RC LensRC Lens (Racing Club de Lens) was founded in 1906 and embodies the coal-mining identity of the Pas-de-Calais region. A defining moment in the club's history occurred in 1924, when it adopted its iconic red and gold colors (earning the nickname Les Sang et Or – The Blood and Gold), referencing the historical Spanish rule over Flanders in the 16th and 17th centuries. Following the closure of local pits, the club became the primary symbol of working-class pride and collective memory in northern France.
The sporting pinnacle for the club came in 1998 when RC Lens won its first Ligue 1 title under the guidance of manager Daniel Leclercq. That triumph paved the way for the club's most memorable European match: on 25 November 1998, RC Lens won away at the legendary Wembley Stadium against Arsenal, 1-0 — the London club's temporary Champions League home at the time — becoming the first French side ever to win at the venue. A quarter of a century later, in December 2023, Les Sang et Or again wrote themselves into European folklore, beating defending champions Sevilla FC 2-1 at home at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis, although in the same group stage they were thrashed 0-6 away by Arsenal. Historical icons of the club include the club's all-time top scorer, Algerian forward Ahmed Oudjani, long-serving captain and club appearance record holder Éric Sikora, and French international of Polish descent Maryan Wisniewski, who wore the club's colours between 1953 and 1963.
The team plays its home matches at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis. Located near the center of the town, the stadium has a capacity exceeding 38,000, which is larger than the total population of Lens itself. The venue is renowned for its tradition of supporters singing Pierre Bachelet's hymn "Les Corons" at halftime during every home fixture to honor the regional mining heritage — a ritual that has become one of the most recognisable symbols of club identity in French football.
