Chelsea Women will face Real Sociedad over two legs for a place in the Women’s Champions League league phase after discovering their European opponents on Tuesday.
The Chelsea Women Champions League campaign will begin at home on 26 August before Sonia Bompastor’s side travel to Spain for the return leg on 2 September. Chelsea confirmed the third qualifying-round draw on their official website.
Chelsea were seeded alongside Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and Wolfsburg but were paired with Real Sociedad, who finished third in Liga F last season. The Spanish side ended six points behind Real Madrid and 21 behind champions Barcelona.
The tie has added importance for Chelsea after their third-place WSL finish meant they missed out on automatic qualification for the league phase. Nine teams will progress from the third qualifying round, while the losing sides will instead enter the Women’s Europa Cup.
Chelsea Women Champions League place carries major reward
There is also a significant financial incentive attached to reaching the next stage.
UEFA’s 2026/27 distribution documents state that every club reaching the Women’s Champions League league phase will receive a €505,000 starting payment. Third qualifying-round winners also receive €110,000 for participating in the round, before further league-phase performance bonuses become available.
It therefore represents Chelsea’s first major competitive hurdle of the new campaign, with little room for a slow start after pre-season.
Bompastor has been stepping up preparations during Chelsea’s tour of Australia. ReadChelsea reported on Monday that Sandy Baltimore described the training programme as “really intense”, while new signing Katie McCabe has also been adapting quickly to the demands of her new side.
The schedule will become demanding almost immediately. Chelsea play the second leg against Real Sociedad on 2 September before opening their WSL campaign against Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge just three days later on 5 September.
Getting past Sociedad would therefore do more than secure another season among Europe’s elite. It would remove an early obstacle for Bompastor, guarantee a valuable Champions League payment and allow Chelsea to enter the domestic season with their European place already secured.
