The French Football League (LFP) has faced multiple postponement requests this season. Lyon were scheduled to kick off their Ligue 1 campaign at Toulouse on August 22, but the club formally approached the LFP to explore postponing the match. The reasoning centered on potential overlaps with Champions League qualifying matches.

Paul Fonseca’s side must navigate a congested schedule starting with the third qualifying round, featuring a potential first leg on August 4 or 5, followed by a return on August 11. Should they advance further, the Champions League playoffs would demand two additional midweek fixtures, sandwiched between league matches. This mirrors previous postponement requests from clubs like Paris Saint-Germain and Strasbourg during the spring campaign.

LFP maintains rigid stance on opening match schedule

The LFP’s administrative council, which convened via videoconference on Monday evening, firmly rejected Lyon’s proposal. The league’s governing body emphasized the importance of maintaining an uninterrupted opening day for Ligue 1, particularly as the season marks the debut of the league’s dedicated streaming platform, Ligue 1+.

Should Lyon progress to the Champions League playoffs, they will be required to fit their Toulouse away game between two midweek European fixtures, demonstrating the league’s refusal to compromise on the integrity of the early season schedule.