Rinat Akhmetov's SCM Group, together with FC Shakhtar, has announced the launch of a global initiative called Invest in Ukraine. The campaign is designed to encourage international businesses to invest in the Ukrainian economy right now, without waiting for the war to end. The initiative is taking the international stage in close connection with a sports vector: the football club becomes its public face at matches of the highest European level.
Football Diplomacy in the Champions League
In the 2026/27 season, Shakhtar will take part in the league phase of the Champions League wearing shirts bearing the Invest in Ukraine slogan. According to the company, the team will play at least eight matches against leading European clubs, with home games to be held in London. In this way, the call for investment will reach live broadcasts and the media space in front of an audience of millions of viewers across the continent.
The Scale of SCM's Investments
As part of the initiative's presentation, SCM states that since the start of the full-scale war, its companies have invested more than 4 billion dollars in the Ukrainian economy, of which about 1 billion dollars has been directed to the reconstruction of damaged facilities. "We are actively investing – not only rebuilding, but also constructing new and modern infrastructure," SCM Communications Director Natalia Yemchenko emphasized. According to her, DTEK is developing a new generation of the power industry together with international partners, while Metinvest is modernizing production and integrating Ukrainian business into European supply chains.
The Campaign's Goal and the Club's Role
Shakhtar's General Director Serhiy Palkyn emphasized that the club uses "football diplomacy" to draw the world's attention to the war and Ukraine's real needs. In his words, it is precisely the sports arena that allows the economic and humanitarian message to be delivered to a global audience faster and more emotionally than traditional communication channels. Thus, the Invest in Ukraine campaign links two narratives: sustainable investment in reconstruction and the long-term development of the country.
Strategic Context through 2036
The launch of the campaign fits into a broader planning horizon. It was previously reported that the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation has developed a plan through 2036, which covers support for veterans, the development of sports, work with children, and the reconstruction of infrastructure. The Invest in Ukraine initiative, implemented through Shakhtar in the Champions League, becomes a public tool of this long-term strategy, addressed to international investors.
