Shakhtar Donetsk are in talks to stage their Champions League home matches at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge this season, as they remain unable to use their Donbas Arena because of the war and Russia-backed annexation of Donetsk. The proposal would bring high-level European football to London while helping the Ukrainian club maintain a connection with supporters displaced from its home region.

Stamford Bridge is Shakhtar’s preferred venue due to its 40,000 capacity and the clubs’ relationship following Mykhailo Mudryk’s 2023 move to Chelsea and the Game4Ukraine charity match. Fulham and Brentford’s grounds were also considered, while Uefa and Hammersmith and Fulham Council would need to approve the arrangement; Chelsea’s lack of European fixtures should reduce scheduling issues. Around 32,000 Ukraine-born residents live in London, with about 100,000 people of Ukrainian heritage across the UK.