Eliminated in the 3rd preliminary round of the Champions League, OGC Nice approaches the 2025-2026 season with a weakened squad and a change of president. Despite a significant investment from Ineos, uncertainties remain.
OGC Nice will not play in the Champions League this season. Defeated by Benfica (2-0 in the first leg and the return), the Eagles are relegated to the Europa League. In the post-match press conference, coach Franck Haise did not try to hide the reality.
“Today we don’t have the tools to compete at that level, we just need to be clear-headed”, he said. The coach acknowledges that his team will need to focus on the Europa League, with the goal of doing better than last season!
However, the preparation for the championship is marked by numerous obstacles…
A reduced squad and a complicated transfer market
The Nice squad appears weakened two days before the resumption. Several key players are injured: Morgan Sanson, Youssouf Ndayishimiye, Mohamed Abdelmonem, Moïse Bombito, Ali Abdi, and captain Dante. Against Benfica, several inexperienced young players were fielded.
In addition to these absences, there are departures of Marcin Bulka or, in attack, Gaëtan Laborde and Evann Guessand. Pablo Rosario wishes to leave the club. The option for Mahdi Camara, once considered, has been closed. On the positive side, the Gym has achieved an excess revenue of nearly 70 million euros to date. OGC Nice now needs to recruit urgently, with a market offering mainly players lacking playing time at their respective clubs.
The sporting context is compounded by an institutional upheaval. Jean-Pierre Rivère announced his departure after fourteen years as president. He will be replaced by Fabrice Bocquet, the current general director, starting August 20. However, Jean-Pierre Rivère does not completely leave the club: he becomes president of the OGC Nice Endowment Fund.
INEOS, between displayed commitment and persistent rumors
The owner, INEOS, has increased its investment this summer. The club’s share capital was increased by 16.49 million euros, including around 60 million euros when adding the share premium. This financial support strengthens the position of the British company led by Jim Ratcliffe.
For some observers, this operation could also facilitate a future sale. The capital increase can indeed simplify the shareholder structure and enhance the asset’s value. The rumors of a sale are not new. Last May, the media outlet The Athletic reported that INEOS was considering this possibility.
Jim Ratcliffe denied these speculations in July, assuring that “INEOS’ commitment to OGC Nice” remained “absolute”. However, the group’s long-term strategy remains questionable, especially since INEOS is involved in other major sporting projects, such as Manchester United and the Mercedes Formula 1 team.
The 2025-2026 season thus begins in an uncertain climate. On the field, Franck Haise must work with a reduced and still incomplete squad. Behind the scenes, the departure of the historical president and questions surrounding INEOS fuel discussions. The answer might come in the early weeks of the championship, when the results will provide an initial glimpse of the Eagles’ ability to overcome these challenges. The first indication will be Saturday night at 9 PM at home against Toulouse, a team whose preparation has been more than complicated (six matches, two draws, four defeats, 18 goals conceded).
