Cobham Training Centre

Lore & Background

When Roman Abramovich purchased Chelsea FC in July 2003, the club's training facilities were identified as an important area for new investment. Chelsea had used the Harlington training ground since the 1970s, but it was owned by Imperial College, and its facilities were regarded as outdated. Planning permission for a new complex in Cobham was granted in 2004. Chelsea began training at Cobham in 2005, while construction was still ongoing, and the facility was officially unveiled in July 2007. In 2008, the final phase, an Academy and Community Pavilion, was opened.

In Their Own Story

The morning mist still clings to the pristine grass of Pitch One as the first team arrives, the silence broken only by the rhythmic thud of boots on turf. Inside the modern glass-walled analysis rooms, coaches review footage from the previous match, while outside, the academy players are already finishing their warm-ups under the watchful eyes of scouts. It is a place where history is not just remembered but actively written, every pass and drill echoing the legacy of those who came before.

Reader's Guide

Costing a reported £20 million, the training ground is on a 140-acre site and houses all of the club's football activities, from the first team to the academy, reserve and women's teams. It features nine football pitches (three with undersoil heating and six to Premier League standard), an indoor artificial pitch, a media centre, gyms, cold immersion pools, a sauna, a steam room and a 56 ft HydroWorx hydrotherapy pool. Approximately a third of the facility is underground; a moat reflects light into basement rooms and reduces energy usage. The main building has a turf roof. Water from the surrounding area is collected in a reservoir for pitch irrigation.

Did You Know?

• Cobham has hosted the Surrey Positive Mental Awareness League, a football league for people with mental health problems.
• It also hosts the Cobham Cup, a tournament for under-16 teams from around the world, including River Plate and Bayern Munich.
• In 2007, the Chinese Olympic football team trained at Cobham for two weeks in preparation for the 2008 Summer Olympics.
• Old Malvernians play their home matches at Cobham.
• The training facilities are also used by Cobham Rugby Football Club.