UF Tonnerrois was the first club featured in the new Tour des Clubs series broadcast by ICI Auxerre. The local channel invited the amateur club to its studios during the RC Lens vs AJ Auxerre match on Saturday, 22 August.
AJ Auxerre began their 2026-2027 Ligue 1 season with this tough away trip to face last season's French runners-up. The Stade Bollaert was the scene of a 2-1 defeat for the Burgundy side, a result that currently leaves them 17th in the table with 0 points after one matchday. Their next challenge is crucial: a home game against 16th-placed Angers this Saturday, 29 August. You can follow their battle to climb the table on our standings page.
Who represented UF Tonnerrois?
Club president Aurélie Robert and technical manager Mathis Masse experienced the full Studio Foot program. They discovered the behind-the-scenes workings of the broadcast before, during, and after the Ligue 1 fixture. At halftime, journalist Philippe Renaud interviewed them live. They detailed the news and ambitions of UF Tonnerrois, a club based in the Yonne department.
What are the club's projects?
The discussion covered several important topics for the club. Their French Cup campaign is a major objective for the senior teams. The development of women's football within the club was also addressed, a theme dear to ICI Auxerre which had already dedicated a special program to it last April at the Stade Abbé-Deschamps. Finally, Aurélie Robert and Mathis Masse announced the upcoming launch of a walking football section, an accessible discipline aimed at broadening the club's membership base.
How does the Tour des Clubs work?
This new initiative by ICI Auxerre, as reported by the ici.fr editorial team, aims to highlight amateur clubs in Yonne throughout the season. For each AJA match, a different club will be invited to share its news, projects, and initiatives. Presidents, coaches, educators, and even players will thus benefit from a media platform. The goal is to create a stronger link between the professional football of Auxerre and the local grassroots network in the department.
What is the context for AJ Auxerre?
The defeat at Lens was disappointing, especially as striker L. Sy managed to score Auxerre's goal. He is the club's top scorer so far this season with one goal. The team has scored two goals but conceded five, for a -3 goal difference. Manager Will Still, who faced the press on Thursday, 20 August, now faces an immediate important challenge. He must quickly turn things around, as the club already trails league leaders Olympique de Marseille by three points. The squad composition and player statistics are available on our squad page.
The coming week is therefore busy for football in Yonne. While AJ Auxerre prepares for a crucial home match, amateur clubs like UF Tonnerrois continue their foundational work. The Tour des Clubs provided excellent exposure for these essential actors of local sports life. AJA's path in the coming weeks, which you can check via the fixtures calendar, will be decisive for its future in the top flight.
