Why Shakhtar Donetsk are playing Champions League home games at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge

Having won the 2025/26 Ukrainian league title, Eastern European giants Shakhtar Donetsk will begin their return to the UEFA Champions League this season, but will be playing "home" matches quite far from their true abode. The club will travel over 1,300 miles west to London where they will play at least four Champions League matches at Chelsea's ground Stamford Bridge.

They will meet AEK Athens, Sporting CP, Fenerbahce, and Real Madrid in the English capital this season, plus any home matches they subsequently earn in the knockout stages. The Sporting News explains why this has taken place, and when they will play games in London this season.

Shakhtar Donestk playing Champions League games at Stamford Bridge Shakhtar Donetsk and Chelsea struck a deal back in mid-August for the Ukrainian club to play its home Champions League matches at the London ground for the 2026/27 season. Shakhtar have been forced to play away from home due to conflict in Donbass for over a decade now, but since the Russian invasion of 2022, there have been increased security concerns for football travel to Ukraine in general.

With Chelsea not qualifying for European football this season, Stamford Bridge was open for use during UEFA-designated midweek fixture dates, and thus a deal was struck. "We decided: let's move to England," Shakhtar Donetsk chief executive Sergei Palkin said.

"There are a lot of Ukrainian refugees and a lot of Ukrainians living here. London is the football capital of the world.

It's the biggest marketplace for players. For our young players to play at this level in a legendary stadium like Stamford Bridge provides extra motivation and can bring positive results.

I first contacted [Chelsea co-owner] Behdad Eghbali and said: 'What do you think about this idea - playing Champions League matches in your stadium?' The reaction was positive. Step by step, it became a reality.

Last season, Shakhtar played its home Europa League matches at Stozice Stadium in Ljubljana, Slovenia, and have played European matches at various different venues across Europe in recent seasons, including Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen, Germany; Volksparkstadion in Hamburg, Germany; and Stadion Wojska Polskiego in Warsaw, Poland. Shakhtar Donetsk Champions League schedule Date Match Location Sep.

10, 2026 PSV1-1Shakhtar Donetsk Philips Stadion (Eindhoven, Netherlands) Oct. AEK Athens Stamford Bridge (London, England) Oct."