Shakhtar Win 16th Ukrainian Title, Return to Champions League

Shakhtar clinch Ukrainian League title with 11-point lead and dominant campaign

Shakhtar Donetsk sealed the Ukrainian Premier League crown and Champions League qualification. Arda Turan’s side also reached the Conference League semi-finals in a standout season.

Shakhtar Donetsk won the Ukrainian Premier League with three games to spare after a 4-0 victory. The club lost just once all season and scored more goals than any other team...

Shakhtar Donetsk clinched the Ukrainian Premier League title on Sunday after a 4-0 win away at SC Poltava opened an 11-point gap at the top with three games remaining.

It’s Shakhtar’s 16th league crown, keeping them second on the all-time list in Ukraine. They now sit one title behind record holders Dynamo Kyiv, who have 17.

With the championship secured, Shakhtar will return to the UEFA Champions League. They’re also likely to go straight into the group stage without having to play qualifiers.

It’s been a dream debut season for head coach Arda Turan. The former Atlético Madrid and Barcelona midfielder is quickly making a name for himself as one of Europe’s most promising young managers, adding this league title to the one he won with Eyupspor in Turkey’s second division.

“I congratulate our players, head coach Arda Turan, and our devoted fans on winning the Ukrainian championship,” said Sergey Palkin, Shakhtar’s CEO, of the achievement. 

“It has been a long and demanding season for all of us, and we are proud to see the golden shine of the medals reflected in Shakhtar’s orange-and-black colours.

“This title is the reward for hard work, character, unity, and belief. I would like to thank everyone who stood by the club throughout the season, club President Rinat Akhmetov, the team, the staff, and our supporters around the world,” he added.

🏆 THIS MOMENT HAS COME! 🔥🔥🔥

🧡⚒️ SHAKHTAR ARE THE CHAMPIONS OF UKRAINE! 🇺🇦#Shakhtar #ShakhtarChampions #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/0ekKDF7Fyb

— FC SHAKHTAR ENGLISH (@FCShakhtar_eng) May 10, 2026

Shakhtar started the season after losing two important players to transfers. Kevin joined Fulham in the Premier League, and Georgiy Sudakov moved to Benfica in Portugal.

Brazilian players were once again central to Shakhtar’s campaign. Across the season, 12 Brazilians featured for the club in both domestic and European matches.

They also impressed in the UEFA Conference League, finishing 6th in the league phase before reaching the semi-finals. Their run ended there with a 5-2 aggregate defeat to Crystal Palace.

Domestically, Shakhtar have been dominant. They’ve lost only once all season and scored more goals than any other side in the league.