RC Lens made history on May 22, 2026, by clinching their first-ever Coupe de France title, defeating OGC Nice 3-1 in a thrilling final at the Stade de France. The victory marks a significant milestone for the club, capping off an impressive season where they also finished as runners-up in Ligue 1. The triumph sparked widespread celebrations, with regional broadcaster France 3 Nord Pas-de-Calais exclaiming, " LENS LENS LENS LENS " on social media.
The decisive match saw Florian Thauvin open the scoring for Lens, followed by goals from Odsonne Édouard and Abdallah Sima, securing the historic win. Thauvin, who was named Flashscore Man of the Match, played a pivotal role, scoring the first goal and assisting another. Nice managed to pull one back through Djibril Coulibaly, but it was not enough to overcome Lens' dominant performance.
This victory is particularly significant as it represents the first major trophy for Lens since their 1999 League Cup win and their sole Ligue 1 title in 1998. The club had previously reached the Coupe de France final three times without success, making this win a long-awaited achievement for "Les Sang et Or" (The Blood and Gold) and their passionate fanbase. Coach Pierre Sage, who was recently voted Coach of the Year, guided the team to this success, highlighting a remarkable season for the northern French club.
The triumph also comes after a strong domestic campaign where Lens secured second place in Ligue 1, just behind champions Paris Saint-Germain. Meanwhile, OGC Nice faces a relegation play-off against Ligue 2 side Saint-Étienne, underscoring the contrasting fortunes of the two finalists. The Coupe de France victory ensures RC Lens a spot in the 2026/27 UEFA Europa League play-off round, adding further prestige to their historic season.
