Shakhtar Donetsk will host their Champions League home matches at Stamford Bridge this season after agreeing a deal with Chelsea. The Ukrainian side had been seeking a temporary European base and were previously linked with Brentford's Gtech Community Stadium before opting for Chelsea's 40,044-capacity stadium in central London.

An estimated 19,000 Ukrainians lived in London as of the 2021 census, with around 45,000 arriving since Russia's invasion began in 2022, particularly in west London near Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea noted their own disappointing 2025/26 campaign, finishing 10th in the Premier League and missing European football, which helped facilitate the arrangement. At least four matches will be hosted at Stamford Bridge after Shakhtar secured qualification for the Champions League by winning the Ukrainian Premier League.

Due to the ongoing conflict and occupation of the Donbas region since 2014, Shakhtar have been unable to play at their Donbas Arena home since May 2014. Their European matches have previously been staged across Poland, Slovenia, and Germany, with domestic games held at Lviv Arena over 700 miles away.