Organising body | FFF |
---|---|
Founded | 1993 |
Country | France |
Confederation | UEFA |
Number of teams | 18 |
Level on pyramid | 3 |
Promotion to | Ligue 2 |
Relegation to | Championnat National 2 |
Domestic cup(s) | Coupe de France |
International cup(s) | Europa League (via cups) |
Current champions | Red Star (3rd title) (2023–24) |
Most championships | Red Star (3 titles) |
TV partners | Canal+ Sport |
Website | Official site |
Current: 2024–25 Championnat National |
The Championnat National (English: French National Championship), commonly referred to as simply National or Division 3, is the third division of the French football league system behind Ligue 1 and Ligue 2. Contested by 18 clubs, the Championnat National operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Ligue 2 and the Championnat National 2, the fourth division of French football.
Seasons run from August to May, with teams playing 34 games each, totalling 306 games in the season. Most games are played on Fridays and Saturdays, with a few games played during weekday evenings. Play is regularly suspended the last weekend before Christmas for two weeks before returning in the second week of January.
The National was founded in 1993 by the French Football Federation and served as a base league for clubs on the brink of becoming professional or falling to the amateur levels. The league is annually composed of professional and semi-professional clubs or amateur clubs. The matches in the league attract on average between 2,500 and 6,000 spectators per match.
There are 18 clubs in the Championnat National. During the course of a season, usually from August to May, each club plays the others twice, once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents, for a total of 34 games. Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points, then head-to-head points, then goal difference, and then goals scored. At the end of each season, the club with the most points is crowned champion and promoted to Ligue 2. If points are equal, the goal difference and then goals scored determine the winner. If still equal, teams are deemed to occupy the same position. If there is a tie for the championship or for relegation, a play-off match at a neutral venue decides rank. The first and second place finisher are also promoted to the second division, while the six lowest placed teams are relegated to the Championnat National 2 and the four winners of the four groups from Championnat National 2 are promoted in their place until 2023–24 season.
For the 2024–25 season.
Club | Location | Venue | Capacity |
---|---|---|---|
Bourg-Péronnas | Bourg-en-Bresse | Stade Marcel-Verchère | 11,400 |
Châteauroux | Châteauroux | Stade Gaston Petit | 17,173 |
Concarneau | Concarneau | Stade Francis-Le Blé Stade du Moustoir | 15,931 18,110 |
Dijon | Dijon | Stade Gaston Gérard | 15,995 |
GOAL FC | Chasselay | Stade Ludovic Giuly | 5,000 |
Le Mans | Le Mans | MMArena | 25,000 |
Nancy | Nancy | Stade Marcel Picot | 20,087 |
Orléans | Orléans | Stade de la Source | 7,000 |
Paris 13 Atletico | Paris (Paris 13) | Stade Sébastien Charléty | 20,000 |
Quevilly-Rouen | Rouen | Stade Robert Diochon | 12,018 |
Rouen | Rouen | Stade Robert Diochon | 12,108 |
Sochaux | Montbéliard | Stade Auguste Bonal | 20,005 |
Versailles | Paris (Paris 16) | Stade Jean-Bouin | 19,904 |
Valenciennes | Valenciennes | Stade du Hainaut | 25,172 |
Villefranche | Villefranche-sur-Saône | Stade Armand Chouffet | 3,500 |
Ligue 2, also known as Ligue 2 BKT due to sponsorship reasons, is a French professional football league. The league serves as the second division of French football and is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP), the other being Ligue 1, the country's top football division. Contested by 18 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with both Ligue 1 and the third division Championnat National. Seasons run from August to May, with teams playing 34 games each, totalling 306 games in the season. Most games are played on Fridays and Mondays, with a few games played during weekday and weekend evenings. Play is regularly suspended the last weekend before Christmas for two weeks before returning in the second week of January.
The Ligue de Football Professionnel, commonly known as the LFP, is a French governing body that runs the major professional football leagues in France and Monaco. It was founded in 1944 and serves under the authority of the French Football Federation. The current president of the league is Vincent Labrune. It is headquartered in Paris.
The Première Ligue is a professional women's association football league at the highest level of the French football league system, and is run by the Ligue féminine de football professionnel (LFFP). Its annual competition features twelve teams playing two series of round-robin matches from September to June, to determine the four participants of a single-elimination tournament. The winners of the tournament are crowned champions of France, and contest the Trophée des Championnes match the following season. At the end of each season, the top three teams qualify for the UEFA Women's Champions League, while the bottom two teams are relegated to the Seconde Ligue.
The Championnat National 2, commonly known as National 2 and formerly known as Championnat de France Amateur (CFA), is a football league competition. The league serves as the fourth tier of French football league system behind Ligue 1, Ligue 2 and Championnat National. Contested by 48 clubs, the Championnat National 2 operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Championnat National and Championnat National 3, the fifth division of French football. Seasons run from August to May, with teams in the three groups will playing 30 games each. Most games are played on Saturdays and Sundays, with a few games played during weekday evenings. Play is regularly suspended the last weekend before Christmas for two weeks before returning in the second week of January.
The Championnat National 3, commonly referred to as simply National 3 and formerly known as Championnat de France Amateur 2, is a football league competition. The league serves as the fifth division of the French football league system behind Ligue 1, Ligue 2, Championnat National, and the Championnat National 2. Usually contested by 154 clubs, the Championnat National 3 operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Championnat National 2 and the regional leagues of the Division d'Honneur, the sixth division of French football. Seasons run from August to May, with teams in eleven groups playing 26 games each totalling 2002 games in the season. Most games are played on Saturdays and Sundays, with a few games played during weekday evenings. Play is regularly suspended the last weekend before Christmas for two weeks before returning in the second week of January.
Chamois Niortais Football Club is a French association football club based in the commune of Niort, in the Deux-Sèvres department of western France. It was founded in 1925 by Charles Boinot, the son of the owner of a local chamois leather factory. The club's home stadium is the Stade René Gaillard in Niort, which has a capacity of 10,898 although in the last 20 years attendances have generally averaged below 5,000 per match due to the club's relatively small fan base. Chamois Niortais has traditionally played in an entirely blue home strip, although away strips regularly differ.
Football Club de Rouen 1899 is a French association football club based in Rouen, Normandy. The club was formed in 1899 and currently plays in Championnat National, the third level of French football. Rouen played its home matches at the Stade Robert Diochon; named after Robert Diochon, a historic player who was influential during the club's infancy. Rouen is known as Les Diables Rouges and have been since 1903.
The Réunion Premier League, also known as Championnat de La Réunion de football, is the top division of football league system in the French overseas territory of Réunion. The league is run and managed by the Réunionese Football League under the watch of the French Football Federation. Réunion Premier League was created in 1950 and the most successful club is JS Saint-Pierroise, who have won 17 league titles. The defending champions are JS Saint-Pierroise. The winner of the competition earns a berth in the CAF Champions League. In the French pyramid system, the Réunion Premier League is positioned in the Division d'Honneur, the sixth level of French football.
Union Sportive Quevillaise-Rouen Métropole, known as US Quevilly-Rouen, US Quevilly, QRM, Quevilly-Rouen, or simply Quevilly, is a football club based in Le Petit-Quevilly in the Métropole Rouen Normandie, France. The club plays in Ligue 2 and hosts its home matches at the Stade Robert Diochon, which has a capacity of 8,372.
The 2009–10 Championnat National was the 17th edition of the 3rd division league. Play commenced on 7 August 2009 and ended on 21 May 2010.
The 2010–11 Championnat National season was the 13th since its establishment. Évian were the defending champions. The fixtures were announced on 5 July 2010 and the season began on 6 August and ended on 27 May 2011. The winter break was in effect between 22 December and 11 January 2011. There were four promoted teams from the Championnat de France amateur, replacing the four teams that were relegated from the Championnat National following the 2009–10 season. A total of 21 teams currently competes in the league with five clubs suffering relegation to the fourth division, the Championnat de France amateur. All clubs that secured league status for the season were subject to approval by the DNCG before becoming eligible to participate.
The 2010–11 Championnat de France amateur was the 13th edition since its establishment. Colmar were the defending champions. Due to the elongated appeals process involving each clubs' eligibility, the groups and fixtures were unveiled to the public on 15 July 2010 and the season began on 7 August and ended on 28 May 2011. The winter break was in effect between 18 December and 15 January 2011. There were 12 promoted teams from the Championnat de France amateur 2, replacing the 13 teams that were relegated from the Championnat de France amateur following the 2009–10 season. A total of 69 teams currently competes in the league with 12 clubs suffering relegation to the fifth division, the Championnat de France amateur 2. All non-reserve clubs that secured league status for the season were subject to approval by the DNCG before becoming eligible to participate in the competition.
The 2010–11 Championnat de France amateur 2 was the 13th edition since its establishment. The reserves of Metz were the defending champions. Due to the elongated appeals process involving each clubs' eligibility, the groups and fixtures were unveiled to the public on 15 July 2010 and the season began on 21 August and ended on 4 June 2011. There were 22 promoted teams from the regional leagues of the Division d'Honneur, replacing the 22 teams that were relegated from the Championnat de France amateur 2 following the 2009–10 season. A total of 130 teams competed in the league with 22 clubs suffering relegation to the sixth division, the Division d'Honneur. All non-reserve clubs that secured league status for the season were subject to approval by the DNCG before becoming eligible to participate.
The 2011–12 Championnat National season was the 14th since its establishment. The previous season's champions was Bastia. The league schedule was announced on 16 May 2011 and the fixtures were determined in July. The season began on 6 August 2011 and ended on 26 May 2012. The winter break was in effect from 23 December to 6 January.
The 2012–13 Championnat National season was the 15th season since its establishment. The previous season's champions were Nîmes. The league schedule was announced in May 2012 and the fixtures were determined on 7 July. The season began on 3 August and ended on 24 May 2013. The winter break took place from 23 December to 12 January 2013.
The 2017–18 Championnat National 3 is the first season of the fifth tier in the French football league system in its current format. The competition is contested by 171 clubs split geographically across 12 groups of 14 teams, 1 group of 15 teams and 1 group of 16 teams. The teams include amateur clubs and the reserve teams of professional clubs.
The 2018–19 Championnat National 3 is the second season of the fifth tier in the French football league system in its current format. The competition is due to be contested by 168 clubs split geographically across 12 groups of 14 teams. The teams include amateur clubs and the reserve teams of professional clubs.
The 2020–21 Championnat National 3 is the fourth season of the fifth tier in the French football league system in its current format. The competition is contested by 168 clubs split geographically across 12 groups of 14 teams. The teams include amateur clubs and the reserve teams of professional clubs.
The 2022–23 Championnat National 2 was the 25th season of the fourth tier in the French football league system in its current format. This season the competition was contested by 64 clubs split geographically across four groups of 16 teams. The teams included amateur clubs and the reserve teams of professional clubs. The competition started on 20 August 2022 and completed on 3 June 2023.
The 2023–24 Championnat National season is the 31st since the establishment of the Championnat National and the 25th in its current format, which serves as third division of the French football league system. Two clubs will be promoted to Ligue 2 and six relegated to Championnat National 2 after this season as adjustment for the reduction in size of Ligue 2 from 20 teams to 18 next season. As a result, no promotion play-offs are to be held.