Ligue 1 playoff ban leaves Nice without home support against Saint-Étienne
The disciplinary panel of France’s professional football league (LFP) has handed down verdicts following the chaotic scenes at Nice’s 0-0 draw with Metz on the final day of the Ligue 1 season. OGC Nice will face AS Saint-Étienne in the Ligue 1-Ligue 2 relegation playoff second leg on Friday 29 May at 20:45 behind closed doors at the Allianz Riviera.
The decision comes after pitch invasions by Nice ultras and the use of pyrotechnics during the match, prompting immediate sanctions. The club has been hit with a two-match home stadium ban plus a suspended closure, meaning all competitive fixtures at the Allianz Riviera over the coming weeks will be played without spectators. The first-leg away tie is scheduled for Tuesday 26 May at 20:45 at Geoffroy-Guichard.
French football’s governing body takes a strict view of supporter misconduct, and Nice’s infractions fall squarely under its disciplinary code. Club president Jean-Pierre Rivère acknowledged the gravity of the situation, calling the campaign “extremely difficult.” “As long as there’s hope, you have to back the team,” he said. “When you commit to supporting a club, you see it through to the end—even if that means watching from outside the stadium on 29 May.”
What the LFP sanctions mean for Nice and other clubs
Player suspensions
Several Ligue 1 players have also been suspended following accumulation of yellow cards or prior misconduct:
- Benjamin André (LOSC Lille)
- Mahdi Camara (Stade Rennais FC)
- Christian Mawissa (AS Monaco)
- Elye Wahi (OGC Nice)
Additional stadium closures
The Paris Saint-Germain–Stade Brestois 29 fixture on 10 May saw pyrotechnic use and visual displays by Paris supporters, resulting in the temporary closure of the Auteuil stand at Parc des Princes. This sanction will apply to PSG’s first home Ligue 1 game of the 2026/27 season.
Nice’s own penalties include:
- Two immediate home-game closures (Allianz Riviera)
- One suspended closure (to be enforced if further incidents occur)
These measures take effect immediately and carry through to Nice’s first fixtures of the new campaign, whether in Ligue 1 or Ligue 2.
Club reaction and season outlook
With the playoff now the only route to Ligue 1 survival, Rivère admitted the season had been far tougher than anticipated. “We knew it would be complicated, but not to this degree,” he said. “The team has shown character, and the players deserve every supporter’s backing—even if that backing can’t be in the stands this time.”