Season archive
Gaps & unofficial periods
No official league
1915–16 to 1918–19
Football League suspended during World War I; Chelsea played in the unofficial London Combination (Football Combination) until 1919. These games do not count in official records.
No official league
1939–40 to 1944–45
The 1939–40 Football League was abandoned after three games when World War II broke out (those results were expunged); Chelsea then played in unofficial regional Wartime Leagues until 1945.
No official league
1945–46
The FA Cup returned in 1945–46 (Chelsea reached the fifth round) but the Football League only resumed in 1946–47.
FA Cup: Round 5
| Season | Division | Pos. | Pts | Manager | Honours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1905–06 | Football League Second DivisionTier 2 | 3rd | 53 | Jacky Robertson | |
| 1906–07 | Football League Second DivisionTier 2 | 2nd | 57 | John Tait Robertson (to 27 Nov 1906); William Lewis (interim, from 27 Nov 1906) | ↑ |
| 1907–08 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 13th | 36 | David Calderhead (from 1 Aug 1907) | |
| 1908–09 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 11th | 37 | David Calderhead | |
| 1909–10 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 19th | 29 | David Calderhead | ↓ |
| 1910–11 | Football League Second DivisionTier 2 | 3rd | 49 | David Calderhead | |
| 1911–12 | Football League Second DivisionTier 2 | 2nd | 54 | David Calderhead | ↑ |
| 1912–13 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 18th | 28 | David Calderhead | |
| 1913–14 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 8th | 39 | David Calderhead | |
| 1914–15 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 19th | 29 | David Calderhead | 🏆 |
| 1919–20 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 3rd | 49 | David Calderhead | 🏆 |
| 1920–21 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 18th | 39 | David Calderhead | 🏆 |
| 1921–22 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 9th | 46 | David Calderhead | |
| 1922–23 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 19th | 36 | David Calderhead | |
| 1923–24 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 21st | 32 | David Calderhead | ↓ |
| 1924–25 | Football League Second DivisionTier 2 | 5th | 47 | David Calderhead | |
| 1925–26 | Football League Second DivisionTier 2 | 3rd | 52 | David Calderhead | |
| 1926–27 | Football League Second DivisionTier 2 | 4th | 52 | David Calderhead | 🏆🏅 |
| 1927–28 | Football League Second DivisionTier 2 | 3rd | 54 | David Calderhead | |
| 1928–29 | Football League Second DivisionTier 2 | 9th | 44 | David Calderhead | |
| 1929–30 | Football League Second DivisionTier 2 | 2nd | 55 | David Calderhead | ↑ |
| 1930–31 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 12th | 40 | David Calderhead | |
| 1931–32 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 12th | 40 | David Calderhead | |
| 1932–33 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 18th | 35 | David Calderhead | |
| 1933–34 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 19th | 36 | Leslie Knighton | |
| 1934–35 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 12th | 41 | Leslie Knighton | |
| 1935–36 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 8th | 43 | Leslie Knighton | |
| 1936–37 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 13th | 41 | Leslie Knighton | |
| 1937–38 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 10th | 41 | Leslie Knighton | |
| 1938–39 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 20th | 33 | Leslie Knighton (until 19 April) Billy Birrell (from 19 April) | |
| 1946–47 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 15th | 39 | Billy Birrell | |
| 1947–48 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 18th | 37 | Billy Birrell | |
| 1948–49 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 13th | 38 | Billy Birrell | |
| 1949–50 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 13th | 40 | Billy Birrell | |
| 1950–51 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 20th | 32 | Billy Birrell | |
| 1951–52 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 19th | 36 | Billy Birrell | |
| 1952–53 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 19th | 35 | Ted Drake | |
| 1953–54 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 8th | 44 | Ted Drake | |
| 1954–55 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 1st | 52 | Ted Drake | 🏆 |
| 1955–56 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 16th | 39 | Ted Drake | 🎖️ |
| 1956–57 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 13th | 39 | Ted Drake | |
| 1957–58 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 11th | 42 | Ted Drake | |
| 1958–59 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 14th | 40 | Ted Drake | |
| 1959–60 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 18th | 37 | Ted Drake | |
| 1960–61 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 12th | 37 | Ted Drake | |
| 1961–62 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 22nd | 28 | Ted Drake (until 30 September) Tommy Docherty | ↓ |
| 1962–63 | Football League Second DivisionTier 2 | 2nd | 52 | Tommy Docherty | ↑ |
| 1963–64 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 5th | 50 | Tommy Docherty | |
| 1964–65 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 3rd | 56 | Tommy Docherty | 🥈 |
| 1965–66 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 5th | 51 | Tommy Docherty | |
| 1966–67 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 9th | 44 | Tommy Docherty | |
| 1967–68 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 6th | 48 | Tommy Docherty (until 6 October) Ron Suart (caretaker, until 23 October) Dave Sexton | |
| 1968–69 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 5th | 50 | Dave Sexton | |
| 1969–70 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 3rd | 55 | Dave Sexton | 🏆 |
| 1970–71 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 6th | 51 | Dave Sexton | 🏅 |
| 1971–72 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 7th | 48 | Dave Sexton | |
| 1972–73 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 12th | 40 | Dave Sexton | |
| 1973–74 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 17th | 37 | Dave Sexton | |
| 1974–75 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 21st | 33 | Dave Sexton (until 3 October) Ron Suart (interim, until 16 April) Eddie McCreadie | ↓ |
| 1975–76 | Football League Second DivisionTier 2 | 11th | 40 | Eddie McCreadie | |
| 1976–77 | Football League Second DivisionTier 2 | 2nd | 55 | Eddie McCreadie | ↑ |
| 1977–78 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 16th | 36 | Ken Shellito | |
| 1978–79 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 22nd | 20 | Ken Shellito (until 13 December) Danny Blanchflower | ↓ |
| 1979–80 | Football League Second DivisionTier 2 | 4th | 53 | Danny Blanchflower (until 11 September) Geoff Hurst | |
| 1980–81 | Football League Second DivisionTier 2 | 12th | 40 | Geoff Hurst (until 23 April) Bobby Gould (caretaker) | |
| 1981–82 | Football League Second DivisionTier 2 | 12th | 57 | John Neal | |
| 1982–83 | Football League Second DivisionTier 2 | 18th | 47 | John Neal | |
| 1983–84 | Football League Second DivisionTier 2 | 1st | 88 | John Neal | ↑🏆 |
| 1984–85 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 6th | 66 | John Neal | |
| 1985–86 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 6th | 71 | John Hollins | 🏅 |
| 1986–87 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 14th | 52 | John Hollins | |
| 1987–88 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 18th | 42 | John Hollins (until 6 March) Bobby Campbell | ↓ |
| 1988–89 | Football League Second DivisionTier 2 | 1st | 99 | Bobby Campbell | ↑🏆 |
| 1989–90 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 5th | 60 | Bobby Campbell | 🏅 |
| 1990–91 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 11th | 49 | Bobby Campbell | |
| 1991–92 | Football League First DivisionTier 1 | 14th | 53 | Ian Porterfield | |
| 1992–93 | Premier LeagueTier 1 | 11th | 56 | Ian Porterfield (until 15 February) David Webb (from 15 February) | |
| 1993–94 | Premier LeagueTier 1 | 14th | 51 | Glenn Hoddle | 🏆 |
| 1994–95 | Premier LeagueTier 1 | 11th | 54 | Glenn Hoddle | |
| 1995–96 | Premier LeagueTier 1 | 11th | 50 | Glenn Hoddle | |
| 1996–97 | Premier LeagueTier 1 | 6th | 59 | Ruud Gullit | 🏆 |
| 1997–98 | Premier LeagueTier 1 | 4th | 63 | Ruud Gullit (until 12 February) Gianluca Vialli (from 12 February) | 🥈🏅 |
| 1998–99 | Premier LeagueTier 1 | 3rd | 75 | Gianluca Vialli | 🏅 |
| 1999–2000 | Premier LeagueTier 1 | 5th | 65 | Gianluca Vialli | 🏆 |
| 2000–01 | Premier LeagueTier 1 | 6th | 61 | Gianluca Vialli (until 12 September 2000) Claudio Ranieri (from 18 September 2000) | 🎖️ |
| 2001–02 | Premier LeagueTier 1 | 6th | 64 | Claudio Ranieri | |
| 2002–03 | Premier LeagueTier 1 | 4th | 67 | Claudio Ranieri | |
| 2003–04 | Premier LeagueTier 1 | 2nd | 79 | Claudio Ranieri | |
| 2004–05 | Premier LeagueTier 1 | 1st | 95 | José Mourinho | 🏆🥈 |
| 2005–06 | Premier LeagueTier 1 | 1st | 91 | José Mourinho | 🏆🎖️ |
| 2006–07 | Premier LeagueTier 1 | 2nd | 83 | José Mourinho | 🏆🥈 |
| 2007–08 | Premier LeagueTier 1 | 2nd | 85 | José Mourinho (until 19 September 2007) Avram Grant (from 20 September 2007) | |
| 2008–09 | Premier LeagueTier 1 | 3rd | 83 | Luiz Felipe Scolari (until 9 February 2009); Ray Wilkins (caretaker for Watford, 14 February); Guus Hiddink (appointed 11 February 2009; first match in charge 21 February) | 🏆 |
| 2009–10 | Premier LeagueTier 1 | 1st | 86 | Carlo Ancelotti | 🏆🏆🎖️ |
| 2010–11 | Premier LeagueTier 1 | 2nd | 71 | Carlo Ancelotti (until 22 May 2011) | |
| 2011–12 | Premier LeagueTier 1 | 6th | 64 | André Villas-Boas (until 4 March 2012); Roberto Di Matteo (caretaker from 4 March 2012) | 🏆⭐ |
| 2012–13 | Premier LeagueTier 1 | 3rd | 75 | Roberto Di Matteo (until 21 November 2012); Rafael Benítez (interim from 21 November 2012) | 🏆 |
| 2013–14 | Premier LeagueTier 1 | 3rd | 82 | José Mourinho | |
| 2014–15 | Premier LeagueTier 1 | 1st | 87 | José Mourinho | 🏆🥈 |
| 2015–16 | Premier LeagueTier 1 | 10th | 50 | José Mourinho (until 17 December 2015); Steve Holland (caretaker for Sunderland, 19 December, assisted by Eddie Newton); Guus Hiddink (interim appointed 19 December 2015; first match 26 December) | |
| 2016–17 | Premier LeagueTier 1 | 1st | 93 | Antonio Conte | 🏆 |
| 2017–18 | Premier LeagueTier 1 | 5th | 70 | Antonio Conte | 🏆 |
| 2018–19 | Premier LeagueTier 1 | 3rd | 72 | Maurizio Sarri | 🏆 |
| 2019–20 | Premier LeagueTier 1 | 4th | 66 | Frank Lampard | |
| 2020–21 | Premier LeagueTier 1 | 4th | 67 | Frank Lampard (until 25 January 2021) Thomas Tuchel (from 26 January 2021) | ⭐ |
| 2021–22 | Premier LeagueTier 1 | 3rd | 74 | Thomas Tuchel | 🏅🌐 |
| 2022–23 | Premier LeagueTier 1 | 12th | 44 | Thomas Tuchel (until 7 September 2022); Graham Potter (8 September 2022–2 April 2023); Bruno Saltor (interim, 2–6 April 2023); Frank Lampard (caretaker from 6 April 2023; final match 28 May 2023) | |
| 2023–24 | Premier LeagueTier 1 | 6th | 63 | Mauricio Pochettino (1 July 2023–21 May 2024) | |
| 2024–25 | Premier LeagueTier 1 | 4th | 69 | Enzo Maresca (from 1 July 2024) | 🛡️🌐 |
| 2025–26(Under review) | Premier LeagueTier 1 | 10th | 52 | Enzo Maresca (until 1 January 2026); Calum McFarlane (caretaker, January matches at Manchester City and Fulham); Liam Rosenior (appointed 6 January, began work 8 January – 22 April 2026); Calum McFarlane (interim, 22 April – end of season) |