Montpellier heading towards end of Nicollin era after fifty years at helm of club

The Nicollin family could soon hand over the reins of Montpellier HSC, the club it has run since its foundation in 1974. In an interview with L’Équipe, president Laurent Nicollin confirmed that negotiations are underway with a single potential buyer, though no agreement has yet been officially signed.

The context is driving action. Relegated to Ligue 2 at the end of the 2024-2025 season after eighteen consecutive years in Ligue 1, the club is going through a difficult period both on and off the pitch. Falling television rights, dwindling attendance and eighth place in the standings at the time of his comments: pressure is mounting on the Montpellier management.

It is in this context that Laurent Nicollin, who took over the club following the death of his father Louis Nicollin in 2017, decided to open up the capital with his brother Olivier, CEO of the Nicollin Group. “We made the decision, with my brother, to open up the capital, and from there, we knew very well that it could lead to different things,” he explained.

While the president is cautious about the timeline — “It’s progressing well. My coach would like it to progress faster. But it won’t be signed tomorrow morning” — he clarifies that discussions are now concentrated on a single counterparty. A sale of the company, whether majority or minority, requires between six months and a year to prepare the files according to him. “We’re making progress but nothing is validated,” he concluded.

If the transaction goes through, it will mark the end of an era of more than half a century for one of the most emblematic families in French football, the one that notably led MHSC to the French championship title in 2012.