Ligue 1 playoff sanctions: nice faces saint-etienne behind closed doors

Following explosive incidents during the final Ligue 1 match against Metz, the French Football League’s disciplinary board has handed down strict sanctions to OGC Nice. The club will face AS Saint-Etienne in a high-stakes playoff match on May 29 at 20:45 without any supporters present—a decision that adds pressure to an already tense relegation battle.

The sanctions come after ultras breached the pitch and caused damage following Nice’s goalless draw with Metz. The disciplinary committee imposed a two-match closed-door ban at the Allianz Riviera, with one match suspended, along with additional penalties for individual players involved in misconduct.

Rivère: “we must stand by the team till the end”

Club president Jean-Pierre Rivère expressed disappointment over the sanctions but urged fans to remain united despite the setback. “I regret how things ended—when there’s hope, we must support the team. This season has been extremely difficult, and we knew it would be tough, but not to this extent,” he admitted after the match.

“Frustration is understandable. Everyone has endured a challenging campaign. When you commit to a team, you follow through to the end,” Rivère added, acknowledging the club’s uphill battle to secure Ligue 1 survival.

Key disciplinary rulings from the LFP

Player suspensions:

• Elye Wahi (Nice) receives a one-match ban after accumulating five warnings across competitions.
• Benjamin André (Lille), Mahdi Camara (Rennes), and Christian Mawissa (Monaco) are also suspended for one league match.

Club sanctions:

• Nice: Two closed-door matches at home, including the playoff against Saint-Etienne, plus one suspended closed-door game.
• Paris Saint-Germain: One-match closure of the Auteuil stand at Parc des Princes after pyrotechnics and visual offenses.

The playoff first leg takes place at Geoffroy-Guichard on May 26, with the return leg in Nice under a shroud of silence. The coming weeks will determine whether Nice can defy the odds and preserve their top-flight status.