With the opening ceremony of the Ligue 1 2025–26 season taking place at Stade de Beaujoire, all eyes will be trained on Nantes, for the 18th of August contest between Ligue 1 newcomers and the holders. As Nantes attempts to make an impression in front of their home crowd, the season's first game has all the makings of a season-opening match that sets the tone for PSG to have yet another successful campaign.

Both teams begin the new campaign with fresh hopes and refurbished squads. PSG, under Luis Enrique now, will be eager to demonstrate their continued mastery of French football. Nantes, meanwhile, under Luís Castro, will aim to better last season's efforts and perhaps cause an upset against the Parisian giants.

The key facts for this Ligue 1 season opener are as follows:

• Date: Sunday, 18th August 2025

• Kick-off: 20:45 CET (2:45 PM local time)

• Venue: Stade de la Beaujoire-Louis-Fonteneau, Nantes

• Competition: Ligue 1 2025-26, Matchday 1

• Referee: Benoît Bastien

Nantes go into the new campaign hoping to better their recent performances, although their pre-season form has been a cause for concern. Les Canaris will be managed by Luís Castro this term, and they will be hoping to consolidate their position as a good mid-table team who can hold their own against France's top teams.

Nantes have been in poor form in their recent matches, losing four consecutive matches before they eventually won against Laval (2-0). They have been exploited defensively in their preseason games, giving up nine goals in five games while scoring seven.

• Mostafa Mohamed (Forward): Despite injury issues, Mohamed's speed and clinical finishing make him Nantes' main attacking threat.

• Matthis Abline is a live wire forward: his enthusiasm is the electricity that charges the box, so prepared is he to pose a threat from half-chances.

• Francis Coquelin supplies the calming influence in the engine room, breaking up opposition play with the steady voice for the youngsters whenever the tempo stands up.Defender Kelvin Amian: PSG's attacking threats are organized thanks to his strong defensive presence.

• Sorba There are fewer midfield options available now that Thomas Sow (24) is out.

• Mostafa Mohamed (31): Nantes' attacking options were severely hampered by pregame fitness issues.

The absence of key players, and potential absence of Mohamed, severely weakens Nantes' goal threat against a solid PSG defense.

Paris Saint-Germain starts the new season as massive favorites to retain their Ligue 1 title. Luis Enrique's side have been in excellent form in pre-season, showing the attacking flair and defensive solidity that helped them win the title last season.

The Parisians are in blistering pre-season form, having scored twelve goals in five matches and conceded just five. Their recent record, which includes wins over Bayern Munich (2-0) and Real Madrid (4-0), highlights their tactical maturity and aspirations for Europe.

• The dynamics of replacing Kylian Mbappé: New attacking mechanisms are in place, and PSG's assault boasts fascinating talent.

• Ousmane Dembélé (Winger) - Pace and trickery down the wings pose threats constantly.

• Marquinhos (Centre-back/Captain) - Defensive leadership and aerial power.

• Vitinha (Midfielder) - Defensive and attacking phases linked by creative passing range

• Nordi Mukiele (Defender) - Defensive options slenderly reduced.

• Senny Mayulu (24) - Young midfielder unavailable for selection.

Due to the depth of PSG's squad resources, these absences won't affect their performance because there are strong substitutes in every position.

These teams have recently faced off in fiercely contested matches, with PSG having a slim lead. In their previous five encounters:

• Draws: 2

• PSG Wins: 3

• Nantes Wins: 0

• Goals: Nantes 5-10 PSG

Recent meetings have shown that both teams routinely score (both teams have scored in four of the last five games) and that games tend to have more than 2.5 goals. Nantes has always made games competitive, especially at home, but PSG's quality has usually won out. Nantes has managed to stop PSG's goal-scoring machine, as evidenced by the two draws in their most recent meetings (1-1 in April 2025 and November 2024).

FC Nantes (4-3-3)

Paris Saint-Germain (4-3-3)

Several interesting one-on-one battles could decide the game outcome:

• Achraf Hakimi vs Nicolas Cozza - PSG's rampaging right-back is in for a tough examination against Nantes' left-back. The pace and attacking nature of Hakimi might take advantage of any defensive mistakes, so this will be a key fight for control of the flanks.

• Vitinha vs Francis Coquelin - The attacking midfielder's capacity to control tempo will be put to the test by Coquelin's defensive experience and discipline. Which team controls possession and generates opportunities could be determined by this midfield battle.

• Marquinhos vs Matthis Abline - PSG's defensive skipper, must keep Nantes' teenage forward, whose pace and movement would trouble even the most experienced defenders if given room in behind, at arm's length.

• Ousmane Dembélé going up against Kelvin Amian is going to be quite the matchup. Dembélé's incredible speed and dribbling skills are sure to put Amian's defensive positioning and recovery speed to the test all game long.

Nantes will have to keep their setting lines in a nice structural shape, for these confrontational moments will probably turn into game-defining ones, with the French team perhaps enjoying technical superiority over the hosts' defensive setup.

• Paris Saint-Germain has a significant advantage in this match based on form, squad quality, and history. However, there are a number of variables that could affect the outcome.

• A defensively weak Nantes team will not be able to handle PSG's frontline power, which was demonstrated during preseason. The hosts' goal threat is further diminished by the possible absence of Mostafa Mohamed, and Gianluigi Donnarumma's goal will be hard to make sweat.

• Staying disciplined defensively and pouncing on any hint of relaxed focus from PSG’s stars is Nantes’ clearest path to success. Early-season adrenaline and the lift of the home crowd should lift their level, yet outclassing PSG’s quality remains a mountainous challenge.

• PSG is expected to dominate possession as Nantes attempts a counterattack. Especially in the second half, when the champions' fitness levels should be in their favor, the visitors' technical superiority should overcome defensive resolve.

• Nantes 1-3 is the predicted score. Paris Saint-Germain

In the end, PSG's skill should be evident because their attacking ability will present Nantes with too many different threats to cope with during the 90 minutes. For their title defense to get off to a good start, a professional away performance should result in three points.

Due to their superior squad quality and recent form advantages, PSG is currently heavily favored by the markets.

Winner Odds:

• Nantes to Win: 7.60

• Draw: 5.60

• PSG to Win: 1.37

The odds heavily favor PSG's dominance, and bookmakers are predicting an easy-going win.

Over/Under 3.5 Goals Analysis:

• Over 3.5 Goals: 2.14

• Under 3.5 Goals: 1.68

Recent head-to-heads between the two sides have frequently yielded goals, and the attacking strengths of both teams point to the possibility of a high-scoring game. The quality of PSG's attack might be too much for Nantes' defense to handle.

This opening game of the season provides an early indication of the two sides' seasonal ambitions. PSG will view it as a standard victory en route to another Ligue 1 triumph, whereas Nantes need to make a statement as genuine contenders who can give France's elite clubs trouble.

The result would have psychological effects on future encounters, so there is more to this than three points but a statement of intent from both sides. PSG's title credentials are put to the test early, and Nantes want to prove how far they've come under the guidance of Castro.