We look forward to being able to plan for a full capacity again and hope we can be at that stage sometime soon, but for now, under the Government’s three-tier system of restrictions announced yesterday and subject to approval from the relevant local authorities, 2,000 home supporters are permitted for the Premier League match against Leeds United on Saturday 5 December, and for the Champions League game against Krasnodar on Tuesday 8 December.

A smaller number of supporters will be allowed at the Chelsea Women fixture with West Ham United at Kingsmeadow on Sunday 6 December. This is also subject to approval from the relevant local authorities and more information on that match will follow in due course.

With seats only available for a small percentage of our normal attendance at Stamford Bridge, we empathise with the many who will be disappointed to initially miss out when the tickets are allocated, which will be by a ballot system. A link to enter the ballot, which opens from midday today (Saturday) and closes 24 hours later, is available further down this page.

Before deciding on this method of ticket allocations, the club consulted with supporter groups. We listened to all the feedback, and we appreciate that not everyone will agree with the system being put in place, but at the very heart of all the decisions we have made on this matter is the desire to be as fair as possible to as many as possible. We ask for your patience as we work our way through all season ticket holders eligible to attend.

The split between general admission seats and hospitality seats available will generally be the same percentage split that exists at Stamford Bridge in normal circumstances. Each of those two categories of tickets will have a separate balloting process. Season ticket holders will not be able to apply for hospitality seats, and hospitality customers will not be able to apply for general admission tickets.

The club has contractual obligations to our commercial partners, broadcasters, players and others and we have discussed ticketing with them. All have been very cooperative and helpful in making as many tickets as possible available for Chelsea fans.

There will be no away fans attending until further notice.

Ballot system details for the Leeds and Krasnodar games

Each applicant may apply for a single match ticket (if they were previously a single season ticket holder in the 2019/20 season) or a pair of match tickets (if they were the holder of two or more linked season tickets in the 2019/20 season), provided the two tickets are for persons who are in the same bubble per government guidelines.

If you live in a Tier 3 area you are not eligible to apply for the ballot.

Season ticket holders from the 2019/20 season will be able to make an application between 12pm (midday) today, Saturday 28 November, and 12pm (midday) on Sunday 29 November.

Upon logging in, supporters will be presented with two areas to choose from: the Shed End lower tier or West Stand lower tier. Supporters can then select either a single ticket or a pair of tickets together with one member of their ‘Friends and Family’ on the ticketing database who is, as per government guidance, within their support bubble.

80 per cent of the general admission seats available are located in the West Stand lower tier, and 20 per cent are in the Shed End lower tier.

The East Stand and the Matthew Harding Stand will not be used for supporters due to organisational requirements under current COVID protocols.

If you are successful in the ballot for the Leeds game, you will not be able to apply for another game until the club invites you to do so, so as to give as many supporters as possible the chance to attend a match. If you are successful in the Leeds ballot and also applied for the Krasnodar game, you will be withdrawn from the latter ballot.

For the Leeds game, there is a two-tier pricing structure for adult general admission tickets:

West Stand lower tier - £75Shed End lower tier - £40

For the Krasnodar game, adult general admission tickets in both the West Stand lower tier and the Shed End lower tier will be £35.

There will be a 50 per cent reduction for junior and senior concessions and for disabled supporters for both matches.

The standard fee per transaction of £2 applies.

If you are successful in the ballot and then cannot make the game, the ticket is not transferable to a different match or to a different person. No refunds will be made if ticket is not returned in time to be re-allocated. You will have to wait until you are eligible to apply again for a chance to attend. Any returned tickets will be allocated to extra names drawn as part of the original ballot process. There will be no second ballot.

These arrangements are in place for the Leeds and Krasnodar games initially and may be subject to change for subsequent matches.

You must not enter the ballot if, at the date of the match, you will be required to self-isolate following travel to the UK from a foreign country, if you have Covid-19 symptoms, or if you are prevented from travelling to London as a result of any application of the UK Government’s tiered COVID restrictions.

Supporters who held their 2019/20 season ticket in a business name cannot purchase tickets for reduced crowd matches.

Supporters who held multiple 2019/20 season tickets in one name can only apply for one ticket in the ballot.

Supporters who are successful in the Leeds ballot will be contacted by 12pm on Wednesday 2 December. Supporters who are successful in the Krasnodar ballot will be contacted by 12pm on Thursday 3 December.

Ticket payment

Those successful in the ballot who opted for a credit to their account in the refund process for 2019/20 season tickets will be automatically debited for the ticket price and transaction fee. There is no transaction fee for unsuccessful ballot applications.

If the option was not taken to credit the account, or sufficient credit is not available, then successful applicants will be contacted for payment. This payment must be made by 12pm on Wednesday 2 December for the Leeds game, and 12pm on Thursday 3 December for the Krasnodar game.

Before you apply for the ballot

Please make sure:

You have a 2019/20 season ticket in your name.

You have decided which stand you want to be in (West or Shed End) and therefore how much you wish to pay.

You know whether you want to apply for a single ticket, or two tickets in conjunction with another season ticket holder.

You have a valid email address registered in your online account as all tickets are print@home and will be dispatched via email from Thursday 3 December.

You are not prevented from travelling to the stadium by the Government’s tiered Covid-19 restrictions

Click here to apply for the General Admission ballot, which opens at 12pm today (Saturday).

Hospitality customers will receive an email outlining the application process today.

Attending the match

For those successful in obtaining tickets for the Leeds or Krasnodar games, entry to Stamford Bridge will be via the Britannia Entrance only (this is the entrance closest to Fulham Broadway). Only supporters with a valid ticket for the match, who have had their identity confirmed, temperature checked and who have completed a Chelsea FC Matchday COVID-19 Declaration, will be permitted past this point.

Guests will receive the Chelsea FC Matchday Covid-19 Declaration by email 24 hours before the match. This will need to be completed online and a Declaration Confirmation will be emailed to each guest. This Declaration Confirmation will also need to be printed before arriving at Stamford Bridge. Failure to complete this questionnaire will result in refusal of entry.

The match ticket must also be printed off in advance and cannot be collected or printed at Stamford Bridge. Photo ID (provisional/driving licence or passport) must be shown to gain entry. There will be no exceptions to this.

So to be allowed into the stadium, supporters must bring: a printed match ticket, a printed email confirming they have successfully completed the Chelsea FC Matchday COVID-19 Declaration, a valid form of photo ID that matches the name on the ticket and be wearing a face mask (unless you are exempt).

Supporters can arrive at the stadium from two hours before the game until kick-off.

The ticket office will not be open on the day of the game in order to aid the flow of match-going fans around the stadium and comply with Government COVID protocols.

Temperature checks will also be carried out on arrival and guests must wear a face covering at all times (unless you are exempt).

There will also be a code of conduct to which all fans must comply at all times or risk exclusion from the stadium and further sanctions. The return of fans to Premier League games will be under much scrutiny so it is imperative the code is adhered to for the return to continue and for the potential for numbers to increase.

A fresh set of terms and conditions for attending matches are in place this season, as well as a new COVID code of conduct and Stamford Bridge ticketing policy.

The medical questionnaire and code of conduct will be sent to all successful applicants ahead of each match.

Welcoming you back

We wish all who enter the ballot good luck. It begins what is an important step forward in the return to the normal football life we all love and have missed so much for most of 2020. We thank all our fans hugely for their patience during a difficult time when we have had little information to give and the way forward was often unclear.

Frank, the coaching staff and the players have all still felt your support from afar, but they are looking forward enormously to feeling it much closer up from 5 December onwards.