Following the UEFA Europa League draw held on Friday, August 28, French clubs Olympique de Marseille, Olympique Lyonnais, and Stade Rennais have learned their complete league-phase opponents for the upcoming 2026/2027 European campaign, according to reports from Eurosport and Footeo.
Olympique Lyonnais Draws Bayer Leverkusen and Crystal Palace
Olympique Lyonnais enters the Europa League phase after missing out on the Champions League following a playoff defeat against Fenerbahçe on Wednesday, August 26, as detailed by Eurosport. Under the tournament’s league-phase format, Les Gones will play eight total fixtures—four at home and four away—against two opponents from each of the four seeding pots. According to Footeo, Lyon will host the German side Bayer Leverkusen and English club Crystal Palace at home. The matchup against Crystal Palace brings a reunion with their former manager, Pierre Sage, who now leads the English side.
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Lyon’s full league-phase fixture list comprises home matches against Bayer Leverkusen, Union Saint-Gilloise, Crystal Palace, and Lillestrøm, alongside away trips to face Real Sociedad, Anderlecht, Jagiellonia Białystok, and Hoffenheim, as outlined by Footeo and Eurosport. Having finished top of the league phase last season, the French club navigates a consistent schedule while avoiding Italian giants Juventus and AC Milan.
Olympique de Marseille Navigates Hostile Away Fixtures
Olympique de Marseille avoids English clubs in the league phase but faces several high-profile and demanding away trips across Europe, according to Footeo. The southern French side will play eight matches divided evenly between Stade Vélodrome and hostile away venues.
Marseille’s calendar features home fixtures against Olympiakos, Anderlecht, Celta de Vigo, and Levski Sofia. Their away matches take them to face Bayer Leverkusen, Celtic Glasgow, Sturm Graz, and Beşiktaş, with the trips to Glasgow and Istanbul expected to present intense atmospheres, as reported by Footeo.
Stade Rennais Faces Juventus in Marquee Fixture
Stade Rennais returns to European competition after a two-year absence and enters the draw from Pot 2, according to Eurosport. The Breton side’s headline fixture sends them to Turin to face Italian powerhouse Juventus, alongside a testing series of matches across the continent.
Rennes’ eight-game schedule includes home matches against Olympiacos, Dinamo Zagreb, Omonia Nicosia, and OFI Crete. Their away fixtures feature trips to Juventus, Sparta Prague, Sturm Graz, and NEC Nijmegen, with Eurosport noting that the remainder of their schedule appears more accessible outside of the clash in Italy.
Tournament Schedule and Upcoming Dates
The league phase of the UEFA Europa League is scheduled to kick off in mid-September, with the opening fixtures taking place on September 16 and 17, according to Eurosport and Footeo. Precise match dates and kickoff times will be confirmed shortly by UEFA.
