark SK header, this was a trademark LJ curler, bending the ball past young Leicester goalkeeper Katie Keane from nearly 30 yards. It was only the 19-year-old’s second WSL start, but even a keeper with 200 appearances wouldn’t be saving that.
With a third of the game played, the Blues job was almost 90% done already.
… and a few minutes later it was almost 100%, without yet another world class strike from James.
This one was a set piece - and it could not have been more perfectly placed. Cuthbert was hacked down right on the edge of the box, and the subsequent free kick was almost exactly central. From that range, the Leicester goal was completely at James’ mercy, and so she took the spoils - her free kick going in off the underside of the bar, in yet another display of sheer casual brilliance.
Lucy Bronze was culpable for being far too casual in a much less positive way, however, her loose back pass perfectly setting up Leicester’s O’Brien to slide the ball past Peng.
It didn’t feel like it would matter too much, thankfully, and with Chelsea 3-1 up at half time we could afford for the second 45 to be a formality - which it proved to be.
Leicester were improved, but after a surge from the Foxes to start the second half their spirit soon faded, and there followed a procession of Chelsea players peppering Keane’s goal - with the teenager making one particularly impressive save to deny Nusken Chelsea’s fourth. We didn’t need the extra goals, however - as goal difference is no longer a relevant factor.
It stayed 3-1, therefore - confirming we would once again be playing European football next season.
As well as Kerr’s record moment, another highlight was the return of Beever-Jones to action, coming on in the second half to get some minutes in her legs. She may well be needed - as with our first objective for the month ticked, the next to come a week later is the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City.
Speaking of, City had made hard work of their own WSL fixture - an injury time header from Rebecca Knack gaining them a crucial three points to move them closer to a first WSL title in a decade.
Given City’s lead at the turn of the year it is remarkable the league is not yet secured - but with how many games Arsenal have in hand, and City’s patchy recent form, the race was still very much alive. The vast majority of Chelsea fans would much prefer us relinquish our title to City than our London rivals - and it was a good weekend all round on the Schadenfreuden front, as such, with Arsenal also getting knocked out of the Champions League by Lyon in the semi-finals.
Chelsea 2-3 Manchester City AET (FA Cup semi-final)
Despite their recent wobble, Manchester City came into the FA Cup semi-final as WSL champions - with their late winner against Liverpool at the weekend, and Arsenal dropping points against Brighton midweek, having mathematically secured the title.
This also meant that after a six-year stranglehold, Chelsea were finally forced to relinquish our crown - and now took on the team who had taken it from us, as we sought to keep possession of another of the trophies we had lifted last season, the FA Cup.
Sonia Bompastor made four changes to the team that had beaten Leicester City in our previous game, with Veerle Buurman, Alyssa Thompson, Keira Walsh and Hannah Hampton all in the starting XI.
With the pressure now off City, with the title secured, this made it more concerning that they would be able to play with the pressure off - but instead it was Chelsea who started the game looking most liberated, and very much on the front foot.
The early pressure soon became an early goal - Erin Cuthbert’s low shot taking a fortuitous deflection off of Jade Rose, but nonetheless giving Chelsea a lead that was deserved.
Chelsea also deserved to be 2-0 up not long after - Sam Kerr having a goal disallowed after the officials adjudged that the ball had gone out of play during the build-up, only for replays to show this was the incorrect decision. With no VAR, Chelsea had to ride out the injustice - though given what happened in the Champions League quarter-finals this season, we know that even if VAR was in place there’s no guarantee the right decision would be made.
Man City did grow into the game, which was becoming increasingly end-to-end - and Bunny Shaw the focal point for the away team. Of course there was another narrative to this game, with news having broken this week that Shaw is not renewing her contract at City, and Chelsea are the favourites to sign the striker considered by most the best in the WSL.
However, Shaw really should have scored to make it 1-1 with about 30 minutes played - but blazed over with the goal gaping.
Chelsea took encouragement from this, and our own potent attacking force of Kerr, James and Thompson were giving the City defence the run-around. They could not add anymore (allowed) goals however, and so Chelsea took just a one-goal lead into the break.
Shaw had limped off at the break, but was able to return to action in the second half - and that would prove to be decisive, later on in the game…
The momentum was still all Chelsea’s at the start of the second half, and we came agonisingly close to the second goal after a desperate scramble in the box, with Kerr’s effort just about cleared off the line and away.
After having worked hard to stay with Chelsea for almost an hour, City did then look to have gifted us a cushion - Khaira Keating mishandling a James cross, and then Kerr nodding into an empty net.
There was 30 minutes for Chelsea to see out - just 30 minutes between us, and yet another date at Wembley.
Our cushion was almost even greater, but for a fine margin - another Kerr goal disallowed, this time for offside, and this time correctly, at least.
The onus was on City now - but with Shaw spurning a few more chances, in truth Chelsea were looking quite comfortable.
Until, we weren’t.
WIth less than five minutes to play, substitute Mary Fowler pulled City back into the game with a curling effort to beat Hampton. It still felt like it would take something special for City to come back, however - and it did.
Having almost had her afternoon ended early by injury, and looking short of her best, the woman in the spotlight then made even more headlines for herself. It took her until injury time, but Shaw had finally discovered her shooting boots - and her smart turn and volley made it 2-2, and took the game into extra time, as Stamford Bridge sat stunned.
It was going to take a lot for Chelsea to respond now, having been four minutes from a cup final. The Blues did look to be the team with more attacking intent - and could have had a penalty when Keating cleared out Beever-Jones in the box. The keeper may have got a touch on the ball, but took a lot of the player to do so - and it was another officiating call that we could feel hard done by.
We felt even more hard done by, with what happened next. Keen to get the game restarted, Hampton played out the ball from the back - without her defenders being entirely switched on the plan. Hasegawa intercepted, and then played a simple cross to Shaw - who headed back across Hampton for her second, and City’s third, to complete the turnaround.
There was still another half of extra time to play - but Chelsea struggled to generate much momentum, and our best chance was thwarted by a world class save from Keating, who tipped a Nusken header onto the bar to atone for her earlier error.
The game had completely changed. In the 86th minute Chelsea were heading to Wembley, and would have been favourites to win another FA Cup final, with Brighton the team lying in wait.
Instead, the whistle blew for full time on the 126th minute, with Chelsea dejected at having thrown away a two goal lead, and Man City jubilant.
After a strong recent period of form, this means Chelsea’s season is now looking to be ending on a down note. It summed up our season, really - promise, and then disappointment.
It does all emphasise the more seismic and baffling it is that City may be willing to let the player who turned it around for them, Bunny Shaw, move to Chelsea, of course. Maybe that means things will be better next year.
Chelsea 1-0 Manchester United (WSL)
It has been a mixed, and often difficult season for Chelsea FC Women - and one that ultimately, did not meet expectations. After the gutting loss to Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-final last weekend, there is a bit of a sense that we just want this season over with.
Unlike the past six seasons, our final match of the WSL this year will not feature a trophy lift - but essentially a dead rubber, with Man City confirmed champions already, and European football secured for Chelsea and Arsenal. There was still something to play for, in that if we win and Arsenal lose away to Liverpool, we will finish second - and hence bypass the qualification play offs for the Champions League, but the chances of that seem slim.
Rather than jubilation, the occasion on Saturday lunch time at Stamford Bridge will instead be one of farewell - with two big departures set to take place.
We had known Millie Bright would be leaving the club for some weeks - having announced her retirement - and our former club captain and all-time appearance holder is set to be honoured at the game. Then, this week the long-expected news was confirmed that another legend - Sam Kerr - will also be leaving the club this summer, when her contract expires.
The expected nature of both departures will not make them easier - and the scene at the Bridge is set to be an emotional one. Kerr leaves as our leading WSL goal-scorer - and needs two goals to become our all-time top goal-scorer outright, which will be on everyone's minds.
She has a superb record against our opponents, Man United, at least - and with them having nothing to play for but pride, it could well happen. They have also been in some pretty shocking form recently - having not won in their last five games in all competitions, with their season unravelling at the last.
Of course there have been some memorable final days against United in the WSL - like the 6-0 win at Old Trafford in 2024, to win the title over Man City... or Kerr's stunning brace of volleys in the 4-2 win in 2022, where we came back from behind to win what was then our third consecutive title.
So it could be a special day on the pitch, too.
As expected, Kerr started - and unusually, Sonia Bompastor made no changes at all to the team who had lost to City last week. Excitingly, Mayra Ramirez was also named on the bench - her first time in a matchday squad all season, after a serious hamstring injury.
There was a low key energy to the start of the game, with Man United’s plans disrupted by an early injury to Jayde Riviere.
Chelsea had the better of the chances, with Phallon Tullis-Joyce tipping a Lauren James effort onto the bar, and Ellie Carpenter also hitting the post, all before the 30 minute mark.
By this time, the result of this game was already likely to be academic - as Arsenal had raced into an early 2-0 lead vs Liverpool, so looked set to finish second.
That did not make what happened next any less special - as it was destined, Sam Kerr, getting her goal.
We will miss this. A perfectly shaped cross from James set up the chance, but Kerr showed why she is one of the best strikers to ever grace the WSL with her movement to find the space - and then execute a superb first-time volley. It meant she also moved level with Kirby, for the goals record.
Chelsea took the 1-0 lead into the half time, despite a slightly dodgy moment in first half injury time when Hampton dropped the ball after claiming a cross.
Man United manager made an attacking change at half time, by bringing on Jess Park for defender Anna Sandberg. Park was immediately in the thick of the action - at the heart of United’s best chance, which ended up with them hitting woodwork too.
The change seemed to lead to far greater impetus for United, and they had the better of proceedings for the start of the second half - but by the midway point, the game had settled onto a more even keel.
Kerr then came close to a second - another James cross, which the Aussie met at the far post, but Tullis-Joyce saved at point-blank range, and then the offside flag went up anyway.
This was almost the last we would see of James in action this season, whose form in recent months has been a real highlight - with Aggie Beever-Jones coming in her place for the final ten minutes.
There were six minutes of injury time added on, too - and that was to become over 12, in a bizarrely dramatic denouement to the game, given the result had no real significance.
First though, there was a hugely significant moment - Kerr leaving the Stamford Bridge pitch for the very last time. She left to a massive ovation from the crowd, and applause from both sets of players - and leaves a club legend, and our equal all-time top goalscorer, which given the legend she now shares that record with, felt just right.
Ramirez came on for Kerr in her first appearance of the season - although her future is also uncertain, as one player rumoured to leave - and as part of a triple change Livia Peng also came on for Hampton, who’d picked up an injury.
Then, the drama. With United pushing for an equaliser, the substitute keeper was called into action with a huge save - and with Tullis-Joyce joining the action for a couple of corners, there was a sense of carnage which included Tullis-Joyce being booked for fouling Peng, and Bompastor being booked for complaining about it.
Chelsea survived the extended injury time - and meant we could sign off this difficult season with a win, and a historic goal for a player who will forever be an indelible part of our history.
With Arsenal winning comfortably, third place was confirmed - so Chelsea will have to come through the qualification phase in order to compete in next season’s Champions League, which is what we expected.
###May results in brief
| Fixture | Result | Competition | Goal scorers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leicester City (A) | 3-1 W | WCL | Kerr, James x 2 (Charles, Cuthbert assists) |
| Manchester City (H) | 3-2 L | FA Cup | Cuthbert, Kerr |
| Manchester United (H) | 1-0 W | WSL | Kerr (James assists) |
###Summary
This season has been one in which expectations were forced to be adjusted, after a period of bad results mid-season which saw us out of the title race - and then a controversial quarter-final defeat against Arsenal in the Champions League, which saw us exit Europe, too.
The league title and the elusive European Cup is what each Chelsea fan hopes for heading into the season - and so 2025/26 was unsuccessful by these metrics.
Our revised goals, therefore, included at the very least qualifying for next season’s Champions League - and we quickly achieved that, with a win against Leicester in the first game of the month.
The other goal was to add to the League Cup we won earlier this season with another FA Cup - but after being completely in control of our semi-final against Manchester City, 2-0 up with four minutes of normal time to go, we collapsed to a 3-2 extra time defeat, so would not be signing off 2025/26 at Wembley.
It summed up what has been a disappointing season.
There was more tough news then, off the pitch, with the departure of two legends. Club captain Millie Bright announcing her retirement - and Sam Kerr announcing that she is leaving the club in the summer.
At least, we able to say a proper goodbye - a Kerr goal against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge in our final match of the campaign, which not only won the game, but also ensured she ends her time at Chelsea as our joint all-time top goalscorer, alongside a player just as important to our history, Fran Kirby.
There were emotional scenes at the Bridge as we said farewell to the two - but it is also fair to say that there will be no tears shed at the goodbye to this season, which has been the most challenging on and off the pitch in recent memory.
With a summer ahead of no international tournaments, there is the chance for the manager and squad to reset, and renew our energy for 2026/27. However, with more rumoured departures - and potentially some exciting new signings - it is likely the Chelsea that will start next season is very different to the one that has finished this one.
As always, we will go again.
#UTC