Lens target winning start against Auxerre after PSG victory

Lens begin their Ligue 1 campaign against Auxerre on Saturday, 22 August 2026, with confidence high after an impressive start to the new season under Dino Toppmoller.

The match will be played at Stade Bollaert-Delelis in Lens, with kick-off scheduled for 15:15 GMT. Canal+ will broadcast the game in France, while Amazon Prime Video holds the rights in Germany and the United Kingdom.

In the United States, the fixture will be available on Paramount+, CBS, Fubo, DAZN and TUDN / ViX. Canadian viewers can watch on DAZN, with Canal+ Sport Afrique showing the match across Africa. Stan Sport is the broadcaster in Australia, TNT Sports in Brazil and ESPN across Latin America.

Lens come into the game after an exceptional previous season, during which they won the Coupe de France, finished as Ligue 1 runners-up and lifted the Trophee des Champions. Their latest success came against Paris Saint-Germain, whom they defeated 1-0 in that season-opening contest.

The victory over PSG was an encouraging result for Toppmoller, who is beginning his first official season in charge of Lens. The manager has also overseen a positive pre-season, with the club recording four wins from seven matches.

Lens have generally held the upper hand in recent meetings with Auxerre. They have won seven of the teams’ past 10 encounters, with two draws and one defeat. The Sang et Or also completed a league double over AJA last season, winning both fixtures.

Auxerre, meanwhile, are primarily focused on avoiding relegation after finishing 15th last season. The club appointed Will Still as their new manager and have enjoyed a reasonably encouraging preparation period. They won two of their five warm-up matches, drew two and lost one.

The figures point strongly towards a home victory. Lens are given a 64% chance of winning, compared with a 24% probability of a draw and just 12% for an Auxerre success. On that basis, the Sang et Or appear well placed to begin their Ligue 1 campaign with three points.

Africafoot’s prediction is a 2-0 victory for Lens.

Betting company 1xbet lists Lens as clear favourites ahead of the fixture. Its prices are 1.56 for a Lens win, 4.40 for a draw and 5.80 for an Auxerre victory.