Union Saint-Gilloise (USG) and Antwerp are set to clash in the 69th Belgian Cup final at the King Baudouin Stadium on Thursday, with Antwerp aiming to defend their 2023 cup triumph against Mechelen (0-2), while USG seeks to secure their first cup since 1914. Both teams have been actively participating in the league, the Belgian Cup, and European competitions throughout the season. Defending champions Antwerp faced setbacks in the title race and the Champions League, finishing last in their group behind Barcelona, Porto, and Shakhtar Donetsk. However, they progressed to the final by defeating Oud-Heverlee Leuven in the quarter-finals (2-3) and overcoming Ostend (1-1, 3-0) in the semi-finals.
Meanwhile, USG had a relatively successful season, finishing third in Europa League Group E before moving to the Conference League, where they eliminated Eintracht Frankfurt in the play-off round (2-2, 2-1) but were eliminated in the last 16 by Fenerbahçe (0-3, 1-0). Despite leading the league for much of the regular season, they faced tough competition from Anderlecht and Club Brugge in the playoffs, relinquishing their lead after a series of defeats. USG secured their spot in the Cup final by winning the Brussels derby against RSCA in the quarter-finals and defeating Club Brugge in the semi-finals (2-1, 2-0).
A victory over Antwerp in the final would mark Union Saint-Gilloise’s third Belgian Cup title and their first since the 1913-1914 season, while for Antwerp, it would signify a fifth title and the chance to salvage a disappointing season with back-to-back Cup successes.
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