Paris Saint-Germain face RC Lens at Stade Bollaert on Sunday in the 2026 Trophée des Champions to open the French football season.
The match kicks off at 8:45 p.m. on Sunday, August 16, with live coverage broadcast on the Ligue 1+ platform. The fixture marks the official return of top-level French football, taking place five days before the start of the new Ligue 1 season and one week after the start of Ligue 2 and Ligue 3.
The Trophée des Champions is France's annual super cup match, contested between the reigning Ligue 1 champions and the winners of the Coupe de France. Paris Saint-Germain enter the fixture as defending French champions and title holders, while RC Lens qualified after winning the Coupe de France and finishing as league runners-up last season.
Venue and Home Advantage
This year's edition breaks with recent tradition by avoiding neutral grounds or overseas venues. Instead, host venue selection was determined by a random draw, which awarded home advantage to Lens at Stade Bollaert. The setup mirrors the January 2024 super cup, when Paris Saint-Germain hosted the match at their home stadium, the Parc des Princes.
Paris Saint-Germain enter the match following pre-season success in Europe, having defeated English club Aston Villa 2-1 in the UEFA Super Cup. The capital side has won 12 of the past 13 editions of the Trophée des Champions and holds 14 super cup titles overall as they seek a 15th trophy. The club also strengthened its squad during the transfer window by signing Spanish forward Ferran Torres, who scored the winning goal in the World Cup final.
Lens Pre-season and Managerial Changes
RC Lens begin their campaign under new management after Dino Toppmöller succeeded Pierre Sage as head coach over the summer. Lens maintained their momentum from last season's runner-up campaign during pre-season preparation, where winger Florian Thauvin and his teammates earned friendly victories over Spanish side Villarreal and English club Crystal Palace.
Sunday's fixture is also a remake of the 1998 Trophée des Champions match, which Paris Saint-Germain won 1-0 against Lens. Lens will look to avenge that historical loss on home turf, while Paris Saint-Germain aim to secure their first domestic trophy of the 2026/2027 season ahead of their league title defence.
