{"id":9253,"date":"2026-05-16T18:56:55","date_gmt":"2026-05-16T18:56:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=9253"},"modified":"2026-05-16T18:56:55","modified_gmt":"2026-05-16T18:56:55","slug":"furious-chelsea-fans-protest-against-owners-moments-before-fa-cup-final-at-wembley","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=9253","title":{"rendered":"Furious Chelsea fans protest against owners moments before FA Cup final at Wembley"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"article-body\">\n<h2 class=\"LeadText_lead-text__wd_PA __className_184259\" data-testid=\"leadtext\">Chelsea fans took the opportunity to protest against the club&#8217;s ownership, taking the unusual step of doing so before the FA Cup final vs Man City at Wembley<\/h2>\n<div class=\"Byline_byline-container__K_Owl\" data-testid=\"byline\"><span class=\"Byline_byline-content-wrapper__Imque\" data-testid=\"byline-content\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"Byline_author-badge-date-wrapper__Q7jj1\">\n<p><span class=\"\" data-testid=\"byline-publishedDate\">14:14, 16 May 2026<\/span><span class=\"ArticleTimestamp_updated-date__7qD4Q ArticleTimestamp_updated-date-with-published__iFKpF\" data-testid=\"byline-updatedDate\">Updated 14:14, 16 May 2026<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/div>\n<p><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX ImageEmbed_image-lead__Ti3qQ\" data-testid=\"leadimage\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37165308\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Chelsea fans protested on Wembley Way in the hours before the FA Cup final\" loading=\"eager\" sizes=\"(max-width: 508px) 508px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37165308.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200f\/0_GettyImages-2276539227.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37165308.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s508\/0_GettyImages-2276539227.jpg 508w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37165308.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615\/0_GettyImages-2276539227.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37165308.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200f\/0_GettyImages-2276539227.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Chelsea fans protested on Wembley Way in the hours before the FA Cup final\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Chelsea fans protested on Wembley Way in the hours before the FA Cup final<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Chelsea fans protested down Wembley Way ahead of the FA Cup final.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Supporters group Not A Project CFC chanted against the club\u2019s BlueCo ownership Behdad Eghbali and Todd Boehly. Around 200 fans walked from the top of Wembley Way near Wembley Park station right up to the stadium.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">They chanted songs against the ownership and chanted: \u201cWe want our Chelsea back.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">They also chanted former owner Roman Abramovich\u2019s name in support of the Russian billionaire who guided the club to huge success. It must be a first for groups to protest against the ownership on a cup final day but it shows the depth of feeling against the parent company BlueCo.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">They expect thousands to support them and they also plan to turn their backs on the pitch during the Tottenham game on Tuesday in the 22nd minute which signifies when the current owners took over in 2022.<\/p>\n<p><span data-testid=\"readmore\" class=\"ReadMore_readmore-prefix__xS44r __className_ae62be\">READ MORE<!-- -->: <span class=\"ReadMore_readmore-link__eF9pN\">Chelsea could name Xabi Alonso as new manager NEXT WEEK as talks accelerate<\/span><\/span><span data-testid=\"readmore\" class=\"ReadMore_readmore-prefix__xS44r __className_ae62be\">READ MORE<!-- -->: <span class=\"ReadMore_readmore-link__eF9pN\">7 pundits predict Chelsea vs Man City FA Cup final as five-goal hammering expected<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Lifelong Chelsea fan David Cook, 34, who is one of the main organisers of the group, told the Mirror this week: \u201cIt\u2019s such an iconic walk up Wembley Way and it will be something of a first.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cLast time we organised something completely different to march with Strasbourg fans before the Manchester United game and we wanted to do something different again.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cI know it will look strange to some supporters. You reach the FA Cup final and it\u2019s a sign of success. But this is about how the club is being run. This is our club, we are passionate and we support our team. We want it back.<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37092171\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37092171\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Several individuals dressed in formal attire are seated in a stadium, possibly engaged in a discussion. Some individuals are holding papers and one person is gesturing with their hand.\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37092171.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_JS346019049.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37092171.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/0_JS346019049.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37092171.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/0_JS346019049.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37092171.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_JS346019049.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Chelsea fans have grown increasingly disillusioned with the club under their BlueCo ownership\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Chelsea fans have grown increasingly disillusioned with the club under their BlueCo ownership<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cVisually it will have a huge impact. We hope to make a big impact and an impact big enough to have an impact so potential BlueCo investors can see what\u2019s going on.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Chelsea fans have voiced their anger towards the owners during recent games and turned on Eghbali and Boehly because they believe they are running it as an investment rather than a football club.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Blues supporters were used to huge success in the previous years under Roman Abramovich who also invested in the local community, academy and was championed by fans.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">After winning the Club World Cup, the Europa Conference League and getting into the Champions League, this season is heading towards mid-table mediocrity and they are up against City on Saturday who will be red-hot favourites.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\"><em>Join our new WhatsApp community<\/em> and receive your daily dose of <em>Mirror<\/em> <em>Football<\/em> content. 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