Nigerian-born football administrator Lola Ogunbote has taken up a new role as Head of Football Operations & Player Services at Chelsea Women, describing the move to one of the world’s most successful women’s teams as a dream come true.
Ogunbote joined Chelsea after almost five years at Burnley Women, where she served as the club’s first Head of Women’s Football and helped build its women’s football structure.
During her time at Burnley, she worked across recruitment, player development and football operations, with her tenure culminating in the team winning the FA Women’s National League Northern Premier Division title and securing promotion last season.
At Chelsea, Ogunbote has already been involved in key aspects of the women’s team’s operations, including its pre-season tour in Australia and New Zealand, WSL home fixtures at Stamford Bridge and Champions League matches at AFC Wimbledon.
Her new role places her at the centre of Chelsea Women’s football operations as the club looks to strengthen its position after finishing third in the Women’s Super League last season.
Ogunbote’s route into football has included experience in law and finance. A UK-qualified lawyer, she previously worked at Goldman Sachs before leaving the corporate sector to pursue a career in football, later gaining experience through Arsenal’s Gap Year programme.
Born in Nigeria and raised in East London, Ogunbote has also remained committed to creating opportunities for girls through football. She serves as an executive director of US-based Goals for Girls, which uses football to promote leadership and opportunities for girls.
In February 2026, she brought the organisation’s football and leadership programme to Surulere, Lagos, where 300 female students from 10 schools took part.
Her move to Chelsea marks another major milestone in her career while placing a Nigerian-born administrator at the heart of one of Europe’s leading women’s football programmes.
