The management of Donetsk's "Shakhtar" has determined the priority direction for hosting home matches in the 2026/27 Champions League season. The strategic choice for the Ukrainian giant has become England. Official representatives of the club have already traveled to London to conduct negotiations regarding the rental of stadiums.

Three London options

According to information obtained from the authoritative British publication The Athletic, the "miners" are considering three specific options for hosting their home games. All of them are concentrated in the capital of the United Kingdom and are linked to Premier League clubs that failed to qualify for European competitions for the current season. This circumstance significantly simplifies logistics and scheduling, increasing the chances of successfully concluding deals.

The list of potential rental venues includes:

  • "Chelsea" and Stamford Bridge stadium;
  • "Brentford" and Gtech Community Stadium;
  • "Fulham" and Craven Cottage stadium.

Finances and security

The move to the British Isles is driven not only by security concerns but also by the expectation of commercial success. Shakhtar's management is banking on the huge interest of British fans in Champions League matches. The high purchasing power of the English audience could ensure the club record profits from ticket sales and commercial rights.

History of forced relocations

For "Shakhtar", changing the home stadium has become a familiar reality since the start of the Russian aggression in 2014. At that time, the club was forced to leave its native "Donbass Arena". Until 2022, matches in European competitions were hosted at stadiums in Lviv and Kharkiv. After the start of the full-scale invasion of Russia into Ukraine, the Donetsk team had to seek shelter abroad, where they were previously provided with venues in Poland and Germany.

In the run-up to the new season, the club is also facing personnel difficulties: one of the team's leaders underwent surgery, and the "miners" will not be able to count on their super-striker. Nevertheless, the search for a new home base in England demonstrates the ambitious plans of the management for the future.