Union Saint‑Gilloise trade Louvain venue for modest Europa League home

Union Saint‑Gilloise will play its Europa League matches at the modest Den Dreef stadium in Louvain, a stark contrast to the club’s earlier ambitions of larger, revenue‑generating fixtures. The move, confirmed by CEO Philippe Bormans, reflects the reality that European games “are not profitable” for the club.

Venue choice and logistical hurdles

As in the 2022‑23 season, Union will return to Den Dreef for its fourth European roof in five campaigns. The Jupiler Pro League side had to abandon its Brussels ground because it does not meet UEFA standards, forcing an exile to the OHL pitch, which it also used in 2022‑23 under Karel Geraerts.

Negotiations involved not only the club’s management but also the mayor, local police zone and the cooperative that owns Den Dreef. Bormans explained that the stadium was selected “based on several elements, including the interest of the matches,” and noted the absence of a marquee opponent this season.

Financial implications

The club estimates the rental cost at roughly €125 000 per match, far below the €250 000 Anderlecht receives for Champions League fixtures, and considerably less than the ancillary expenses such as stewards and catering.

Union’s CEO warned that the overall organisation will cost more than it will generate, especially with a “home” match against Israeli side Beer Sheva being relocated to Germany.

Supporter turnout and ticketing

Den Dreef’s capacity of 10 000 seats will host about 6 700 Union supporters for the first tie, with 3 200 mini‑subscriptions sold. UEFA will reserve part of the allocation and 600 supporters of Real Sociedad are expected.

Ticket sales close on Wednesday at 18:30 for security reasons. The club sold 6 700 of the 8 000 available Union tickets for the upcoming match, a figure comparable to the 6 700‑7 000 attendances recorded at the King Baudouin Stadium earlier in the 2024‑25 season.

Stéphane Lecaillon, who featured for Union in the 2022‑23 Europa League campaign against Braga, recalled the club’s previous experience at Den Dreef and stressed the importance of finding a suitable venue.

While the stadium lacks the grandeur of a 40 000‑seat arena, Union’s modest fan base and the logistical constraints of European competition mean that the Louvain ground offers a realistic, if financially modest, solution for the club’s Europa League adventure.