Chelsea’s pre-season squad and World Cup call-ups highlight crypto sponsorship crossroads

Chelsea FC has confirmed a 27-man squad for its pre-season tour of Australia, a roster shaped by a mix of returning injured players and World Cup absences. Squad details and the injury picture The headline name on the recovery front is Estevao Willian, the Brazilian talent who has returned to training after working through a grade-four hamstring injury. For those unfamiliar with the grading scale, grade four is about as severe as hamstring injuries get, involving complete muscle tear. His inclusion in the touring squad signals Chelsea’s confidence that the player is fit enough to participate, at least in some capacity, during the Australian pre-season matches. Meanwhile, the 2026 FIFA World Cup is pulling several key players away from the tour entirely. Reece James and Enzo Fernandez have both received call-ups to their respective national teams, thinning out Chelsea’s available first-team options for the pre-season schedule. Trevoh Chalobah was drafted into England’s squad as a replacement for an injured player in June 2026. For the pre-season tour, it’s another body missing from manager Xabi Alonso’s preparations. The crypto sponsorship that sits on the shelf Chelsea’s partnershi...