Full Breakdown
Shakhtar Donetsk’s London Home: Champions League Amid War
By Drooid · · How we work
The Relocation of Home Matches
Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk will host their 2026-27 Champions League group-phase games at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge. The arrangement follows years of displacement after Russian-backed forces seized the Donbas Arena in 2014 and intensified attacks in 2022 made Ukrainian venues unsafe. The club now travels from its Kyiv base to London for each “home” fixture, a journey that can take up to 18 hours and involves multiple border crossings.
Background: War-Displaced Club
Since the 2014 invasion of Donetsk, Shakhtar has been forced to relocate repeatedly—first to Kyiv, then to Lviv, and later to venues across Poland, Germany and Slovenia for European matches. Ongoing Russian missile strikes have destroyed club property, including a stock of 2026-27 kits, and have kept the team’s administrative offices offline. Despite these hardships, the club continues to compete in domestic and continental competitions.
Key Figures
- Arda Turan – head coach (appointed May 2025)
- Darijo Srna – director of football
- Vitaliy Khlivnyuk – director of sports management
- Sergei Palkin – chief executive
- Maxim Timchenko – CEO of energy firm DTEK, a major sponsor
- Kauã Elias – Brazilian forward
Timeline of the London Arrangement
- Decision to move – “We decided: let’s move to England,” the club’s chief executive explained.
- Scheduled group-phase fixtures – AEK Athens on October 14, 2026; Sporting Lisbon on November 3, 2026; Fenerbahçe on November 25, 2026; Real Madrid on January 27, 2027.
Logistical Burden
Travel to London typically involves a 1 hour 15 minute border formalities at Krakovets, a 9-hour chartered flight to Gatwick, and a 90-minute transfer to a west-London hotel. The squad travels in multiple minibuses and a larger coach, a system introduced a year ago to ease long journeys. Players must also secure electronic travel authorisations; a recent mishap required a rushed re-application just 30 minutes before boarding. The club expects at least 25,000 spectators for the AEK match, aiming for an average of 30,000 across all four games.
Official Statements & Responses
Director of football Darijo Srna stressed that supporting Shakhtar “means supporting Ukraine” and described the team’s presence in London as a statement of resilience. Energy-sector CEO Maxim Timchenko framed the club’s visibility as part of a broader effort to attract investment, saying London is “the capital of world football” and a gateway for Ukrainian businesses.
On-the-Ground Perspectives
Brazilian forward Kauã Elias described playing at Stamford Bridge as a childhood dream fulfilled. Midfielder Dmytro Kryskiv likened the long trips to feeling “like a squished lemon,” yet emphasized the team’s “special connection” driven by Turan’s leadership. Players report that the constant travel “accumulates” fatigue, both physically and mentally, echoing director of sports management Vitaliy Khlivnyuk’s comparison to sleeplessness.
Why It Matters
Stamford Bridge serves as a high-visibility platform for Ukraine’s conflict, allowing the club to promote the “Invest in Ukraine” campaign on its shirts and to engage the sizable Ukrainian community in London. The arrangement also underscores the broader economic strategy of Ukrainian firms such as DTEK, which are leveraging the club’s exposure to attract foreign investment for post-war reconstruction.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Now it has the kind of atmosphere where the birds don’t sing,” — Vitaliy Khlivnyuk
- “If you come along and support Shakhtar, you’re supporting Ukraine,” — Darijo Srna
- “It’s an iconic stadium but it’s not our home,” — Arda Turan
- “Since I was a kid I dreamed of playing there for Chelsea,” — Kauã Elias
- “We decided: let's move to England,” — Serhii Palkin