How much cash Chelsea will get for staging Shakhtar Donetsk games at Stamford Bridge

Stamford Bridge has emerged as a highly attractive option because Chelsea lacks European football next season. The Blues failed to qualify for the Champions League, Europa League, or Conference League, meaning their stadium sits completely empty on mid-week European nights.

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This eliminates any threat of fixture congestion or potential scheduling clashes, clearing the path perfectly for the Ukrainian giants.

And it could come with some financial benefits.

Potential Chelsea earnings from Shakhtar Donetsk groundshare

Football finance expert Adam Williams has been talking to The Chelsea Chronicle about how this potential groundshare could benefit Chelsea and the financials that come with it.

“Shakhtar played their European matches in Poland last season and it sounds like the average attendance was under 15,000 – and even that was skewed by one or two games with huge away followings, like the one against Crystal Palace.

“They were relying on the Ukrainian diaspora in Poland for attendances, which is significantly bigger than the Ukrainian diaspora in London. So on face value, you’d assume Craven Cottage would be a better fit than Stamford Bridge in terms of right-sizing the ground for the occasion.

You need some scarcity value to optimise ticket sales, plus Fulham has great hospitality facilities and utility. Staffing costs are going to be lower there too. All that said, it depends how the deal is structured. It also depends on who they are drawn against and how high-profile the fixtures are.

“One of the benefits of the new Champions League format in this sense is that you are guarantees matches against big teams. I assume Shakhtar would pay Chelsea a flat rental fee and then retain proceeds from ticket sales after costs.

“Clearly, if they progress through the tournament, that fee will increase. Given the location and the opportunity cost, I think £5-6m sounds about right for an initial four games. For Chelsea, that would be a welcome bonus, especially with the UEFA settlement hanging over them.”