Preview: Paris FC vs Nice - prediction, team news, lineups

Paris FC welcome OGC Nice to the Stade Jean Bouin on Sunday afternoon for their latest episode of Ligue 1 action.

Les Bleus played out a 0-0 draw with Troyes at the Stade de I'Aube on the opening weekend, while Les Aiglons were held by the same scoreline at home to Lorient.

Match preview

With former Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior at the helm this season, Paris FC will be looking to build upon their impressive first campaign back in Ligue 1 following a 46-year absence, having finished in 11th place and a comfortable 12 points clear of the relegation zone in 2025-26.

As the season neared a close, Les Bleus found themselves flirting with an instant return to France’s second tier, but with only three sides in the division posting more than their 18 points in the final 10 matches, Antoine Kombouare’s men secured their top flight status for another campaign.

However, after ending last season on such a positive note, Paris FC will be disappointed with their preparations during the summer, winning just one of their five pre-season matches and conceding a combined 11 goals in the other four fixtures.

Facing a tough run of upcoming fixtures against the likes of Marseille and Lyon in the next few weeks, Rosenior would certainly have been hoping for a better start to the side’s league campaign too, with Les Bleus being held to a goalless draw by newly promoted Troyes on the opening weekend.

Gearing up to play a Nice outfit who they claimed four points against last season, including a 1-0 victory at the Stade Jean Bouin in March, the home side will certainly be confident that they can bounce back this weekend though and push into the top half of the Ligue 1 table.

After qualifying for European competition in three of the previous four seasons, Nice endured a dismal Ligue 1 campaign in 2025-26 that not only saw them miss out on playing across the continent, but nearly saw them bow out of the division altogether.

Winning just one of their final 15 league matches, picking up only 11 points over that stretch, Nice finished 16th in the table and although they were well clear of the bottom two in May, Les Aiglons faced a relegation playoff against Ligue 2’s St Etienne to discover their fate for the following campaign.

Following a nervy goalless draw at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard in the first leg, Claude Puel’s men managed to pull together in the return fixture, claiming a convincing 4-1 victory to eradicate the possibility of relegation and keep Les Verts in the second tier.

Although they won their first two pre-season fixtures with new boss Olivier Pantaloni at the helm, Nice will certainly not be enthused by their campaign so far either, losing two of their final three preparation matches before failing to break down FC Lorient in their opening Ligue 1 game at the Allianz Riviera.

Heading into this weekend’s trip to the capital, the visitors will undoubtedly be looking to build some momentum ahead of a favourable run of fixtures and claim victory against Paris FC for the first time since Les Bleus were last relegated from the division in 1979.

Paris FC Ligue 1 form:

Nice Ligue 1 form:

Team News

After playing a vital role in last season’s run in, Paris FC are expected to be without forward Jonathan Ikone for the opening month of the campaign as the 28-year-old continues to recover from a hamstring injury sustained in the latter stages of the summer.

The hosts are also missing Nhoa Sangui with a similar issue, while striker Jean-Philippe Krasso nears a return from a knee problem that has kept him out since March.

It remains to be seen whether attacking midfielder Pablo Pagis will be named in the squad for this weekend’s match after the 23-year-old was substituted with a knock late on in Les Bleus’ meeting with Troyes last Saturday.

As a result of Laurent Abergel suffering a torn ACL in his right knee against Cagliari earlier this month, Nice have signed Belgian midfielder Axel Witsel as an emergency injury replacement and the 37-year-old is ready to feature on Sunday.

Les Aiglons are also certain to miss defender Moise Bombito for a lengthy period, with the Canadian requiring surgery on a fractured tibia.

Although the right back was withdrawn in the closing stages of last week’s meeting with Lorient, Jonathan Clauss is set to be fit and start at the Stade Jean Bouin.

After missing the entirety of pre-season with an ankle injury picked up playing for Egypt at the World Cup, Mohamed Abdelmonem returned to the Nice squad on the opening weekend and featured for the final two minutes.

Paris FC possible starting lineup:

Trapp; Camara, Coppola, Mbow, Otavio; Mantondo, Lees-Melou; Kebbal, Pagis, Koleosho; Sinayoko

Nice possible starting lineup:

Diouf; Mendy, Ndayishimiye, Mandza Tsiendi; Clauss, Coulibaly, Pereira, Bard; Hein, Diallo, Diop

We say: Paris FC 2-1 Nice

With both sides getting their league campaign's off to a slow start last weekend, Sunday's contest is set to be a closely fought encounter with neither team looking overly convincing so far.

Although they have massively struggled so far under Rosenior, we think Paris FC may just edge it though and are backing the hosts to claim all three points by just a one goal margin.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.