Shakhtar Donetsk will face Sporting CP at Stamford Bridge in London on 3 November 2026 in matchday four of the UEFA Champions League league phase. Shakhtar remain the official home team despite playing in England: the Ukrainian club cannot use its ground in Donetsk and reached an agreement with Chelsea to stage its 2026/27 European home fixtures at the London stadium.
The agreement was announced on 21 August, initially subject to the necessary regulatory approvals. UEFA's match information identifies the venue for this fixture, and Shakhtar announced ticket sales on 15 October. Chelsea is providing the stadium; it is not a team in the match.
Why are Shakhtar unable to play in Donetsk?
Shakhtar have been away from Donbas Arena since 2014, when conflict in eastern Ukraine prevented the club from continuing to play in its home city. Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022 compounded the displacement. Since then, the team has had to separate its domestic football arrangements from its European home matches, which have been staged at venues abroad.
In recent years the club has used stadiums in Poland, Germany and other countries, as reported by Reuters. Speaking to Larissa Ramos of ge, club official Darijo Srna described the challenges of combining international travel, security and fixture demands. London is the chosen base for this league phase, not a return to Shakhtar's original home city.
Date, kick-off, stadium and home-team status
- Match: Shakhtar Donetsk vs Sporting CP, matchday four of the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League league phase.
- Date: Tuesday, 3 November 2026.
- Stadium: Stamford Bridge in Fulham, west London, England.
- Official home team: Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine). Away team: Sporting CP (Portugal).
- Kick-off: 17:45 in London and Lisbon (GMT), 19:45 in Kyiv (EET), and 14:45 in Brasília (BRT).
- Stadium capacity as stated by Shakhtar: 40,022 spectators.
Why Stamford Bridge?
Shakhtar and Chelsea announced an agreement to use the ground. The English club are not competing in European football in 2026/27, leaving room in their schedule to accommodate the Ukrainian side. Opened in 1877 and Chelsea's home since 1905, Stamford Bridge holds 40,022 spectators according to Shakhtar's August announcement.
Srna told ge that the club also hopes for support from the Ukrainian community in the United Kingdom. The arrangement does not change the sporting home designation: UEFA lists Shakhtar first, as the home side, against Sporting. Shakhtar have already hosted AEK Athens in London during this league phase and are scheduled to stage matches against Fenerbahçe and Real Madrid at the stadium.
How do Shakhtar and Sporting arrive at the game?
After three league-phase matches, Shakhtar had four points: a 1-1 draw with PSV Eindhoven, a 3-1 win against AEK Athens and a 1-0 loss to Inter. Sporting had six points, following 3-1 and 2-0 wins over Galatasaray and Lens respectively, then a 3-2 defeat to LASK. These are the UEFA-listed results checked on 29 October 2026, not a prediction of the forthcoming meeting.
Tickets and TV coverage
In its 15 October announcement, Shakhtar offered individual tickets starting at £42, with dynamic pricing and availability restrictions. The price quoted on that date does not guarantee a seat or the same price at purchase. The editorial check on 29 October did not establish a match-specific broadcast schedule for Brazil, Portugal or the United Kingdom; this preview therefore does not name a channel or streaming service.
Sources and references
- UEFA: 2026/27 league-phase fixtures and results
- UEFA: Shakhtar vs Sporting match information and venue
- Shakhtar: Stamford Bridge agreement (21 August 2026)
- Shakhtar: Sporting match tickets (15 October 2026)
- Chelsea: Stamford Bridge hosting announcement (21 August 2026)
- ge: Larissa Ramos's interview with Darijo Srna (14 October 2026)
- Reuters: Shakhtar's European home matches in London (21 August 2026)
