RC Lens vs OGC Nice Prediction 22 May 2026

On paper, the matchup may look balanced, but the paths these two sides took to get here tell a very different story.

Lens are enjoying one of the finest seasons in their modern history. The Sang et Or finished second in Ligue 1 with an impressive 70-point haul and consistently played some of the most exciting football in the country. They closed out their league campaign in style by thrashing Lyon 4-0 and looked equally convincing throughout the cup run, knocking out Feignies-Aulnoye (3-1), Sochaux (3-0), Troyes (4-2), Lyon once again (3-2), and Toulouse (4-1). Goals have come freely, and confidence inside the squad appears sky-high heading into the final.

Nice, meanwhile, had a much rougher domestic campaign. Despite reaching the final, they struggled badly in Ligue 1, finishing only sixteenth and still needing to survive the relegation playoffs. Their cup journey was also considerably kinder, with wins over Saint-Étienne, Nantes, Montpellier, Lorient, and Strasbourg — respectable opponents, but none truly among France’s elite this season.

Considering current form, consistency, and overall quality, Lens deservedly enter the final as favorites. If they maintain the same intensity and attacking sharpness they have shown all year, they should have enough to lift the trophy in regulation time.

Lens to win 1.57