Republic of Ireland captain Katie McCabe has signed a three-year deal with Chelsea having departed Arsenal last week.

The Dubliner joined Arsenal from Shelbourne in 2015, making over 300 appearances for the north London club, helping them to Women’s Super League, Champions League, Fifa Champions Cup, FA Cup and League Cup successes.

Chelsea previously had bids for McCabe rejected by Arsenal in 2015 and 2023, but were finally successful in signing the 30-year-old following the expiration of her contract with the Gunners at the end of this season.

Confirming the news on social media, the official Chelsea FC Women’s account posted a video captioned: “We’ve got McCabe. Katie McCabe.”

We’ve got McCabe. Katie McCabe.

— Chelsea FC Women (@ChelseaFCW) June 1, 2026

“It’s a new chapter in my career,” McCabe said of her move to west London. “This is something that I feel I’m ready for right now.

“I’m really excited to get going and show the Chelsea fans how ready I am to perform for the badge. 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’s contract at Chelsea will run to June 2029, with the option for an additional year.

Speaking before the news was confirmed on Monday evening, Republic of Ireland manager Carla Ward said McCabe “would be a good fit for any team in the world”.

“She’s a top, top player. I’ve said it a lot. She’s the best left-back in the world and no question about it.

“She was in every single WSL team of the year no matter where you looked. Katie would be a good fit for anybody and any team will be lucky to have her.”

Speaking ahead of Ireland’s World Cup qualifier against the Netherlands at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Friday, Ward was asked whether there were concerns protests may be staged during Friday’s game similar to those seen during the Ireland men’s friendly against Qatar at the Aviva Stadium last week over the Nations League fixtures against Israel which are due to be played later this year.

“It’s not a good situation, is it, for anybody,” said Ward. “I think it’s a difficult situation for everybody involved. I don’t know is the answer, if we are expecting [another protest], but our focus will be solely on the Netherlands and trying to win that game.”