The Professional Football League (LFP) unveiled, Thursday June 4, its annual ranking of Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 pitches. OGC Nice takes first place in Ligue 1 ahead of FC Metz and FC Nantes. Paris Saint-Germain, leader last year, leaves the podium.
It is a meager consolation after a very difficult season. OGC Nice finishes at the top of the Ligue 1 pitch ranking published by the Professional Football League. This distinction comes after a season marked by a playoff for survival and brings technical recognition to the Azur club. Metz and Nantes complete the top three, while Rennes and Lorient close out the ranking.
The publication of the ranking comes three weeks after the end of the championship. The LFP relies on an average based on feedback from clubs, the refereeing body and the television director. This method places the Allianz Riviera in first place with a score of 18.42 out of 20. Metz follows with 18.22 and Nantes scores 18.19. Paris, first in 2025, drops to fourth place with 18.12.
This first place contrasts with a difficult period experienced a few months earlier. On August 21, 2024, the Eagles’ pitch found itself at the center of a controversy. The surface, degraded after the 2024 Olympic Games, worried the municipality and the club. The city of Nice publicly expressed its concern and requested emergency measures to avoid tarnishing the image of the stadium and the club. This alert came as the Ligue 1 season had just started and the reception of Toulouse was approaching. The poor condition of the field threatened this appointment and fueled questions about the management of the site.
The reward for work begun last year
This situation led to a major construction project the following year. On June 22, 2025, a deep renovation program began for eight weeks. Since June 2, Nice Eco Stadium had been driving a complete transformation of the playing surface, in close coordination with OGC Nice. The project went beyond simple grass replacement. The teams worked on nearly 8,000 m² to remove the old volcanic substrate and install a sandy base in two layers. This structure promoted drainage, stability and effective rooting.
Irrigation was also overhauled. Twenty-four next-generation sprinklers were installed. The system was to operate in part thanks to rainwater collected on site, with an estimated saving of 40,000 m³ per year. The final step was to lay a hybrid lawn, mixing synthetic fibers and natural grass. The “Lay & Play” solution allowed immediate use of the field, an important asset for a club engaged in a dense schedule.
Lower in the ranking, Brest, Lorient and Rennes display less favorable evaluations. Roazhon Park even finds itself in the penultimate place with an average of 17.00. This disparity highlights the importance of playing conditions in a championship where technical and television stakes are increasingly important.
The LFP also communicated the Ligue 2 results. Nancy dominates the ranking with a score of 19.11, ahead of Boulogne (18.49) and Saint-Étienne (18.44). This result comes after a season marked by late survival for Nancy. The Lorraine club thus obtains recognition similar to that of Nice, in a likewise tense sporting context.
For OGC Nice, this distinction adds to the end of a season marked by “the will” to stabilize the sporting project. The pitch ranking does not change the reality on the field, but it helps to enhance local expertise. The Allianz Riviera thus finds itself at the center of an award list that highlights the quality of the work carried out behind the scenes, away from the usual spotlight.
