Shakhtar Donetsk will play their Champions League home games this season at Hamburg’s Volksparkstadion.
Shakhtar are unable to host games in Ukraine due to the ongoing war against Russia, which began in February 2022. They have been unable to play home matches at their Donbas Arena due to the war that has waged in the east of Ukraine since 2014.
Last season, Shakhtar played their Champions League and Europa League home fixtures in Warsaw at the Polish Army Stadium, with the league matches played at different Ukrainian venues.
“First of all, we want to thank Warsaw and Polish people for the support they gave us during the matches of the previous European season in Poland,” said Shakhtar’s commercial director, Dmytro Kyrylenko.
“We considered the possibility of hosting the Champions League home games among several options for the new season and we settled on Hamburg.
“We are sure that the matches at the Volksparkstadion will be held at the highest level and will gather in the stands both local football fans and thousands of Ukrainians who are currently temporarily living in Germany and other European countries.”
“We are very happy to support Shakhtar and are delighted that Hamburg will be the venue for top international games,” added Hamburg board member Jonas Boldt.
Shakhtar qualified for the 2023-24 Champions League after winning the Ukrainian Premier League last season. The draw for the group stage is on August 31.
Last season, the Ukrainian side finished third in their Champions League group and were knocked out of the Europa League in the round of 16 by Feyenoord.
Hamburg’s 57,000-capacity Volksparkstadion has hosted the club’s European matches in previous seasons, as well as the 2011 Europa League final. It has also been announced as a venue for next summer’s European Championship in Germany.
Hamburg have played in the 2. Bundesliga since their relegation from the German top flight in 2018.
GO DEEPER
Away from Home, The Athletic’s podcast series following Shakhtar Donetsk through the war
(Photo: Denis Doyle/Getty Images)
