Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk is seeking to host their Champions League home games at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge during the current season. This decision stems from their inability to use the Donbas Arena since the 2014 Russia-backed annexation of Donetsk, forcing them to play domestic matches in Kyiv and Lviv, and European games across Germany, Slovenia, and Poland.

Negotiations are reportedly ongoing, with Chelsea emerging as the preferred venue due to its 40,000-capacity stadium. Sources emphasize that the move is not driven by commercial interests, highlighting the strong relationship between the clubs, especially after Chelsea signed Mykhailo Mudryk in 2023 and their joint participation in the charity match Game4Ukraine.

Other venues such as Fulham's Craven Cottage and Brentford's Gtech Community Stadium were also considered. However, both have smaller capacities than Stamford Bridge, making the larger arena more appealing for hosting elite-level European football and potentially drawing larger crowds.

This initiative aims to engage the approximately 32,000 Ukraine-born residents in London, as per the latest statistics, and the estimated 100,000 people of Ukrainian heritage in the UK. Chelsea's stadium is available following their 10th-place finish in the Premier League last season, which resulted in no European commitments, minimizing scheduling conflicts. Final approvals from Hammersmith and Fulham Council and Uefa are still required for additional fixtures.