Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk to play home Champions League games in Germany this season

The Ukrainian champion said on Friday that UEFA has agreed the team can play in Hamburg where it’s likely to attract the support of Ukrainians who have been displaced during the war and are living in Germany and other countries.

Players stand as a message in support of Ukraine is displayed on a big screen before Tottenham Hotspur’s pre-season friendly match against Shakhtar Donetsk. | Photo Credit: Reuters

Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk will play its home Champions League games in Germany this season at the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg.

Unable to host European games in Ukraine because of the Russian invasion, Shakhtar’s home games were held in the Polish capital Warsaw last season.

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The Ukrainian champion said on Friday that UEFA has agreed the team can play in Hamburg where it’s likely to attract the support of Ukrainians who have been displaced during the war and are living in Germany and other countries.

The Volksparkstadion is home to Hamburger SV, which has been a second-division team since 2018. It’s also a venue for the European Championship in Germany next year.

The stadium has a 57,000 capacity for German league games, including some standing terraces, or 51,500 in all-seater international games.