Ukrainian Club Shakhtar Donetsk to Host Champions League Matches at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge

Ukrainian football club Shakhtar Donetsk has reached an agreement to play their home Champions League matches at Chelsea’s ground in London, which was previously owned by Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich for nearly 20 years.

Shakhtar is scheduled to play at least four home games in the elite competition starting next month, but remains unable to play in Ukraine due to security reasons stemming from the Russian military invasion. The war initiated by Russia also forced Abramovich to sell Chelsea under pressure from British government sanctions. The club’s current ownership group includes United States businessman, Todd Boehly, and Behdad Eghbali of Clearlake Capital.

Shakhtar announced it will host four home matches in the main phase at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge, pending regulatory approvals from UEFA. Opponents for these fixtures will be determined at the competition draw next Thursday in Monaco.

“Our true home is Ukraine and we all hope that very soon we will be able to play European football in front of our own fans again,” Shakhtar stated on Friday. “But while the war makes this impossible, Stamford Bridge is an exceptional place for us to call home in Europe.”

The club has been barred from playing in Donetsk since 2014 when Russian-backed conflict began in the Donbas region. Shakhtar previously played UEFA competition matches in various venues across Ukraine from 2014 to 2021, and subsequently in Poland, Germany, and Slovenia since 2022. This will mark the team's first time playing a home game in England.

Chelsea’s squad features former Shakhtar winger Mykhaylo Mudryk. Because Chelsea did not qualify for any UEFA competition this season, there will be no fixture clashes with the Ukrainian champions.

“Over the coming weeks, we will work closely with Shakhtar to ensure the matches are held safely and comfortably for the team and its supporters,” Chelsea said.