Shakhtar Donetsk to play Champions League home games at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge

Published Aug 21, 03:01 PM UTC

Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk will play their 2026-27 Champions League group stage home matches at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge in London, subject to regulatory approvals. Shakhtar has been unable to use their Donbas Arena since 2014 due to the war with Russia, and previously hosted European games in Slovenia and Poland. Chelsea, who have no European football this season, were chosen over other London clubs like Brentford and Fulham. The arrangement is unrelated to the Mykhailo Mudryk transfer but was facilitated by the strong relationship between the clubs. Chelsea will retain operational control, handling security and matchday logistics on Shakhtar's behalf. The first potential home game is September 8.