Nigerian-born football administrator Lola Ogunbote has moved from Burnley to Chelsea Women, taking on a new role with the London club after almost five years at Turf Moor.
Ogunbote has joined Chelsea as Head of Football Operations and Player Services, marking another major step in her career in football administration.
The move follows a successful spell at Burnley, where she joined in 2021 as the club’s first Head of Women’s Football. During her time there, she was involved in areas including recruitment, player development and the overall structure of the women’s football programme.
Her time at Burnley ended on a high after the women’s team won the FA Women’s National League Northern Premier Division title and secured promotion.
Burnley announced in June that Ogunbote would leave the club at the end of the month. She later described the decision as the beginning of a new chapter after helping achieve the promotion target that had been set when she arrived.
At Chelsea, Ogunbote has already been involved in several major responsibilities. According to her latest announcement, her first three months have included work around the women’s team’s pre-season tour of Australia and New Zealand, home league matches at Stamford Bridge and Champions League fixtures at AFC Wimbledon.
Her journey into football has also been notable. Ogunbote previously worked as a lawyer and at Goldman Sachs before moving into football, where she built experience in coaching, player development and football operations.
Born in Nigeria and raised in East London, she has also remained involved in initiatives aimed at creating opportunities for girls through football. She was recognised in the 2024 Football Blacklist in the administration category.
Ogunbote’s move to Chelsea gives her the opportunity to continue her work at one of the leading clubs in the women’s game, while adding another Nigerian connection to the Women’s Super League.
