Anderlecht v Lyon: Europa League opener brings European rivals together

Olympique Lyonnais begin their Europa League league-phase campaign away to Anderlecht on Wednesday, 16 September 2026, in one of the standout fixtures of the opening week.

The match will be played at Lotto Park in Anderlecht, Belgium, with kick-off scheduled for 19:00 GMT.

In France, the game will be broadcast on Canal+ Foot. Telefonica will show it in Spain, RTL in Germany, Sky in Italy and Ziggo Sport in the Netherlands. Coverage in Portugal will be provided by Sport TV and DAZN, while viewers in Austria can watch on Canal+, Sky Austria or Servus TV.

beIN Sports holds the rights in the MENA region, covering the Middle East and North Africa. SuperSport and New World TV will broadcast the match in sub-Saharan Africa, ESPN and Disney+ in Latin America excluding Brazil, and CazeTV in Brazil.

Previous meetings

Anderlecht and Olympique Lyonnais have met four times in European competition, according to Transfermarkt data.

Their first notable meetings came in the 2003/04 Champions League. Lyon won the first leg 1-0, before Anderlecht recorded a 1-0 victory in the return fixture.

The clubs faced one another again in the 2009/10 Champions League qualifying rounds. Lyon won that two-legged tie.

Across their four European encounters, Lyon have scored nine goals, compared with three for Anderlecht.

Recent form

Anderlecht have recorded three wins, one draw and one defeat in their past five competitive matches. Their latest result was a 1-0 victory over Mechelen.

Lyon remain unbeaten in Ligue 1 and drew 0-0 with Paris FC in their most recent match. That followed wins against Auxerre, by 3-1, and Toulouse, by 2-0.

The French side therefore arrive in Belgium with a strong recent record, although Anderlecht’s home form makes them a difficult opponent to overcome.

Match prediction and odds

Lyon appear to have a slight advantage because of their European experience and recent run of results. However, Anderlecht are expected to provide a stern test at Lotto Park, with the two sides potentially cancelling each other out in a closely contested match.

Africafoot’s prediction is a 1-1 draw.

Bookmaker 1xbet lists Anderlecht at 3.40 to win, with the draw priced at 3.60 and a Lyon victory at 1.92.