Shakhtar Donetsk is currently in talks to host their Champions League home matches at Stamford Bridge, the home stadium of Chelsea. Having secured the Ukrainian Premier League title by a 12-point margin last year, the club is looking for a venue to accommodate their European campaign.
Since the 2014 annexation of Donetsk, the club has been displaced from their Donbas Arena. They have previously played European matches in Poland, Slovenia, and Germany, while domestic fixtures have been held in Lviv and Kyiv. Chelsea has emerged as the top candidate, offering a 40,000-seat capacity that Shakhtar believes could be filled for high-profile matches.
The partnership between the two clubs is rooted in a positive history, particularly the 2023 transfer of Mykhailo Mudryk and their joint effort in the Game4Ukraine charity event. Although Shakhtar evaluated other London venues like Craven Cottage and the Gtech Community Stadium, they preferred the larger Stamford Bridge to better serve the significant Ukrainian population residing in the United Kingdom. Because Chelsea did not qualify for European competition following a 10th-place finish last season, there are no immediate scheduling conflicts. However, the proposal still requires formal approval from UEFA and local government authorities.
