Lens is promoted to the first division by administrative decision

RC Lens returned to the first division in 1991 thanks to the administrative relegations of Nice and Bordeaux. The club had just spent two years at the second level after the arrival of Gervais Martel as president in 1988. To consolidate its squad, the promoted team had then relied on young players trained at the club like Éric Sikora and on experienced recruits such as Bernard Lama.