The 2025/26 Ligue 1 season has kicked off with a bang, immediately delivering a series of shocking results and compelling narratives. While some matches are still to come, the first weekend has already set the tone for what promises to be an unpredictable and thrilling campaign.
This post will provide a full breakdown of the matches played so far, an analysis of the key games, and a look ahead at what's still to come as the first round of fixtures draws to a close.
Match of the Day: The Ten-Man Upset
The most dramatic match of the opening weekend was undoubtedly the clash between Rennes and Olympique de Marseille. The home side, Rennes, were put at a massive disadvantage early on when their teenage defender, Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal, was shown a red card in the 31st minute, leaving them with ten men for nearly the entire match.
Despite being a man down, Rennes showed incredible resilience and secured a shocking victory in the final moments of the game.
Ludovic Blas, who scored just six minutes after coming on to secure the 1-0 upset.
Other Matches Played So Far
RC Lens 0–1 Olympique Lyonnais: Olympique Lyonnais secured a hard-fought away victory thanks to a goal from Georges Mikautadze just before halftime . Lyon's goalkeeper Rémy Descamps was the standout performer, making a string of crucial saves to preserve the win in a rock-solid defensive display .
AS Monaco 3–1 Le Havre AC: Monaco started their season with a convincing home victory at the Stade Louis II . The goals came from a first-half own goal from Le Havre’s goalkeeper, a header from new signing Eric Dier early in the second half, and a calm finish from Maghnes Akliouche . Rassoul Ndiaye scored Le Havre's lone goal .OGC Nice 0–1 Toulouse FC: In another surprising away result, Toulouse claimed a late victory over Nice . A late strike from Djibril Sidibé secured the win for the visitors, a tough blow for the home side on the opening weekend .
All Matchweek 1 Fixtures and Results (So Far)
Here is a table of all the matches that have been played in the opening weekend of the Ligue 1 season.
| Date | Fixture | Result | Goalscorers | |
| Friday, August 15 | Rennes vs. Olympique de Marseille | 1–0 | REN: Blas | |
| Saturday, August 16 | RC Lens vs. Olympique Lyonnais | 0–1 | OL: Mikautadze | |
| Saturday, August 16 | AS Monaco vs. Le Havre AC | 3–1 | MON: Lloris (OG), Dier, Akliouche. | LHA: Ndiaye |
| Saturday, August 16 | OGC Nice vs. Toulouse FC | 0–1 | TOU: Sidibé |
Upcoming Matches
The opening matchweek is not yet complete. The remaining fixtures, scheduled for Sunday, August 17, are as follows:
| Date | Fixture |
| Sunday, August 17 | Stade Brestois vs. Lille OSC |
| Sunday, August 17 | AJ Auxerre vs. FC Lorient |
| Sunday, August 17 | Angers SCO vs. Paris FC |
| Sunday, August 17 | FC Metz vs. RC Strasbourg Alsace |
| Sunday, August 17 | FC Nantes vs. Paris Saint-Germain |
A Start Filled with Surprises
The first matches of the new Ligue 1 season have been full of unexpected results, with several away teams and underdogs securing crucial wins. This start highlights the unpredictable nature of French football and sets the stage for a compelling season where any team can challenge the established order. The weekend's action now leads up to the debut of the defending champions, Paris Saint-Germain, who will begin their title defense away to FC Nantes on Sunday . The first matchweek of the 2025/26 season is proving to be a thrilling one, and the action is far from over.