Stamford Bridge to Host Shakhtar Champions League Matches

Shakhtar Donetsk have selected Stamford Bridge for four Champions League home matches, with Chelsea providing the venue on a non-commercial basis as the Ukrainian club remains unable to play in Donetsk. Stamford Bridge to host Shakhtar's European fixtures BBC Sport reports that Shakhtar will host AEK Athens, Sporting, Fenerbahce and Real Madrid at Chelsea's ground.

The club considered Brentford and Fulham before choosing Stamford Bridge, which is available because Chelsea are not playing in European competition this season. The arrangement gives Shakhtar a London base for the four fixtures, while the club hopes to attract an average of 30,000 supporters across them.

Chelsea's agreement is non-commercial, according to the report. Stamford Bridge's use for another club's European matches also brings a different dimension to its role beyond Chelsea's own fixtures, alongside Chelsea's wider stadium strategy.

Shakhtar have not played at their Donbass Arena home in Donetsk since 2014. Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the club has staged European home fixtures in Poland, Germany and Slovenia.

London is around 2,000km from Shakhtar's base in Kyiv, but the club sees the move as a way to connect with Ukrainians living in exile and keep attention on Ukraine. The temporary venue also gives its young players the chance to compete at Stamford Bridge.

The London programme extends beyond matchdays. Shakhtar plans visits to schools and open training sessions for Ukrainians living in exile, while people will be invited to watch the club's UEFA Youth League matches at Chelsea's academy ground, Kingsmeadow.

Shakhtar's shirt will also carry the slogan "Invest in Ukraine" alongside sponsor SCM during the Champions League campaign. Those events sit alongside the four fixtures, offering local Ukrainian communities several ways to engage with the club during its stay.

In other news… The four-match programme brings AEK Athens, Sporting, Fenerbahce and Real Madrid to Stamford Bridge as Shakhtar's nominated home opponents. The club's stated attendance target is an average of 30,000 fans per match, with school visits, Kingsmeadow invitations and open training sessions also planned.

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