Inter Milan and Club Bruges set for first competitive meeting after 45 years

Inter Milan and Club Bruges will meet for the first time in an official competition when they face each other at San Siro on Tuesday, 13 October 2026, in the second matchday of the league phase of the UEFA Champions League.

Despite their long European histories, the clubs have never previously been drawn together in a competitive fixture. Their only previous meetings came in Japan in June 1981, during the Kirin Cup.

The first encounter took place on 4 June 1981, when the sides played out a goalless draw. Six days later, they met again in the final, with Club Bruges winning 2-0 to claim the trophy against an Inter Milan team managed by Eugenio Bersellini.

The match in Milan, 45 years after those two encounters, will therefore mark a new chapter in the relationship between the clubs. It will also carry greater significance than their previous meetings, with both teams competing for points that could prove important in the race to reach the knockout phase of the UEFA Champions League.

Inter Milan will go into the game with a strong recent record against Belgian opponents. The Nerazzurri have won their past four European matches against teams from Belgium, including a 4-0 victory away to Union Saint-Gilloise in the previous edition of the UEFA Champions League.

Club Bruges will be aiming to end that run at San Siro and secure a notable result in their first official meeting with Inter Milan.