Liam Duckstein
The Coupe de France 2025/26 Final features Lens clashing with Nice at the iconic Stade de France in Paris. Both teams arrive with different trajectories in their recent form Lens coming in as the clear bookmaker favourite, Nice hoping to defy the odds. A compelling subplot emerges from their league encounters this season: both sides drew 1-1 last time they met.
Sepe Elye Wahi and Allan Saint-Maximin stand out as attacking threats for their respective sides. Wahi’s recent run of three goals in four games for Nice could make him a real handful, while Saint-Maximin’s pace and directness for Lens provides a constant outlet. These two could shape how the final unfolds, especially given their capacity to break defensive lines in a single moment.
Hot stat: Lens have scored 10 goals in their last five matches a figure that dwarfs Nice’s total of 6 over the same span.
| 🏆 Tournament: | Coupe de France 2025/26 Final |
| 🏟 Venue: | Stade de France, Paris |
| 🗓️ Date: | 22.05.2026 |
| ⏰ Time: | 21:00 CEST |
Lens vs Nice prediction
We predict a Lens win in regular time. The difference in win rates stands out: Lens have won 61% of their matches this year, Nice only 25%. Lens’ attacking output has ramped up late in the season, netting 10 goals in their last five fixtures. Their passing accuracy and overall control 2,345 successful passes at 66% over the last five games shows a side that keeps the ball well and dictates tempo. Nice’s defensive resilience is respectable, but with just 6 goals from their last five, it’s difficult to see them outscoring Lens.
Both teams play the 3-4-2-1, which sets up a direct clash in midfield. Lens generate more shots (110 to Nice’s 59 in the last five matches) and draw slightly more fouls, a sign of their more aggressive attacking approach. Lens do pick up more yellow cards (15 to Nice’s 10), so there’s potential for discipline to play a role if tempers flare. Expect Lens to press high, win the midfield battle, and create the better chances.
| 🔥Hot Tip: | Lens to score in both halves |
| ⚽Total Goals: | Over 2.5 |
| 💥Both Teams To Score: | Yes |
| 🎯Total Corners: | Over 8.5 |
Team Analysis
Lens are coming off a commanding 4-0 victory over Lyon, a match that showcased both their attacking sharpness and defensive discipline. Wesley Saïd and Allan Saint-Maximin have been influential up front, and the midfield’s work rate continues to impress. Their previous matches include a narrow 1-0 win over Nantes, a hard-fought 1-1 with Nice, and a defeat to PSG. The clean sheet against Lyon is particularly impressive, considering Lyon’s historical attacking strength.
Nice struggled in their most recent fixture, drawing 0-0 with Metz. Their scoring has dried up just one win in the last six matches, and four draws speak to a team lacking killer instinct in attack. Their last five matches include a 1-2 loss to Auxerre, a 1-1 draw with Marseille, and a 2-0 win over Strasbourg. Defensive shape is sound but the inability to turn draws into wins could haunt them in a high-pressure cup final setting.
Most recent Head-to-Head Matches
| Statistic | Lens | Nice |
|---|---|---|
| Total shots | 110 | 59 |
| Corner kicks | 44 | 35 |
| Total fouls | 66 | 56 |
| Pass accuracy (%) | 66 | 59 |
| Interceptions | 62 | 48 |
| Offsides | 12 | 13 |
🚨Check out our dedicated Lens vs Nice stats page for more info.
Pre-game odds and win probability: Lens the favourite
- Moneyline Lens 1.50 | Nice 6.45
- Draw 4.75
- Over/Under Over 2.5 2.15 | Under 2.5 1.70
- BTTS (both teams to score) Yes 1.95 | No 1.85
Bookmakers install Lens as the overwhelming favourite. Odds as short as 1.50 for Lens suggest real confidence, while Nice’s long price of 6.45 reflects both poor recent form and the gulf in overall squad quality. The draw is priced around 4.75, which fits given the number of recent stalemates for Nice. Over 2.5 goals trades at a slightly higher price, but Lens’s recent goal record supports the over. Both teams to score sits close to even reasonable, given Lens’s attack and Nice’s occasional flashes up front.
Possible Starting Lineups
Lens possible starting eleven
- GK: Robin Risser
- DF: Malang Sarr, Ismaëlo Ganiou, Matthieu Udol
- MF: Saud Abdulhamid, Adrien Thomasson, Andrija Bulatović, Mamadou Sangare
- FW: Florian Thauvin, Wesley Saïd, Allan Saint-Maximin
The Lens lineup nearly picks itself. Risser has kept goal consistently, while Sarr, Ganiou, and Udol form a solid defensive core. Abdulhamid and Thomasson offer width and work rate, Bulatović and Sangare provide midfield steel. Thauvin, Saïd, and Saint-Maximin each with recent goals lead the attack. The 3-4-2-1 formation maximizes their creative options while keeping defensive shape. Saint-Maximin remains the wild card who can break a game open in one moment.
Nice possible starting eleven
- GK: Yehvann Diouf
- DF: Antoine Mendy, Ali Abdi, Juma Bah
- MF: Hicham Boudaoui, Morgan Sanson, Tom Louchet, Kojo Peprah Oppong
- FW: Sofiane Diop, Mohamed Ali Cho, Sepe Elye Wahi
Diouf is the regular in goal. In defense, Mendy, Abdi, and Bah are the most consistent picks. Boudaoui, Sanson, Louchet, and Oppong anchor the midfield, providing ball-winning and distribution. The front three features Diop, Ali Cho, and Wahi, whose pace can trouble Lens if they find space. Nice also deploy a 3-4-2-1, hoping their midfield can blunt Lens’s creativity and Wahi can snatch a goal on the break.
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Lens. Source: Official Facebook. Edited photo
The Verdict
Lens should control the final with their superior attacking power and possession game. Our team sees the match swinging in their favour, perhaps 2-1 or 3-1, with Wahi and Saint-Maximin both likely to influence the outcome. Nice may grab a goal, but Lens’s edge in quality and recent form tips the scales firmly their way.
