Full Breakdown
Lens Wins First Coupe de France, Defeating Nice 3-1
5/23/2026, 9:23:57 PM
Historic Victory in the Coupe de France Final
On 22 May 2026, RC Lens captured their inaugural Coupe de France at Stade de France, beating OGC Nice 3-1. Florian Thauvin opened the scoring in the 25th minute, Odsonne Édouard doubled the lead from Thauvin’s corner in the 42nd, Djibril Coulibaly reduced the deficit for Nice in first-half stoppage time, and Abdallah Sima sealed the win in the 78th minute. About 50 000 Lens supporters travelled to Paris.
Season Overview and Path to the Final
Lens finished the Ligue 1 campaign as runners-up to Paris Saint-Germain, securing a Champions League berth for the first time since 1998. Under coach Pierre Sage, the squad blended young prospects with experienced journeymen. Cup run marked Lens’s fourth appearance in a French-Cup final, previous three ending in defeat. Nice, coached by Claude Puel, finished 16th with 32 points, position forcing a two-legged promotion/relegation playoff against AS Saint-Étienne.
Key Players and Match Contributions
Thauvin, a 2018 World Cup winner omitted from France’s upcoming World Cup squad, contributed both a goal and the assist for Édouard’s header. Substitute Sima, who entered the match twelve minutes before his goal, recorded his fifth strike in six cup appearances. Goalkeeper Robin Risser made two saves for Lens, while Nice’s Antoine Mendy struck the crossbar in the 60th minute. Saudi full-back Saud Abdulhamid received a yellow card in the 36th minute but helped preserve Lens’s defensive shape.
Match Statistics and Goal Timeline
- 25´ Florian Thauvin (Lens)
- 42´ Odsonne Édouard (Lens) – header from Thauvin’s corner
- 45+3´ Djibril Coulibaly (Nice) – header from Jonathan Clauss corner
- 78´ Abdallah Sima (Lens) – low shot after out-muscling defenders
Nice struck the woodwork twice, and Lens recorded about 50 000 travelling supporters at the stadium.
Implications for Lens and Nice
The triumph ends a 27-year trophy drought for Lens and adds a first cup to a season highlighted by Champions League qualification. For Nice, the loss compounds a disappointing league run and places the club’s top-flight status in jeopardy pending the playoff outcome. Lens’s victory also breaks a long-standing cup jinx; the club had reached three previous finals without lifting the trophy.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on Nice’s final league standing: one report lists Nice as third-to-last in Ligue 1, another records a 16th-place finish with 32 points. Goal-time details also vary, with Thauvin’s opener cited as the 25th minute in some accounts and the 26th in others, and Sima’s winner noted as the 77th minute by one source and the 78th by another.
Official Campaign on Referee Respect
Referee Jérôme Brisard wore the number 84 on his shirt, reflecting a French poll in which 84 % of respondents said “valuing referees means protecting sport.” The numbered-shirt initiative was part of a broader campaign to promote respect for match officials across French sport.
Verbatim Quote
“valuing referees means protecting sport.” — French poll respondents (84 %)
What’s Next for Both Clubs
Nice will contest the promotion/relegation playoff against Saint-Étienne on 26 May and 29 May. Lens, as Coupe de France champions and Ligue 1 runners-up, will prepare for the 2026-27 UEFA Champions League group stage.
