Lola Ogunbote takes football operations role with Chelsea Women

Lola Ogunbote, a football administrator born in Nigeria, has formally taken up the position of Head of Football Operations & Player Services at Chelsea FC Women. Her switch to the London side follows close to five years with Burnley, where she became the club's first Head of Women's Football in 2021. In that job, she was central to recruitment, player development, performance structures and broader growth of the women's football programme. Her tenure at Burnley concluded successfully, as the women's side claimed the FA Women's National League Northern Premier Division crown and won promotion last season. Burnley announced in June that Ogunbote would depart at the conclusion of that month. At Chelsea, Ogunbote holds a significant position in the women's football setup. She has already been involved in arranging the team's pre-season schedule and handling logistics for Chelsea's WSL home matches at Stamford Bridge and Champions League games at AFC Wimbledon. The club is also seeking to return to the top of women's football after placing third in the WSL last season, behind Manchester City and Arsenal. Ogunbote was born in Nigeria but grew up in East London after relocating to Britain as an infant. Away from her club duties, she has continued to support initiatives that create football opportunities for girls, especially in Africa. She serves as an executive director of Goals for Girls, a US-based organization that uses football to encourage leadership and opportunities for girls. In February 2026, she assisted in bringing the group's leadership and football programme to Surulere, Lagos. The two-day event involved 300 female students from 10 schools and paired football training with leadership development. In 2024, she was selected for the 2024 Football Black List in the administration category, alongside Paul Elliott, Mark Esiri and Fleur Robinson.