- The Chelsea vs Austria Wien prediction article looks at the two sides’ form, team news, possible lineups and what to expect from their Women’s Champions League meeting.
- Chelsea will host Austria Wien on Wednesday, September 23, in their opening league-phase fixture.
- Kick-off is scheduled for 10:00pm EAT.
Chelsea Women begin another Women’s Champions League campaign on Wednesday evening when they welcome Austrian champions Austria Wien to the Cherry Red Records Stadium.
The Blues return to the main phase of Europe’s premier women’s club competition for a seventh successive season and will be determined to make a strong start after another difficult European campaign last term.
Chelsea’s 2025-26 season ended with just one major trophy, the League Cup, while they surrendered their long-standing grip on the Women’s Super League title.
They also fell in the semi-finals of the FA Cup before their European campaign came to an end in the quarter-finals following defeat to Arsenal.
ALSO READ:Barcelona vs Paris FC prediction: UEFA Women’s Champions League preview, team news, lineups & H2H
The Women’s Champions League remains a major target for Sonia Bompastor’s side, with Chelsea still searching for their first European title after reaching the final in the 2020-21 campaign, where they were beaten 4-0 by Barcelona.
Chelsea had to navigate the qualifying playoffs to secure their place in this season’s league phase, overcoming Real Sociedad 6-2 on aggregate.
They have since made a solid beginning to the new domestic campaign, collecting seven points from their opening three Women’s Super League matches.
The Blues were held to a 1-1 draw by Aston Villa but responded with a commanding 5-0 away victory over Manchester United before beating Birmingham City 2-0 at home on Saturday.
Lexi Potter and Melvine Malard were on target against Birmingham, giving Chelsea another confidence boost ahead of their European opener.
Chelsea have also developed a strong record at home in European competition. They have won four of their last five Women’s Champions League matches on home soil, scoring four or more goals in three of those victories.
Austria Wien, however, arrive in London with their own piece of history.
The Austrian side won the Frauen Bundesliga last season, finishing two points ahead of St Polten, before completing a domestic double by defeating Red Bull Salzburg 1-0 in the OFB Frauen Cup final.
Their league title earned them a place in the Champions League qualifying rounds, where they successfully negotiated ties against Hajduk Split and Farul Constanta.
They then faced Brann in the third qualifying round and suffered a 2-1 defeat away from home in the first leg.
Austria Wien produced an impressive response in the return fixture, with Modesta Uka scoring a hat-trick in a 4-0 victory that secured their place in the league phase for the first time.
They have since recorded two consecutive domestic victories without conceding, but their defence is likely to face a completely different test against Chelsea.
What time does the Chelsea Women vs Austria Wien match kick off?
Chelsea Women will take on Austria Wien on Wednesday, September 23, with the match kicking off at 10:00pm East Africa Time.
The encounter will be played at the Cherry Red Records Stadium, with Chelsea looking to start their European campaign with three points.
Chelsea Women vs Austria Wien team news
Chelsea continue to deal with several injury concerns ahead of their opening Champions League fixture.
Erin Cuthbert, Mayra Ramirez and summer signing Manaka Matsukubo remain unavailable, with Matsukubo still waiting to make her Chelsea debut.
Lauren James and Aggie Beever-Jones are also doubts after missing the weekend victory over Birmingham City.
Bompastor could therefore make changes to her attacking options, with Katie McCabe and Melvine Malard among those who could come into the starting lineup.
For Austria Wien, Stefan Kenesei is expected to maintain a defensive setup, with Carina Wenninger, Katharina Schiechtl and Virginia Kirchberger likely to form a back three.
Louis Schoffel could operate on the right flank, while Valentina Potzl is expected to provide width from the opposite side.
Up front, Modesta Uka and Patricia Pfanner could lead the Austrian attack.
The pair have already combined for 16 goals in all competitions this season and will be hoping to cause problems for the Chelsea defence.
Chelsea Women vs Austria Wien predicted lineups
- Chelsea Women: Hampton; Bronze, Buurman, McCabe; Carpenter, Walsh, Potter, Nusken; Thompson, Malard, Kaptein
- Austria Wien: Pal; Wenninger, Schiechtl, Kirchberger; Schoffel, Pfattner, Weiss, Cordes, Potzl; Pfanner, Uka
Chelsea Women vs Austria Wien head-to-head record
Wednesday’s meeting will be the first competitive encounter between Chelsea and Austria Wien.
There is therefore no previous head-to-head record between the two clubs to provide an indication of how the fixture could unfold.
Austria Wien will nevertheless draw confidence from the way they fought back against Brann during qualifying, while Chelsea will rely on their experience of competing regularly at the highest level of European women’s football.
Chelsea vs Austria Wien prediction
Austria Wien deserve credit for reaching the Women’s Champions League league phase for the first time after overcoming a difficult qualifying route.
Their domestic success last season and their response against Brann demonstrate that they cannot be taken lightly.
However, the Austrian champions face a significant step up in quality against Chelsea.
The Blues have started the new campaign positively, possess considerably more experience at this level and have a strong record in European home fixtures.
Chelsea should be able to control possession for long periods and create enough opportunities to put the visitors under sustained pressure.
Austria Wien could make the opening stages competitive, but Chelsea’s attacking quality and experience are likely to eventually tell.