The Living Wage Foundation’s accreditation means that from January 2015, Chelsea will pay all directly employed members of staff the Living Wage as a minimum - currently £9.15 in London or £7.85 an hour outside of London. This rate is significantly higher than the current national minimum wage of £6.50 an hour.

At the same time the club will also start the process of ensuring staff of external contractors will also receive the Living Wage for working at Stamford Bridge, our Cobham training ground and all areas where the club operates. Chelsea will also ensure any additional agency employees not currently meeting the criteria to receive the Living Wage will also get the same rates of pay. This process will be completed by July 2017.

Chelsea Chairman Bruce Buck said: ‘As a responsible employer we are proud of this significant achievement for the club.

‘We believe the move to the Living Wage underlines our commitment to ensuring that all our employees receive a fair rate of pay for their hard work and dedication. Quite simply it is the right thing to do.’

Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: ‘Our great football teams are household names around the world, their every action is scrutinised in microscopic detail and by becoming the first professional sports team to commit to pay the London Living Wage Chelsea are setting the right example.

‘They realise their team is more than just the 11 men out on the pitch, and that by putting more pounds in the pockets of their staff they are signing up to a win-win scenario that rewards a hard day's work with a fair day's pay for everyone."

Living Wage Foundation Director, Rhys Moore added: ‘The accreditation of Chelsea as a Living Wage employer marks a significant milestone in the campaign. We are delighted that more than 1,000 organisations are now accredited Living Wage employers, and we see Chelsea’s leadership on this issue as a mark of a responsible business.’