Founded in 1905 by Catholic priest Abbe Deschamps, Auxerre are based in a Burgundy town of just 35,000 people. Despite their modest origins, they won the league in 1996 and completed a domestic double with the Coupe de France.

The defining figure is Guy Roux, who managed the club for over 40 years (1961-2005, with brief interruptions). He took the reins at just 23 and led Auxerre from the fourth division to league champions — an unparalleled achievement in football management.

Named after the club's founding priest and set on the banks of the Yonne river, the Stade de l'Abbe-Deschamps opened in 1918 and holds 21,419. Its modest charm reflects Auxerre's identity as a community-rooted club.

Guy Roux proved that a rural club could beat Paris's wealthy teams. The academy produced Cantona, Djorkaeff, and Cisse. Current manager Christophe Pelissier carries on that tradition of doing more with less. After relegation in 2012 and years in the lower leagues, Auxerre returned to Ligue 1 in 2024, aiming to re-establish themselves using the same values that once made them champions.