Shakhtar Donetsk confirm talks with Brentford to stage Champions League games in London | OneFootball

Neighbouring Hounslow and Ealing boast substantial Ukrainian communities

Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium is under consideration to host Shakhtar Donetsk’s Champions League games next season.

Standard Sport understands that Ukrainian giants Shakhtar are in talks with several venues across the UK and Germany to secure a host stadium for their European games.

Shakhtar are unable to stage their Champions League home games due to Ukraine’s ongoing conflict with Russia.

UEFA have prohibited Shakhtar from hosting European fixtures in the war-torn country for safety reasons, and last season they played their Conference League home games in Krakow, Poland.

Brentford’s 17,000-seater stadium, which recently hosted the World Sevens Football Tournament, has now emerged as a contender, and negotiations are ongoing.

Brentford have a strong connection to Ukraine, with neighbouring Hounslow and Ealing having substantial Ukrainian communities.

The club have also run local projects to help displaced Ukrainian families.

Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium

Getty Images

In a statement to Standard Sport, an official spokesperson for Shakhtar said: “Shakhtar is currently negotiating with several venues in the United Kingdom and Germany in order to secure a host stadium for its UEFA Champions League matches next season.

The first round of qualifying for the 2026/27 Champions League takes place across July 7-8, 2026, though Shakhar will not enter until the league phase, which begins on September 8 and takes place across three consecutive days.

Brentford have routinely generated extra revenue by renting out the Gtech since moving into the stadium in 2020.

As well as hosting Women’s Super League teams for the World Sevens Football Tournament in May, the Bees also rented out the stadium to now-defunct rugby union club London Irish between 2020 and 2023.

The Bees also hosted the Unity Cup in 2025 and several international men’s and women’s football games.