Chelsea FC Women took a bold step to challenge period stigma in sports during their Women's Super League (WSL) opener against Manchester City on Friday, September 5, 2025. The team warmed up in shorts intentionally marked with simulated period blood stains as part of the "We Bleed. Period" campaign, in partnership with the period care brand Here We Flo. This initiative aims to normalize menstruation in sports and challenge how periods are portrayed in the media.

The "We Bleed. Period" campaign is a collaboration between Chelsea FC Women and Here We Flo, who is the club's new official back-of-shorts sponsor. Both organizations share the common goal of destigmatizing periods and normalizing sports participation for women and girls during menstruation. Research by Here We Flo indicates that 80% of girls would feel ashamed if they leaked in public, and 90% believe periods are not realistically depicted in advertising. This partnership seeks to change perceptions of periods and put menstrual health and period empowerment in the spotlight.

The visual protest of wearing 'blood-stained shorts' was inspired by the fact that many women would feel embarrassed by a visible period leak in public. Typically, the back of the right leg of the Chelsea players' shorts features a white design over a blue background. For the warm-up, this area was stained red with simulated period blood.

Aki Mandhar, CEO of Chelsea FC Women, emphasized the club's commitment to breaking down barriers and inspiring change. "At Chelsea we want to break down barriers and inspire change. We want to reset the narrative about periods, normalise them and in doing so empower and inspire the next generation of young girls, whether they play sport or not," Mandhar stated. The club also hired the league's first menstrual cycle coach to support players and give them confidence in understanding and managing their periods.

Niamh Charles, a Lioness and Chelsea full-back, supports the initiative, revealing she got her period on the day of the Euro 2025 final.

Here We Flo offers sustainable period care products, including organic bamboo pads, organic cotton tampons, and size-inclusive period pants. The company is B Corp certified and women-led.

The match itself saw Chelsea secure a 2-1 victory against Manchester City. Aggie Beever-Jones and Maika Hamano scored for Chelsea, while Niamh Charles' own goal made for a tense final 20 minutes. Sam Kerr was on the bench for the first time in 625 days.

This campaign marks a significant step towards normalizing menstruation in sports and empowering women and girls to participate without shame.