The Ligue 1 will end with one remaining matchday this year. The 2025-26 Ligue 1 season will feature two major twists. Firstly, Matchday 29 will be postponed due to the participating teams being busy in European competition. Secondly, the Ligue 2 top-tier teams will participate in the Ligue 1 promotion playoffs.
However, Ligue 2’s top-tier teams earned playoff spots and compete in the first qualifying round. The playoff pathway will begin with the 4th seed playing the 5th-place team in the first qualifying round. The winner of the first qualifying round will clash with the 3rd-place finisher in the second round. Later, the second-round winner will battle the 16th-place Ligue 1 team in the promotion or relegation final.
Former Challengers Continue to Shape the Title Race
PSG’s Red-Hot Form Continues in Crucial Encounters
Paris Saint-Germain F.C. faced Stade Brestois 29. Both teams failed to score in the first half. PSG took control, with Désiré Doué finding the net. Meanwhile, Brest was unable to score in the full 90 minutes. Ultimately, PSG defeated Brest 1-0 in their recent Ligue 1 encounter.
RC Lens Hopes to Avoid Slipping in the Standings
RC Lens looked to FC Nantes in their latest Ligue 1 fixture. Both teams were unable to score in the first half. Mezian Soares scored the goal for Lens. On the other hand, Nantes failed to score throughout the full 90 minutes. RC Lens ultimately prevailed 1-0 over Nantes. Furthermore, Lens has shown solid consistency in holding onto its Ligue 1 standing. FC Nantes has now dropped and remains in the relegation zone.
FC Metz Fights to Escape a Difficult Run
FC Metz suffered a 4-0 defeat to FC Lorient in a Matchday 33 game. In the first half, Jean-Victor Makengo found the net for Lorient. Metz failed to score at half-time. After the break, Lorient took another dominant lead with Bamba Dieng, Arthur Avom Ebong, and Noah Cadiou each finding the net. FC Metz has shown inconsistent performance over the full 90 minutes and remains in the danger zone.
A Look at Both Teams’ Domestic and European Achievements
Stade Brestois 29
| Competition | Achievement | Year(s) |
| Ligue 2 | Champions | 1980–81 |
| Coupe Gambardella | Winners | 1990 |
| Division d’Honneur (Bretagne) | Champions | 1966, 1972, 1977, 2005 |
| Cup of Brittany | Winners | 1969 |
| UEFA Champions League | First Qualification | 2024–25 |
| Ligue 1 | Third-Place Finish | 2023–24 |
RC Strasbourg Alsace
| Competition | Achievement | Year(s) |
| Ligue 1 | Champions | 1978–79 |
| Ligue 2 | Champions | 1976–77, 1987–88, 2016–17 |
| Coupe de France | Winners | 1950–51, 1965–66, 2000–01 |
| Coupe de la Ligue | Winners | 1996–97, 2004–05, 2018–19 |
| UEFA Intertoto Cup | Winners | 1995 |
| UEFA Cup / Europa League | Round of 16 | 1979–80 |
| UEFA Champions League | Participation | 1979–80 |
RC Lens
| Competition | Achievement | Year(s) |
| Ligue 1 | Champions | 1997–98 |
| Ligue 2 | Champions | 1936–37, 1948–49, 1972–73, 2008–09 |
| Coupe de la Ligue | Winners | 1998–99 |
| Coupe de France | Runners-up | 1947–48, 1974–75, 1997–98 |
| UEFA Intertoto Cup | Winners | 2005 |
| UEFA Cup / Europa League | Semi-finals | 1999–2000 |
| UEFA Champions League | Group Stage Participation | 1998–99, 2002–03, 2023–24 |
Paris Saint-Germain F.C.
| Competition | Achievement | Year(s) |
| Ligue 1 | Champions | 1985–86, 1993–94, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24 |
| Coupe de France | Winners | 1981–82, 1982–83, 1992–93, 1994–95, 1997–98, 2003–04, 2005–06, 2009–10, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2019–20, 2020–21 |
| Coupe de la Ligue | Winners | 1994–95, 1997–98, 2007–08, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2019–20 |
| Trophée des champions | Winners | 1995, 1998, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023 |
| UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup | Champions | 1995–96 |
| UEFA Intertoto Cup | Winners | 2001 |
| UEFA Champions League | Runners-up | 2019–20 |
| UEFA Europa League | Semi-finals | 1992–93, 1996–97 |
| UEFA Champions League | Semi-finals | 1994–95, 2020–21, 2023–24 |
Upcoming Matchday Schedule: Dates and Venues
Red Star vs Rodez (First Qualifying round)
Date: May 12, 2026 (Tuesday)
Time: 02:30 PM ET | 11:30 AM PT | 12:00 AM IST (Next Day)
Venue: Stade de Paris in Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine, France.
Brest vs. Strasbourg
Date: May 13, 2026 (Wednesday)
Time: 01:00 PM ET | 10:00 AM PT | 10:30 PM IST
Venue: Stade Francis-Le Blé in Brest, France.
Lens vs PSG
Date: May 13, 2026 (Wednesday)
Time: 03:00 PM ET | 12:00 PM PT | 12:30 AM IST (Next Day)
Venue: Stade Bollaert-Delelis in Lens, France.
Why Was Ligue 1 Matchday 29 Postponed?
Matchday 29 fixtures were originally set as RC Lens vs. Paris Saint-Germain and Stade Brestois 29 vs. RC Strasbourg Alsace. First, Paris Saint-Germain F.C. faces RC Lens, which has competed in European competitions. The postponed Matchday 29 games have helped two French clubs, RC Lens and Paris Saint-Germain. Another postponed match, Strasbourg vs Brest, was rescheduled to support Strasbourg’s UEFA Conference League campaign. Both postponed matches will now take place on May 13 and could play a vital role in the final standings.
Previews and Possible Lineups
Red Star vs Rodez
Date: May 12, 2026 (Tuesday)
Time: 02:30 PM ET | 11:30 AM PT | 12:00 AM IST (Next Day)
Venue: Stade de Paris in Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine, France.
Predicted Lineups for Red Star F.C.
| Position | Players |
| Goalkeeper | Gaëtan Poussin |
| Backs | Dylan Durivaux, Josué Escartin, Matthieu Huard, Théo Magnin, and Bradley Danger |
| Midfielders | Balthazar Pierret, Ryad Hachem, and Kévin Cabral |
| Strikers | Damien Durand and Jovany Ikanga A Ngele |
Predicted Lineups for Rodez AF
| Position | Players |
| Goalkeeper | Quentin Braat |
| Backs | Evans Jean-Lambert, Raphaël Lipinski, Mathis Magnin, Loni Quenabio, and Nolan Galves |
| Midfielders | Wilitty Younoussa, Alexis Trouillet, and Jordan Correia |
| Strikers | Taïryk Arconte and Ibrahima Baldé |
Previous Games
Red Star F.C. shared a 1-1 goal against Montpellier Hérault SC in their latest Ligue 2 game. In that game, both teams failed to score in the first half. After the break, Kévin Cabral scored the goal for Red Star. On the other hand, Nicolas Pyas found the net for Montpellier. This team currently sits in fourth place with 58 points in the Ligue 2 standings. Over their last five fixtures, they have recorded three consecutive wins, one draw, and one defeat.
Similarly, the Rodez AF faced FC Annecy. Ibrahima Baldé and Taïryk Arconte each scored for Rodez. Meanwhile, Alejandro Gomes Rodriguez scored solo for Annecy. Finally, Rodez AF defeated Annecy 2-1.
The Pick: Rodez
Brest vs. Strasbourg
Date: May 13, 2026 (Wednesday)
Time: 01:00 PM ET | 10:00 AM PT | 10:30 PM IST
Venue: Stade Francis-Le Blé in Brest, France.
Predicted Lineups for Stade Brestois 29
| Position | Players |
| Goalkeeper | Grégoire Coudert |
| Backs | Luck Zogbé, Brendan Chardonnet, Raphaël Le Guen, and Daouda Guindo |
| Midfielders | Joris Chotard, Lucas Tousart, and Hugo Magnetti |
| Wingers | Romain Del Castillo and Rémy Lascary |
| Striker | Ludovic Ajorque |
Predicted Lineups for RC Strasbourg Alsace
| Position | Players |
| Goalkeeper | Mike Penders |
| Backs | Abdoul Ouattara, Lucas Høgsberg, and Ismaël Doukouré |
| Midfielders | Maxi Oyedele, Mathis Amougou, Rafael Luís, and Yaya Dieme |
| Wingers | Gessime Yassine, Samuel Amo-Ameyaw, and Sebastian Nanasi |
Previous Games
Stade Brestois 29 faced Paris FC in their matchday 32 fixture. The team has struggled defensively and lacks offensive production. They have an inconsistent attack flow throughout the match. Brest showed attacking capability and navigated the defense. Meanwhile, Paris FC’s early dominance helped them achieve a goal. In the end, Brest suffered a 4-0 defeat to Paris FC.
Conversely, RC Strasbourg Alsace shared a 1-1 goal against Angers SCO in their recent Ligue 1 encounter. Strasbourg showed resilience and potential determination in this game.
The Pick: Strasbourg
Lens vs PSG
Date: May 13, 2026 (Wednesday)
Time: 03:00 PM ET | 12:00 PM PT | 12:30 AM IST (Next Day)
Venue: Stade Bollaert-Delelis in Lens, France.
Predicted Lineups for RC Lens
| Position | Players |
| Goalkeeper | Robin Risser |
| Backs | Ismaëlo Ganiou, Samson Baidoo, Malang Sarr, and Matthieu Udol |
| Midfielders | Abdallah Sima, Andrija Bulatovic, Amadou Haidara, and Wesley Saïd |
| Strikers | Rayan Fofana and Odsonne Édouard |
Predicted Lineups for Paris Saint-Germain F.C.
| Position | Players |
| Goalkeeper | Renato Marin |
| Backs | Lucas Hernández, Willian Pacho, and Lucas Beraldo |
| Midfielders | Senny Mayulu, Dro Fernández, Fabián Ruiz and Kang-In Lee |
| Wingers | Bradley Barcola, Ibrahim Mbaye, and Désiré Doué |
Previous Games
RC Lens has a solid attacking performance throughout the Ligue 1 season. Over their last five games, they have recorded two consecutive wins, two draws, and one loss. However, several injuries remain a concern. Régis Gurtner has a muscle injury, and he is out for the season. Jonathan Gradit is out due to a broken leg injury. Florian Thauvin and Allan Saint-Maximin were out due to a strain injury, respectively.
By contrast, Paris Saint-Germain F.C. has displayed a strong balance in both attack and defense throughout the Ligue 1 season. Several players have been added to the injury list. Nuno Mendes, Achraf Hakimi, and Lucas Chevalier were unavailable due to thigh injuries.
The Pick: PSG
Final Thoughts
The Ligue 1 season will soon reach its conclusion, bringing the title race to a close. Which team will bring smart work to build a reputation within their team and take the season-topper position? Matchday 29 features a key matchup as RC Lens takes on Paris Saint-Germain F.C. Additionally, the top-tier Ligue 2 clubs will compete for promotion to the next Ligue 1 season. Who will grab a title-race place?
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