Why are Shakhtar Donetsk playing Champions League home games at Stamford Bridge?

Shakhtar Donetsk are playing their Champions League home games at Stamford Bridge because the Ukrainian side can’t use its own stadium, and Chelsea’s lack of European football made the move possible. Chelsea fans may have noticed an unusual sight in the 2026-27 Champions League : Shakhtar Donetsk playing their home games at Stamford Bridge . The arrangement has little to do with football and a lot to do with a situation that has lasted more than a decade, and it has given the Ukrainian club a new temporary base in west London.