London’s Stamford Bridge to host Shakhtar Donetsk’s Champions League home games
Shakhtar Donetsk, a Ukrainian football club, has reached an agreement to play its Champions League home matches at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge in London. This arrangement will see west London host at least four fixtures in the expanded league phase of the competition, with the draw for opponents scheduled for next Thursday in Monaco.
The move is contingent on regulatory approvals from UEFA, European football’s governing body, and has reportedly been signed off by the Hammersmith and Fulham Council. Shakhtar stated that while their true home is Ukraine, the ongoing conflict makes playing there impossible, making Stamford Bridge an exceptional alternative for their European home games.
Shakhtar’s European Journey
Shakhtar has been unable to play in Donetsk since 2014, when a Russian-backed conflict began in the Donbas region. Since then, the club has played UEFA competition games in various locations across Ukraine from 2014 to 2021, and subsequently in Poland, Germany, and Slovenia since 2022. This upcoming season marks the first time the team will play a home game in England.
Chelsea emerged as a preferred option for Shakhtar due to the availability of their 40,000-capacity stadium. Other venues considered in west London included Fulham’s Craven Cottage and Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium, both of which have smaller capacities. Officials believe that a larger arena like Stamford Bridge can be sold out for matches against Europe’s prominent clubs or even English rivals.
The relationship between Shakhtar and Chelsea has strengthened following Chelsea’s acquisition of former Shakhtar winger Mykhailo Mudryk in 2023, and through their involvement in the charity match Game4Ukraine. Chelsea’s 10th-place finish in the Premier League last season meant they did not qualify for any UEFA competition, ensuring no fixture clashes with the Ukrainian champions.
Community Connection and Club Statements
The decision to host Shakhtar’s matches in London is also intended to connect with the Ukrainian community in the capital. According to the latest Office for National Statistics figures, there are approximately 32,000 Ukraine-born residents in London, with about 100,000 people of Ukrainian heritage living across the UK.
Chelsea expressed their pleasure in providing Shakhtar with the opportunity to play in London, stating they look forward to welcoming the Ukrainian club for their Champions League campaign. The club also affirmed their commitment to working closely with Shakhtar in the coming weeks to ensure matchdays run safely and smoothly for both the team and its supporters.
Shakhtar conveyed gratitude to Chelsea Football Club for the opportunity, highlighting Stamford Bridge as one of the most famous stadiums in world football with an incredible history and atmosphere. They are convinced that the matches in London will provide unforgettable emotions for both Ukrainian and English fans. The agreement for the matches is understood to be non-commercial.
For nearly two decades, Chelsea’s ground was owned by Roman Abramovich. The club’s current ownership group includes United States businessman Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali of Clearlake Capital. The war in Ukraine, which began four years ago, also led to Abramovich selling Chelsea under pressure from British government sanctions.
Shakhtar anticipates playing at least four home games in the elite competition, with the draw for opponents taking place next Thursday.
Source: aljazeera.com
