Ukrainian giants Shakhtar Donetsk have confirmed that Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge will serve as their home venue for Champions League fixtures this season, marking an unusual but welcome arrangement for the war-affected club.

The Ukrainian side described the move as a rare privilege, framing the chance to host European nights at such a storied ground as something special for the club and its supporters.

Confirmation came via transfer insider Fabrizio Romano on X on Friday, who relayed Shakhtar’s statement announcing the switch to the west London stadium for the upcoming campaign.

In their statement, Shakhtar expressed appreciation toward Chelsea for extending the invitation, acknowledging that being granted use of Stamford Bridge represents a unique moment for the club given the circumstances back home.

The gesture from Chelsea reflects ongoing solidarity within European football toward Ukrainian clubs still navigating disruption caused by the war.

Practically, this means Shakhtar’s Champions League opponents will now travel to London rather than Ukraine whenever the fixture list calls for a “home” match, a continuation of the workaround the club has relied on since being unable to safely stage matches domestically.

This latest development follows earlier reports that Shakhtar had been in discussions with Chelsea specifically targeting Stamford Bridge as their preferred venue, talks which have now been formalized ahead of the new Champions League campaign getting underway.

The partnership underscores the continued challenges facing Ukrainian football amid the ongoing conflict, even as clubs like Shakhtar strive to maintain a presence on Europe’s biggest stage.