Story perspectives

Shakhtar to host Champions League games at Stamford Bridge

By Drooid · Oct 14, 2026, 10:14 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Shakhtar Donetsk will host its Champions League home games at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge.
Director Vitaliy Khlivnyuk says the club must secure residency permits after Kyiv’s system was bombed.
Bus driver Oleksandr scheduled a 1 pm departure, recalling a 930-mile trip and an eight-hour border delay.
Shakhtar hopes at least 25,000 fans will attend the AEK Athens match before Real Madrid’s January visit.

History

Historical Context

During the 1992-93 UEFA Cup, the Yugoslav Wars led UEFA to ban Yugoslav clubs and admit newly independent Slovenia, shrinking the competition to 64 teams. Bosnian clubs, unable to play in Sarajevo because of the war, hosted matches abroad, showing how armed conflict forced relocations and prompted UEFA to develop contingency protocols.

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Story summary

Shakhtar Donetsk will host its Champions League home games at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge.
Director Vitaliy Khlivnyuk says the club must secure residency permits after Kyiv’s system was bombed.
Bus driver Oleksandr scheduled a 1 pm departure, recalling a 930-mile trip and an eight-hour border delay.
Shakhtar hopes at least 25,000 fans will attend the AEK Athens match before Real Madrid’s January visit.

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