Allison Kasic and Matt Ammerman are avid Chelsea supporters and have watched our men’s team countless times. But when we play Arsenal at Audi Field on August 25, it will be their first opportunity to watch the women in the flesh in the city they call home.

Matt, a self-confessed history buff, found the Blues after delving into and learning more about our past when he was in high school in the mid-2000s.

‘I envy the people who were born into the club,’ explained Matt. ‘I don’t have that luxury, so to make myself whole [as a fan] I dive into the history and what’s going on on and off the pitch with the club.’

Meanwhile, Allison’s journey started this side of the pond when she was studying in London and living not too far from our club's home, Stamford Bridge.

Since their respective introduction to the clubs, both found their way to the women’s team, with Matt following our success in the Women’s Super League and Alisson taking note when a notable U.S. star transferred to the Blues in 2017.

‘The thing that selfishly put the women’s team really on my radar was when Crystal Dunn signed,’ said Allison.

‘I’m a season ticket holder at Washington Spirit and she was our best player at the time. She transferred to Chelsea and that was a big deal because at the time most of the big English players would play in America, and now we had one of my favourite players going in the other direction.

‘That coincided with the rise of Emma Hayes building the team into something that was absolutely dominant. That piqued my interest and got me hooked.’

With Allison a season ticket holder for Washington Spirit – who will host our game against Arsenal – there is a sense of worlds colliding for the dedicated Blues fan.

To have Chelsea Women play in D.C. – an impressive hub of domestic and international football in the United States – is an opportunity for fans old and new to make special memories.

‘This is going to be the first time some people on the East Coast are going to even have the opportunity to watch the women’s team and I guarantee that’s going to create lifelong fans,’ added Allison.

‘It’s bound to suck people in and now they’re going to be part of our Chelsea family. They will hopefully go on to support Chelsea for decades to come, but this will be a memory that will stay with them – watching the women’s team for the first time.

‘You always remember your first match, right? That’s a memory we’re not going to forget anytime soon.’

It is a sentiment echoed by Matt, who is looking forward to watching the early days of Sonia Bompastor’s Chelsea tenure take shape while we are out on tour in the United States.

‘This will be my first time watching the women’s team, so I’m really excited – and to add a derby on top of that is going to be a great experience,’ he said. ‘This is a new era with a new coach and a bunch of new players, so it’s going to be great to see that start here in the States.’

It is clear Chelsea means a lot to both Allison and Matt. They have and continue to dedicate their own time to help other Blues fans gain the most from match-day experiences, such as our London derby in D.C.

They do it because of the love. The passion. The Blues.

‘Chelsea is an important part of my day-to-day life,’ said Allison. ‘It’s probably my favourite thing. But watching Chelsea play as an international supporter, realistically, I only get to do that once or twice year, or even every other year.

‘So, the community we’ve been able to build locally is what is really fulfilling. We have a common interest and we’ve built really close friendships that is unique to supporting to the club.’

A sense of community is not something unique to only our USA Tour matches. It will most certainly be felt at a packed out Audi Field, but it can also be shared even amongst a few fans in smaller spaces.

‘There is an aura around getting together to support the team whether that be at the pub or going to watch these games during the summer tour,’ added Matt. ‘

‘It’s not something you get with other sports, like I watch the New York Yankees but I’m not going to the bar every time to watch.

‘With Chelsea, it is so wildly different. You have that really close knit community and it’s very welcoming. We try and do as much as we can so people feel welcomed in so that if it is their first time they can walk up to anybody wearing a Chelsea shirt and have a conversation with them

‘We want them to feel engaged with it that they want to keep coming back and make it part of their routine.’

• The 2024/25 season is fast approaching and you can secure your tickets for Stamford Bridge here! Season ticket holders and Chelsea members can buy their tickets via this portal. Supporters wishing to purchase accessible tickets can do so here.