St Etienne and Nice clash in Ligue 2 play‑off final for Ligue 1 spot

St Étienne host Nice in the first leg of the two‑match Ligue 2 play‑off final, which will decide which club secures promotion to France's top division. Both sides have endured a steep decline this season – St Étienne after years in Ligue 1 and Nice after recently losing 3‑1 to Lens in the Coupe de France final.

St Étienne entered the tie after a narrow penalty‑shootout win over Rodez in the semi‑final, while Nice have failed to win any of their last eight Ligue 1 matches. Bookmakers list St Étienne as slight favourites, with odds around 5/4, and the clubs' recent head‑to‑head record shows Nice winning the previous five encounters by a large margin. Key injuries affect both sides, but the match will determine who moves on to the Ligue 1 promotion spot.