The Lyon squad resumed training on June 29 with a clear objective: peak fitness for the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League, slated for August 4-5 (first leg) and August 11 (return). Should they advance, Paulo Fonseca’s team would face the playoffs within the following two weeks.

Recognizing the unique circumstances, Lyon’s leadership submitted a formal written appeal to the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) to postpone their Ligue 1 opener against Toulouse on August 22—a date sandwiched between potential Champions League playoff fixtures. Drawing parallels to last season’s Paris Saint-Germain precedents, the club emphasized the broader interests of French football in their petition.

The governing body delivered its verdict Monday evening through a videoconference meeting of the Professional Football League’s board of directors. The unanimous decision: rejection. Key concerns cited included the impracticality of introducing a fixture gap during Ligue 1+’s inaugural season of broadcasting all matches.