Chelsea sign Katie McCabe after Republic of Ireland international leaves Arsenal after 11 years
Updated 01/06/2026 at 20:02 GMT+1
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Chelsea have announced the signing of Republic of Ireland international Katie McCabe after she left Arsenal following an 11-year spell at the north London club.
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McCabe ended her association with The Gunners at the end of the 2025/26 season, having won seven trophies, including the UEFA Champions League title in 2025.
Defender McCabe has signed a contract with Chelsea until 2029, with the option for a further year.
"I'm really excited to get going and show the Chelsea fans how ready I am to perform for the badge," McCabe said.
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"I’m so looking forward to walking out at Stamford Bridge as a home player, being around the fan base and competing for trophies on all fronts.
"This club has been successful for so many years. I want to keep pushing and driving that, and for me, it's about bringing that success back to Chelsea."
McCabe helped Arsenal to a number of major successes in her long spell with the club, including a Women's Super League title in 2018/19 and an FA Cup in 2016.
The biggest triumph during her years in north London came in 2025, when Arsenal beat Barcelona 1-0 in Lisbon to capture Europe's biggest prize.
McCabe is captain of the Ireland team, having played more than 100 games for her country since making her debut in 2015.
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Speaking about her qualities, Ireland manager Carla Ward said: "I've said it a lot, she's the best left-back in the world. There's no question about it.
"Last year, she was in every single WSL team of the year no matter where you looked. Katie will be a good fit for any team and anyone would be lucky to have her."
Reports earlier this year had linked McCabe with a possible move to Manchester City. But she grew up as a Chelsea fan and has now completed a move to west London.
McCabe will know Chelsea have some work to do after falling off their perch last season.
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Following six WSL titles in a row, Chelsea had to settle for third place in the table behind Manchester City and Arsenal.
They were also knocked out of the Adobe Women's FA Cup by City in the semi-finals, having enjoyed a great deal of success in the competition in recent years.
A long domestic season finished on Sunday, as City cruised to a 4-0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion in the Women's FA Cup final at Wembley.
A crowd of 43,917 was at the national stadium to see City seal their first domestic league and cup double.
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