There are football shirts, and then there are football statements. OGC Nice’s new 25/26 fourth shirt — the “Populaire Sud” — lands firmly in the latter category. Dropped by Kappa to honour four decades of Ultra culture on the Côte d’Azur, it’s a piece built on memory, identity, and the unfiltered heartbeat of Le Gym.
Born from a close collaboration between the club, Kappa, and representatives of the Populaire Sud, the shirt marks the 40th anniversary of the group that has filled the South Stand with noise, colour and defiant loyalty since 1985. This is a jersey shaped by the people who live it — and it shows.
Nice and Kappa have gone all-in on minimalism as a means of power. The shirt arrives drenched in black — a conscious choice that doubles as a visual shout of unity, loyalty, and collective identity. It’s stripped back, but never empty. Red accents punch through on the collar and sleeve cuffs, injecting a sharp hint of club DNA without breaking the shirt’s deliberate monochrome flow.
Front and centre sits the club crest, subtly altered for the occasion with the years 1985 – 2025 sitting beneath it. Turn the shirt around and the Populaire Sud’s emblem takes pride of place on the back of the collar, paired with their motto “Honour and Loyalty.” Inside the collar, “40 ans” seals the tribute — a quiet reminder of a movement built over generations.
The shirt exists as a collaboration carved out of mutual respect. Every detail charged by those who have shaped the atmosphere at the Stade du Ray and, more recently, the Allianz Riviera. It’ll get its on-pitch debut in the cauldron of a derby, when Nice face Olympique de Marseille on Friday 21 November at 8:45pm CET. A fitting stage.
The launch campaign leans into the shared history between team and terrace. Players and Ultras stand shoulder to shoulder, photographed across symbolic spots spanning both stadiums and the city beyond—living proof that the Populaire Sud spirit isn’t just alive, but embedded in the urban fabric of Nice.
For the club, the fans, and the brand, this shirt represents a convergence of purpose.
Tchoa, President of Populaire Sud, emphasises what it means for the group: “We are proud the club accepted our request to work together to create this shirt which celebrates the 40th anniversary of our group. It is a great sign of recognition for all those who – for so many years – have breathed life into this stand and supported Le Gym.”
And from the Kappa side, Rémi Garnier, Commercial Director, captures its deeper significance: “This shirt perfectly illustrates the spirit of collaboration that binds us with OGC Nice. At Kappa, we are proud to join with the club to create this shirt which is more than just a piece of sporting equipment. It is a symbol of belonging and passion.”
The “Populaire Sud” is Nice at its rawest — a celebration of those who built the atmosphere long before modern stadium lights and broadcast cameras arrived. It’s a nod to the past, a marker of the present, and a flag carried into the future.
A jersey for the stand, by the stand. A reminder that football culture isn’t found in marketing decks — it’s forged in smoke, song, and shared history.
The ‘Populaire Sud’ shirt will be available exclusively for registered Populaire Sud members on Sunday 16 November from 10:00am to 6:00pm CET at the OGC Nice boutique Place Masséna. It will be on general sale from Monday 17 November.
