Thanks to its confirmation in Ligue 1, Olympique Lyonnais also validated its participation in the Europa League for the 2025-2026 season, marking its second consecutive year in European competition. This participation involves at least four meetings held in Parc OL between 24 September 2025 and 29 January 2026. The team, led by Paulo Fonseca, aims to surpass its previous year’s performance, despite doubts about the composition of its staff. The Europa League remains a crucial objective for OL, both in sport and in financial terms, given the financial sanctions currently imposed on the club.

In the previous hen phase, Olympique Lyonnais qualified for the quarter finals after beating FC Steaua Bucharest. For the new edition of the Europa League, UEFA foresees advantages for teams ranked in the first eight places in the hens phase, particularly in terms of direct elimination matches. Specifically, teams finishing between 5th and 8th place will benefit from the advantage of playing the game back from the home quarter finals. This advantage extends to teams ranked 3rd and 4th, which will retain it until the quarterfinals, while the 1st and 2nd rankings will benefit from this advantage in each round if they reach the semifinals.

This new rule also applies to the Champions League and the Europa Conference League, stressing the importance attached to hen stage performances. The objective of Olympique Lyonnais is therefore to qualify for the final, which will take place in Istanbul. Participation in the Europa League represents a significant opportunity for the club to strengthen its sports record and stabilize its financial situation, while offering its fans exciting European matches. Success in this competition is therefore a major challenge for the entire Lyon institution.