Just four days after securing victory in the Belgian Supercup against Club Brugge via a penalty shootout, Union Saint-Gilloise will play its inaugural European fixture of the 2026/2027 season. The match is scheduled for Tuesday at 8:00 PM in Ostende and will be broadcast live on RTL Club and RTL Play.
Under the guidance of coach David Hubert, the team aims to secure a second consecutive appearance in the prestigious Champions League. Their challenge begins with the first leg of the third – and penultimate – qualifying round against Bodo/Glimt. The crucial return fixture is slated for August 11 in Bodo, Norway.
This initial hurdle promises to be a significant test, as Bodo/Glimt proved to be a formidable contender in last year’s Champions League. The Norwegian club notably advanced from the league phase, subsequently eliminating Inter Milan in the play-offs before a hard-fought exit against Sporting CP in the round of 16, despite a commanding 3-0 win in their first encounter.
Furthermore, Bodo/Glimt is expected to arrive in Ostende in peak physical condition. Their domestic league season in Norway commenced in March, and they currently lead the standings, having won their last five matches consecutively.
USG’s squad enters the match nearly at full strength; only Hervé Koffi, a recent acquisition from Lens, will be unavailable to coach Hubert. During a press conference on Monday, Hubert characterized the upcoming game as “a beautiful challenge against a solid team.”
Despite the departures of Christian Burgess and Kjell Scherpen, the Brussels-based club demonstrated impressive resilience and cohesion in their Supercup triumph. Bodo/Glimt’s coach, Kjetil Knutsen, who has meticulously observed all of his future opponent’s friendly matches, affirmed that his team is “very well prepared.”
Should Union Saint-Gilloise emerge victorious from this two-legged tie, they will advance to face either Greece’s Olympiakos or the Netherlands’ NEC Nijmegen in the play-off round. USG would host the second leg of that tie, also in Ostende. However, a defeat against Bodo/Glimt would see the club from the Butte enter the league phase of the Europa League.