Olympique Lyonnais sets sights on Champions League third‑round qualifiers

Olympique Lyonnais finished fourth in Ligue 1, securing a place in the 2026‑27 Champions League third‑round qualifying tie scheduled for early August. The French club will face one of five possible opponents – Union Saint‑Gilloise, Sparta Prague, NEC Nijmegen, Sturm Graz or Hearts of Midlothian – depending on the draw. If Lyon were to beat Fenerbahçe, they could inherit the Turkish seed and would be barred from meeting Polish side Górnik Zabrze in that round.

The team, led by coach Paulo Fonseca, aims to progress through two qualifying rounds and end a long spell of Europa‑only participation, marking its 39th European campaign in club history. Despite significant internal financial challenges, Lyon is active in the transfer market to strengthen the squad for the upcoming fixtures.