Chelsea FC Secures Sponsorship with Dubai’s DAMAC Properties

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Chelsea Football Club has formed a new international partnership with DAMAC Properties, a leading luxury real estate developer based in Dubai.

Under the agreement, DAMAC becomes Chelsea’s Official Property Development Partner and will feature prominently as a shirt sponsor for the remainder of the 2024/2025 season.

DAMAC’s branding will feature on the front of Chelsea FC’s men’s and women’s team shirts, beginning with the upcoming UEFA Conference League semi-final clash against Djurgarden.

The collaboration gives DAMAC major visibility across matchday broadcasts, global digital channels and on-ground activations during one of the most high-profile stages of the football season.

A key element of the deal is the launch of Chelsea Residences by DAMAC – a first-of-its-kind branded real estate project in Dubai’s Maritime City. With plans for more than 1,400 residential units, the development weaves Chelsea FC’s identity throughout its design – from concierge services and wellness areas to high-performance amenities inspired by the club.

President and COO of Chelsea Football Club, Jason Gannon, expressed his support on the collaboration.

“With the club located in the heart of London, the collaboration will bring Chelsea to life in Dubai, support our continued growth on the global stage. We can’t wait to see Chelsea Residences take its place in the Dubai skyline,” he said via press release.

According to DAMAC, the project is designed to combine luxury beachfront living with football-inspired lifestyle offerings, targeting international buyers and Chelsea fans seeking a premium residential experience in the UAE.

Managing Director of Sales & Development of DAMAC Properties, Amira Sajwani, highlighted the significance of the collaboration, emphasising its groundbreaking nature.

“This launch marks the first of an elite collection that celebrates not just the passion of Chelsea FC but its enduring legacy, innovative spirit and relentless pursuit of excellence. This initiative goes beyond celebrating the beautiful game; it sets a new benchmark for those who expect nothing less than the exceptional, every time,” she said via press release.

The alliance represents the latest move by a football club to team up with a real estate brand to grow its commercial reach and lifestyle influence. For Chelsea, it’s a strategic step in bolstering its global presence, particularly across the Middle East – a region known for strong investment in both luxury development and European football.

From DAMAC’s perspective, the teaming up with Chelsea offers global brand exposure and a distinct market edge in Dubai’s competitive high-end property sector. The project adds to a growing trend of sports-branded real estate developments aimed at high-net-worth individuals and football enthusiasts who value exclusivity and brand alignment.

The integration of DAMAC’s real estate portfolio with Chelsea’s global brand presents strong potential for long-term returns through:

  • Property sales driven by Chelsea fan loyalty
  • Global media exposure via international football broadcasts
  • Co-branded luxury positioning across the hospitality, wellness and real estate sectors

This joint venture also highlights Chelsea’s evolving commercial strategy under its current ownership — with a focus on diversifying revenue streams, deepening international fan engagement, and forging cross-industry partnerships beyond traditional sports sponsorship.

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Project ACL: The initiative leading the way on injury research

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Launched in 2024, the research project recently welcomed two US-based organisations: the National Women’s Soccer League Players Association (NWSLPA) and National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).

 

About Project ACL

Led by FIFPRO, PFA England, Nike and Leeds Beckett University, Project ACL aims to research ACL injuries and understand more about multifactorial risk factors.

After piloting in England’s Women’s Super League (WSL), Project ACL will expand to the NWSL in the US, reflecting the global importance of the project’s research and outcome.

“We are incredibly excited to bring the NWSLPA and NWSL to Project ACL,” said Director of Women’s Football at FIFPRO, Dr. Alex Culvin, via official press release.

“Overall, we believe that player-centricity and collaboration with key stakeholders are central to establishing meaningful change in the soccer ecosystem and that players, competition organisers and stakeholdersaround the world will benefit from Project ACL’s outputs and outcomes.”

Interviews with over 30 players and team surveys across all 12 WSL clubs provided the project’s research team with valuable information about current prevention strategies and available resources.

Furthermore, the project tracks player workload and busy schedule periods during the season through the FIFPRO Player Workload Monitoring tool, therefore gaining insights into the link between scheduling and injury risks.

 

Looking to the data

Project ACL’s partnerships with the WSL – and now the NWSL – are immensely valuable for the future of player welfare in women’s football.

Although ACL injuries affect both male and female athletes, they are twice as likely to occur in women than men. However, according to the NWSL, as little as 8% of sports science research focuses on female athletes.

In Australia, several CommBank Matildas suffered ACL injuries in recent years: Sam Kerr was sidelined from January 2024 to September 2025, Ellie Carpenter for 8 months after suffering the injury while playing for Olympique Lyonnais, and Holly McNamara came back from three ACL’s aged 15, 18 and 20.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg. The 2025/26 ALW season saw several ACL incidents, including four in just two weeks.

 

Research, prevent, protect

Injury prevention and research are vital to sport – whether professional or amateur.

But when the numbers are so shocking – and incidents are so common – governing bodies must remember that player welfare comes above all else. Research can inform prevention strategies. Prevention means players can enjoy the game they love.

The work of Project ACL, continuing until 2027, will hopefully protect countless players across women’s football from suffering long-term or recurring injuries.

South Canberra FC Breaks the Mold: Equity-Driven Model Earns ‘Club Changer’ Honour

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South Canberra Football Club has been named Club Changer of the Month for April, in a recognition that reflects a broader shift across Australian football toward rewarding clubs that are actively dismantling the structural barriers limiting women’s access to the game.

The AFC Women’s Asian Cup has just delivered record crowds and unprecedented visibility for women’s football in Australia, and the Club Changer program is now asking what comes next. Its decision to name South Canberra Football Club as Club Changer of the Month for April signals a clear shift in how the program defines contribution: away from participation numbers alone, and toward the equity frameworks that determine whether women stay in the game once they arrive.

South Canberra FC built that framework from the ground up. Established in 2021, the club set out to give women and female-identifying players a safe, inclusive environment to play football at any level. It runs entirely on volunteers, operates as a not-for-profit, and is governed by an all-female committee with 13 of its 14 coaches identifying as female.

 

Building the infrastructure of inclusion

In 2026, the club secured grant funding and put it to work immediately. Two coaches are completing their C Licence qualification, and ten coaches, players and community members have undertaken the Foundations of Football course, which directly tackles the cost and accessibility barriers that exclude women out of coaching pathways.

The club also commissioned a female-specific strength and conditioning program with sports physiotherapists ahead of the 2026 season, targeting injury prevention and explicitly supporting players returning after childbirth.

SCFC’s leadership team draws from LGBTIQ+ individuals, First Nations people and veterans, strengthening the club’s connection to the communities it was built to represent.

The Club Changer program is backing clubs that do this work- clubs that treat equity as infrastructure rather than aspiration. At a moment when Australian football is under pressure to turn its biggest-ever surge of women’s interest into something lasting, SCFC’s model offers a clear answer to the question of how.

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