Fenerbahçe eliminates Lyon, leaving France with three Champions League representatives

Fenerbahçe has earned its place in the Champions League group stage after a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Lyon in the second leg of their playoff tie. The Turkish club overcame the French opponent with goals from Vedat Muriqi and Archie Brown before halftime, securing their advancement.

Lyon managed to pull one back through Malick Fofana in the second half and pressed for an equalizer, even seeing two goals disallowed for offside. However, Fenerbahçe held firm to secure the aggregate win, despite Lyon's late efforts.

This result has significant implications for France's representation in Europe's premier club competition. With Lyon's elimination, France will now have only three teams in the Champions League: defending champions PSG, Lens, and Lille. Lyon will instead compete in the Europa League.

In other playoff matches, AEK Athens and Viking secured their spots, while Slovan Bratislava also qualified after extra time. These teams join the 29 clubs that had already qualified, setting the stage for Thursday's draw in Monaco, which will officially kick off the 2026-2027 Champions League season.