Anderlecht know their opponents for the Europa League group stage following the draw on Thursday, 28 August 2026. The Brussels club, which qualified through three preliminary rounds, was drawn in a group with eight opponents including Olympique Lyon and Sunderland.
The club currently sits tenth in the Jupiler Pro League with three points from two matches. They have scored two goals and conceded two. Their next league fixture is at home against Kortrijk, who are 17th, on 3 September.
Anderlecht, who were in pot 2, will play four home matches at Lotto Park. Lyon, Red Bull Salzburg, Sunderland, and Hoffenheim will all visit Brussels. The four away fixtures are against Olympique Marseille, Dinamo Zagreb, Jagiellonia Białystok, and OFI Crete. The full match calendar will be announced by Sunday at the latest. Europa League matches are played between September and January.
The clash with Sunderland means a reunion with two former Anderlecht players. Noah Sadiki and Nilson Angulo are now under contract with the English club. The home game against Hoffenheim also has a personal touch. Nathan De Cat, a former Anderlecht youth player, will return to his old stomping ground.
Union Saint-Gilloise, also in pot 2 of the Europa League, will face the likes of Real Sociedad, Celtic, and Besiktas. The latter club features Belgian international Leandro Trossard. Captain Kevin Mac Allister gave his opinion on the draw procedure. "Not so nice. One press of a button and all the opponents came out at once for everyone," he said. When asked if he had a favourite opponent, he replied: "Do I have a favourite opponent? There are a lot of good teams in there."
In the Conference League, AA Gent and STVV are involved. Gent, from pot 2, will play at home against Red Star Belgrade, Brann Bergen, and Aarhus. STVV, who started in pot 4, will host Ajax and Hajduk Split among others. Conference League matches run from October to December.
The European schedule presents a tough challenge for Anderlecht. The club must combine European matches with catching up in the league, where they trail leaders Club Brugge by six points. Their recent form is mixed with one win and one loss.
The return of former players like Sadiki, Angulo, and De Cat adds an extra dimension to the matches against Sunderland and Hoffenheim. It promises emotional moments at Lotto Park. The squad composition and any adjustments can be tracked via our squad overview. The focus is first on the league, but European nights are coming up fast.
