Ogunbote Excited by New Chelsea Women Role After Burnley Success

Posted : 08 October 2026

Nigerian-born football administrator Lola Ogunbote has described her move to Chelsea Women as an exciting new chapter after joining the London club as Head of Football Operations and Player Services. Ogunbote announced the appointment after beginning work with Chelsea earlier this summer.

Ogunbote said she was thrilled to join what she described as one of the world’s most successful women’s teams. She also highlighted the work already completed during her first three months, including Chelsea’s pre-season tour of Australia and New Zealand and the delivery of Women’s Super League and UEFA Women’s Champions League matchdays.

Her responsibilities have also included supporting Chelsea’s change of venues for their European fixtures. The club has hosted Champions League home matches at AFC Wimbledon while its WSL home fixtures have been staged at Stamford Bridge.

The appointment represents another major step in Ogunbote’s football administration career. She previously spent almost five years at Burnley, where she became the club’s first Head of Women’s Football and helped oversee recruitment, player development and the wider structure of the women’s programme.

Her time at Burnley ended with the club winning the FA Women’s National League Northern Premier Division title and securing promotion. Ogunbote said the achievement fulfilled a five-year strategy that had been established when she took up the role.

Ogunbote’s work at Burnley also earned recognition within the English women’s football structure. She served as a club representative on the FA Women’s National League Board, working alongside other senior figures involved in the development of the women’s game.

Born in Nigeria and raised in East London, Ogunbote initially trained as a UK-qualified lawyer and previously worked at Goldman Sachs before moving into football administration. She entered the football industry through Arsenal’s Gap Year programme in 2016 and later built experience across football operations and player development.

Beyond club football, Ogunbote is an executive director of the United States-based Goals for Girls initiative, which uses football to create leadership and development opportunities for girls. Her work has also included programmes aimed at expanding opportunities for girls through football in Africa.

Her arrival comes as Chelsea Women continue their pursuit of domestic and European success. The club finished third in the Women’s Super League last season behind Manchester City and Arsenal, making the strength of its football operations an important part of its push to compete at the top of the women’s game.

Ogunbote Excited by New Chelsea Women Role After Burnley Success

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