Following an emergency meeting at the Lyon prefecture on Thursday afternoon, the National Directorate for the Fight against Hooliganism classified the August 26 Groupama Stadium clash as high-risk (Level 4 out of 5). This decision comes as Turkish club Fenerbahçe prepares to bring 2,220 supporters to Lyon, with 1,000 traveling directly from Turkey and another 1,000 from within the European Union. An additional 200 identified high-risk individuals and 20 VIP guests will be accommodated in the away section, which has a capacity of 2,816 seats. Among these fans, 500 to 700 are known to authorities as potential troublemakers.

Strict ticketing controls to prevent unauthorized sales

To prevent ticket touting, Olympique Lyonnais has intensified its campaign against resale violations. The club has already identified three fan groups that breached these rules and will send formal notices suspending their season tickets without refund. Additional stadium bans may follow. No tickets will be available for purchase at Groupama Stadium or the Eurexpo meeting point in Chassieu on match day. Fenerbahçe will distribute all tickets exclusively through dedicated channels, with supporters exchanging counterfoils for admission tickets at the designated meeting point. Turkish fans will gather there at 6 p.m. on match day before boarding 15-20 buses or shuttles for the short trip to the stadium.

Lessons from past violence shape security plans

Lyon authorities are taking no chances, having learned from the catastrophic clashes during the 2017 UEFA Europa League quarter-final against Beşiktaş. Those disturbances in the north stand saw serious crowd violence that required extensive police intervention. To prevent similar incidents, three additional CRS companies will be deployed alongside regular stadium security forces. Authorities may also impose restrictions on Turkish or similarly identified supporters from entering Lyon’s city center on August 26, depending on the outcome of the first leg on August 18. With 50,000 spectators expected at Groupama Stadium for this crucial Champions League playoff, every precaution is being taken to ensure safety and order.