Marseille, Lyon and Rennes learn Europa League opponents

Marseille, Lyon and Rennes now know the routes they will take in this season’s Europa League league phase, giving France three representatives in the competition. Lyon dropped into the tournament after losing at home to Fenerbahçe, while Marseille and Rennes qualified after finishing fifth and sixth respectively in Ligue 1 last season.

Each club will play eight league-phase matches, with four at home and four away, between 16 September and 28 January 2027. The top eight teams will advance directly to the round of 16, while clubs finishing ninth to 24th will enter the knockout play-offs on 18 and 25 February.

Marseille’s programme includes away trips to Bayer Leverkusen, Celtic, Sturm Graz and Besiktas, alongside home matches against Olympiakos, Anderlecht, Celta Vigo and Levski Sofia. Lyon’s listed opponents are Bayer Leverkusen, Real Sociedad, Union SG, Crystal Palace, Jagiellonia, Lillestrom and Hoffenheim, with the fixtures split between home and away venues.

Rennes will host Olympiakos, Dinamo Zagreb, Omonia Nicosia and OFI Crete, while travelling to Juventus, Sparta Prague, Sturm Graz and NEC Nijmegen. Marseille and Lyon are in the first seeding pot, with Rennes in the second. France has never won the Europa League; Marseille remain the country’s most recent finalist after losing the 2018 final to Atlético Madrid.