Shakhtar Donetsk to play Champions League Home Games at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge

Shakhtar Donetsk will play their UEFA Champions League home matches at Stamford Bridge during the 2026/27 league phase, with the arrangement subject to regulatory approval.

The agreement means Stamford Bridge will host Champions League football this season even though Chelsea will not be competing in European competition.

Chelsea confirmed the arrangement on Friday, saying the club was pleased to provide Shakhtar with a London base for their European campaign. The Ukrainian side has been forced to play its home matches away from Donetsk for more than a decade because of the conflict in Ukraine.

“FC Shakhtar have played in countries across Europe and we look forward to welcoming them to London for their Champions League campaign this year,” Chelsea said.

The club added that it would work closely with Shakhtar to ensure their matches at Stamford Bridge are staged safely and smoothly. For Shakhtar, the move provides a single high-profile venue in one of Europe's major football cities after years of moving between temporary homes.

Why are Shakhtar Donetsk playing at Stamford Bridge?

Shakhtar have not been able to use their traditional home, Donbas Arena in Donetsk, since 2014.

As a result, the Ukrainian club has spent years hosting matches at venues outside its home city. Its European fixtures have previously been staged in countries including Germany, Poland and Slovenia, with Hamburg, Warsaw, Krakow and Ljubljana among the cities used during different periods.

The situation stems from the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the club's inability to safely stage European fixtures in Donetsk. Rather than continue moving between different European venues, Shakhtar will now have Stamford Bridge as their home for their 2026/27 Champions League league-phase fixtures.

Stamford Bridge to host Champions League Football without Chelsea

There is an unusual twist to the arrangement. Chelsea will not be playing in European competition this season. The London club finished 10th in the 2025/26 Premier League and therefore missed out on qualification for UEFA competition.

That leaves Stamford Bridge available for Shakhtar's Champions League campaign, although Chelsea's own domestic fixtures will continue to be played at the stadium. The result is a rare situation in which one club's home ground will host Champions League matches for another club.

Chelsea's 2026/27 schedule already includes Premier League and Carabao Cup fixtures at Stamford Bridge, meaning the stadium will have to accommodate Shakhtar's European dates alongside its regular domestic programme.

Shakhtar considered other London options

Stamford Bridge was not the only London venue considered by Shakhtar. The Ukrainian club had explored other options in the capital, including Brentford's Gtech Community Stadium and Fulham's Craven Cottage, as it searched for a suitable European home.

Chelsea's stadium ultimately emerged as the selected venue. The decision also gives Shakhtar access to one of the most recognisable stadiums in English football and a city with a sizeable Ukrainian community.

What Shakhtar said about Stamford Bridge

Shakhtar welcomed the agreement and described the opportunity to play at Stamford Bridge as a special one. The Ukrainian club highlighted the stadium's history and atmosphere, while expressing confidence that its Champions League matches in London would create a strong experience for both Ukrainian and English supporters.

The club also thanked Chelsea for making the venue available.

The arrangement could therefore provide more than a practical solution to Shakhtar's stadium problem. It offers the club an opportunity to build a temporary home atmosphere in London while continuing its European campaign.

Shakhtar's long search for a European home

Shakhtar's use of Stamford Bridge is the latest chapter in a long period of playing European football away from Donetsk. The club's European home matches have moved across several cities since it became impossible to regularly use Donbas Arena.

That nomadic existence has included spells in Germany and Poland, among other locations. The club's European home fixtures have also been staged in Gelsenkirchen and Krakow in recent years.

For a club that won the UEFA Cup in 2009 and has regularly competed in the Champions League, the inability to play European matches in its traditional home has become one of the defining realities of Shakhtar's modern history. Stamford Bridge will now become the latest temporary home.

When will Shakhtar play at Stamford Bridge?

Shakhtar's home matches will come during the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League league phase. The Champions League has moved away from the traditional group-stage format, with 36 teams competing in a single league phase. Each club plays eight matches, four at home and four away.

The exact opponents and fixture dates for Shakhtar's Stamford Bridge matches will depend on the league-phase draw and subsequent UEFA scheduling. The league-phase draw is scheduled for 27 August 2026 in Monaco.

The arrangement announced by Chelsea currently covers Shakhtar's league-phase home matches. Whether Stamford Bridge would remain their venue for any subsequent knockout fixtures would depend on qualification, UEFA approval and the applicable arrangements at that stage.

A different kind of Champions League night at Stamford Bridge

For Chelsea supporters, the sight of Champions League football returning to Stamford Bridge without the Blues being involved will be an unusual one. For Shakhtar supporters, however, it represents something considerably more significant.

The Ukrainian club has spent years adapting to circumstances beyond football. Its home matches have had to follow the realities of a conflict that has displaced the club from its traditional stadium.

Now, instead of another temporary European stop, Shakhtar will have one of the world's most famous football grounds as its Champions League home. And Stamford Bridge will once again hear the Champions League anthem, this time for a Ukrainian club pursuing European success on English soil.

Key Facts

• Club: FC Shakhtar Donetsk
• Competition: UEFA Champions League
• Season: 2026/27
• Home venue: Stamford Bridge, London
• Matches: Champions League league-phase home fixtures
• Status: Subject to regulatory approval
• Traditional home: Donbas Arena, Donetsk
• Reason for relocation: Ongoing conflict in Ukraine
• Champions League draw: 27 August 2026
• Chelsea: Not competing in European competition in 2026/27

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are Shakhtar Donetsk playing Champions League games at Stamford Bridge?

Shakhtar cannot currently host their European matches in Donetsk and have therefore used temporary venues across Europe. Stamford Bridge will serve as their home for the 2026/27 Champions League league phase, subject to regulatory approval.

Will Chelsea play in the Champions League at Stamford Bridge this season?

No. Chelsea will not compete in European competition during the 2026/27 season after finishing 10th in the 2025/26 Premier League.

Where is Shakhtar Donetsk's home stadium?

Shakhtar's traditional home is Donbas Arena in Donetsk. The club has been unable to use the stadium since 2014 and has subsequently hosted matches at various venues in Ukraine and elsewhere in Europe.

How many Champions League matches will Shakhtar play at Stamford Bridge?

Each team plays four home matches during the Champions League league phase. Shakhtar's four league-phase home fixtures are therefore expected to be staged at Stamford Bridge, subject to the final UEFA arrangements.

When is the 2026/27 Champions League draw?

The league-phase draw is scheduled for 27 August 2026 in Monaco.

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