Chelsea 2026/27 Squad Numbers Announced
Chelsea have locked in their squad numbers for the 2026/27 campaign, and the list comes with a few bold statements stitched into the shirts.
The headline change sits on the back of Joao Pedro. The Brazil international has stepped into the number 9 shirt, moving away from 20 and into the jersey that has weighed heavily on plenty of Chelsea forwards in years gone by. Liam Delap, who wore 9 last season, drops to 12 as the reshuffle up front takes shape.
At the back, Wesley Fofana has claimed a classic defender’s number. He moves into the number 3 shirt vacated by Marc Cucurella after his move to Real Madrid, leaving 29 free for summer signing Pep Chavarria, who now picks up that number.
Tosin Adarabioyo also moves out of single digits. The defender has been handed 38, with his former number 4 passed straight to another new arrival, Valentin Barco, underlining the trust in the young full-back.
Two more fresh faces go straight into low numbers. Marco Palestra takes 2, while Maxence Lacroix is given 5, a shirt previously worn by Benoit Badiashile. The Frenchman, along with Axel Disasi and Marc Guiu, stands out on the list for a different reason: none of the three, all absent from pre-season, have been given squad numbers at all.
In midfield, Dario Essugo has shifted from 14 to 16. That change clears the way for Jordan Henderson, one of the club’s most experienced new recruits, to pull on 14. Another big-money arrival, club-record signing Morgan Rogers, takes 17, the number left behind by Andrey Santos following his move to Manchester United.
Chelsea have also rewarded several academy products with numbers. Reggie Watson (31), Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli (32) and Tayo Subuloye (37) all make the list after eye-catching performances on the pre-season tour in Australia and Asia. There is still no official word on whether they are fully promoted to the first-team squad, but their inclusion suggests Xabi Alonso is ready to keep them close.
Chelsea’s full 2026/27 squad list:
- 1 – Robert Sanchez
- 2 – Marco Palestra
- 3 – Wesley Fofana
- 4 – Valentin Barco
- 5 – Maxence Lacroix
- 6 – Levi Colwill
- 7 – Pedro Neto
- 8 – Enzo Fernandez
- 9 – Joao Pedro
- 10 – Cole Palmer
- 11 – Jamie Gittens
- 12 – Liam Delap
- 14 – Jordan Henderson
- 15 – Nicolas Jackson
- 16 – Dario Essugo
- 17 – Morgan Rogers
- 18 – Danny Welbeck
- 19 – Mamadou Sarr
- 21 – Jorrel Hato
- 22 – Emmanuel Emegha
- 23 – Geovany Quenda
- 24 – Reece James
- 25 – Moises Caicedo
- 27 – Malo Gusto
- 28 – Teddy Sharman-Lowe
- 29 – Pep Chavarria
- 30 – Aaron Anselmino
- 31 – Reggie Watson
- 32 – Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli
- 33 – Mykhailo Mudryk
- 34 – Josh Acheampong
- 37 – Tayo Subuloye
- 38 – Tosin Adarabioyo
- 39 – Mike Penders
- 41 – Estevao Willian
- 44 – Gaga Slonina
Numbers tell stories at Chelsea. This season’s list hints at a squad in transition, with big reputations backing up low numbers and hungry youngsters finally seeing their names printed on the board. Now they have to justify the ink.
