Chelsea are among three Premier League clubs holding talks with Shakhtar Donetsk about hosting the Ukrainian club’s home Champions League games.
Shakhtar have been exiled from their stadium, the Donbas Arena, since 2014 owing to war in the region then Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
And while they have been able to play domestic home matches in other cities in Ukraine, they have not been able to stage European fixtures in the country.
The 16-time Ukrainian Premier League champions spread their home Conference League games across Ljubljana, Slovenia and Krakow, Poland last season.
Having regained the title, they will return to the Champions League in 2026/27, entering at the league phase of the competition.
In a statement last month, a Shakhtar official said: “Shakhtar is currently negotiating with several venues in the United Kingdom and Germany in order to secure a host stadium for its UEFA Champions League matches next season.
“We will not comment on the process until a decision is announced in the near future.”
As well as Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge, two other West London stadiums are potential options, reports The Athletic: Fulham’s Craven Cottage and Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium.
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None of those three clubs will be playing in Europe themselves next term.
In fact, the only London sides competing in UEFA competition in 2026/27 are Arsenal and Crystal Palace in the Champions League and Europa League respectively – Palace having clinched their place by winning last season’s Conference League, beating Shakhtar in the semi-finals.
Shakhtar have played in the Champions League on 19 previous occasions, most recently in 2024/25.
Their best run came when they reached the 2010/11 quarter-finals, bowing out to eventual winners Barcelona.
They’re also one of only two Ukrainian clubs, along with Dynamo Kyiv, to lift a major European trophy, defeating Werder Bremen in the 2009 UEFA Cup final.
Qualifying for the 2026/27 Champions League is already underway, with the draw for the competition proper taking place on August 27 at UEFA’s headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.
Paris Saint-Germain are the reigning European champions after retaining their crown with victory on penalties over Arsenal in last season’s final.
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Five Premier League clubs have qualified for the league phase, with Arsenal joined by Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool and Europa League winners Aston Villa.
Meanwhile, there will be at least one first-time qualifier in the competition.
Cesc Fabregas’ Como clinched European football for the first time in the club’s history by finishing fifth in Serie A last term.
