Olympique Lyonnais have travelled from the edge of a Ligue 2 demotion to the top of Ligue 1 in little more than a year, with Sunday’s 2-1 win over Nice placing the Rhone club first after seven rounds.
The move
Lyon were spared relegation on 9 July 2025 after a financial crisis that had threatened to drag the club into the second division. Their position was transformed by an injection of almost €120 million from shareholders, including Michele Kang, following a troubled period under former owner John Textor.
The recovery has now reached the pitch. Lyon’s victory against Nice on 18 October 2026 came after a difficult closing spell but delivered a result with significant weight: the club are Ligue 1 leaders despite the forced sales and financial uncertainty that shaped the previous season.
Eric Di Meco praised the scale of the turnaround, noting that Lyon had been expected to struggle after their finances pushed them towards player departures. Instead, they reached European competition and have opened the new campaign strongly against opponents including Lens, Rennes and Paris FC.
“It is surprising to see them top,” Di Meco said. “They have done their job despite financial difficulties. Being first is not insignificant for them.”
The French season around it
Lyon’s resurgence has also become a point of comparison for Marseille, whose own financial position has deteriorated after a difficult summer. Frank McCourt has sought to curb spending as OM attempt to restore order to their accounts.
Di Meco said the contrast with a year ago was striking. At that time, concern was centred on Lyon, not Marseille. He argued that OM now face a financial situation comparable to the one Lyon had previously endured.
- Olympique Lyonnais: first in Ligue 1 after seven matches following their 2-1 win over Nice.
- Olympique de Marseille: ninth in the standings and operating under restrictions on their wage bill and transfer fees.
- Frank McCourt: Marseille owner who has moved to limit expenditure.
- John Textor: former Lyon owner during the club’s financial crisis.
- Michele Kang: among the shareholders involved in the near-€120 million rescue funding.
Marseille have already been sanctioned with limits on both salaries and transfer spending. The club could face further punishment during the winter if they fail to meet commitments made to the DNCG, French football’s financial watchdog.
Di Meco also stressed a key difference between the two clubs’ situations. Lyon did not commit to the same level of wages and transfer expenditure as Marseille, allowing them to retain a significant number of young players through the rebuilding process.
For Lyon, the league summit is not simply an early-season statistic. It is evidence that a squad kept together through financial restraint has turned an emergency into momentum.
