Stamford Bridge will host Shakhtar Donetsk’s “home” matches in the 2026-27 Champions League season after Chelsea and the Ukrainian club agreed a groundshare arrangement, subject to regulatory approval.

A single London venue for Shakhtar

Shakhtar have been unable to play at Donbas Arena since 2014, when war broke out in the Donetsk region. The stadium is around 30 miles (48 kilometres) from the Russian border, forcing the club to stage its European home fixtures elsewhere in recent seasons, including Germany, Slovenia and Poland.

The club plays its Ukrainian Premier League home matches at Arena Lviv, roughly 750 miles west of Donetsk. For the new European campaign, Shakhtar wanted to use one consistent venue and identified London as a preferred option. Chelsea were not the only club contacted—Brentford and Fulham were also considered—but Stamford Bridge emerged as the preferred choice.

Shakhtar will play four home matches at Chelsea’s stadium during the league phase, alongside four away fixtures. The agreement was negotiated over more than a month, with the clubs working through legal and operational details ahead of the Champions League draw on August 27.

How matchdays will operate

Chelsea will retain full operational control of Stamford Bridge and run matchdays on Shakhtar’s behalf. That includes working with the Ukrainian club on security, stewarding and coordination with the Metropolitan Police.

The stadium will function largely as it would for a Chelsea fixture, with Shakhtar designated as the home team. UEFA branding will be displayed, while any Shakhtar presence—such as a crest on a pitchside flag—would be movable rather than a permanent change to the stadium infrastructure.

Shakhtar may produce a matchday programme, with Chelsea providing staff to sell it. Discussions about the availability of Shakhtar merchandise are continuing.

Ticketing and segregation

Shakhtar will receive the home stands, while visiting supporters will be placed in the relevant section of the Shed End. The size of the away allocation may vary depending on the opponent.

Chelsea season-ticket holders and members will be able to purchase a discounted bundle covering all four matches. Individual tickets will also be available, but without the bundle discount. Shakhtar will sell tickets to its supporters through the club’s own website.

Both clubs will use the same segregation measures applied to Chelsea games. Tickets must be purchased through official channels, and supporters found in the wrong area may be relocated.

Separate from the Mudryk transfer

The agreement is not part of the deal that brought Mykhailo Mudryk from Shakhtar to Chelsea for an initial £62 million in January 2023, although the relationship developed during those negotiations helped the clubs work together. Chelsea’s lack of European football this season also leaves Stamford Bridge available.

Chelsea believe the arrangement should not create complications because of the club’s former links to Russia under previous owner Roman Abramovich. The club was sold to the Todd Boehly-Clearlake consortium in May 2022, and Stamford Bridge hosted the Game4Ukraine charity match in August 2023. That event featured Team Shevchenko and Team Zinchenko and raised funds for rebuilding damaged Ukrainian facilities.

No concern over the pitch or lease

Chelsea’s grounds staff are accustomed to preparing the playing surface for four competitions each season and believe the additional four group-phase matches will not pose a problem.

Chelsea Pitch Owners, the supporters’ group that holds the freehold to the land beneath Stamford Bridge, has been informed. The agreement does not constitute a sublease, so it does not create an issue for the organisation.