French football league system

Last updated

The French football league system, also known as the French football pyramid, is a series of interconnected leagues for club football in France and Monaco, and includes one Spanish side. [note 1] At the top two levels of the system is the Ligue de Football Professionnel, which consists of two professional national divisions, Ligue 1, Ligue 2. [1] [2] [3] Below that are a number of leagues run by the Fédération Française de Football. At level 3 is the semi-professional Championnat National. [4] Below that is the Championnat National 2 (level 4), which is divided into four parallel regional divisions, followed by the Championnat National 3 (level 5), which is divided into eleven parallel regional divisions. Underneath that are many more regional and departmental leagues and divisions. [5] [6] Clubs finishing the season at or near the top of their division may be eligible for promotion to a higher division. Similarly, clubs finishing at or near the bottom of their division may be relegated to a lower division.

Contents

Men

National leagues

Starting in 2017–18 there were changes at levels 3 and 4 (in name only) and level 5 (significant restructuring and rename). [7]

Level

League(s)/Division(s)
Professional leagues

1

Ligue 1
18 clubs
↓ 2 relegation spots + 1 relegation play-off spot

2

Ligue 2
18 clubs
↑ 2 promotion spots + 1 promotion play-off spot
↓ 2 relegation spots + 1 relegation play-off spot

Semi-professional leagues

3

National
18 clubs
↑ 2 promotion spots + 1 promotion play-off spot
↓ 3 relegation spots

4

National 2
48 clubs divided into 3 groups
↑ 3 promotion spots
↓ 10 relegation spots (for 2024–25 season)

Group A
16 clubs
Group B
16 clubs
Group C
16 clubs

5

National 3
140 clubs divided into 10 groups (for 2024–25 season) = 14x10
112 clubs divided into 8 groups (from 2025–26 season onwards) = 14x8

Group A
14 clubs
Group B
14 clubs
Group C
14 clubs
Group D
14 clubs
Group E
14 clubs
Group F
14 clubs
Group G
14 clubs
Group H
14 clubs
Group I
14 clubs
Group J
14 clubs

Regional leagues

As of the 2022–23 season, this is the structure of the amateur regional leagues, operating directly below the national leagues.

LeaguesLevel 6Level 7Level 8Level 9
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Régional 1 Régional 2Régional 3 
Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Régional 1 Régional 2Régional 3 
Brittany Régional 1 Régional 2Régional 3 
Centre-Val de Loire Régional 1 Régional 2Régional 3 
Corsica Régional 1 Régional 2Régional 3Régional 4
Grand Est Régional 1 Régional 2Régional 3
Hauts-de-France Régional 1 Régional 2Régional 3
Méditerranée Régional 1 Régional 2  
Normandy Régional 1 Régional 2Régional 3 
Nouvelle Aquitaine Régional 1 Régional 2Régional 3
Occitanie Régional 1 Régional 2Régional 3
Paris Île-de-France Régional 1 Régional 2Régional 3
Pays de la Loire Régional 1 Régional 2Régional 3

Departmental leagues

As of the 2019–20 season, this is the structure of the amateur departmental leagues, operating at various levels below the regional leagues.

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region

Departmental districtsLevel 9Level 10Level 11Level 12Level 13
Ain Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4Départemental 5
Allier Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4Départemental 5
Cantal Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4Départemental 5
Drôme-Ardèche Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4Départemental 5
Haute-Loire Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4Départemental 5
Haute-Savoie-Pays de Gex Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4Départemental 5
Isère Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4Départemental 5
Loire Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4Départemental 5
Lyon Metropolis-Rhône Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4Départemental 5
Puy-de-Dôme Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4Départemental 5
Savoie Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4Départemental 5

Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region

Departmental districtsLevel 9Level 10Level 11Level 12
Côte-d'Or Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4
Doubs-Territoire de Belfort Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4
Haute-Saône Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4
Jura Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4
Nièvre Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4
Saône-et-Loire Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4
Yonne Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4

Brittany region

Departmental districtsLevel 9Level 10Level 11Level 12Level 13
Côtes-d'Armor Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4 
Finistère Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4 
Ille-et-Vilaine Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4Départemental 5
Morbihan Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4 

Centre-Val de Loire region

Departmental districtsLevel 9Level 10Level 11Level 12Level 13
Cher Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4Départemental 5
Eure-et-Loir Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4 
Indre Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4Départemental 5
Indre-et-Loire Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4Départemental 5
Loiret Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4Départemental 5
Loir-et-Cher Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4 

Corsica region

There are no district divisions in Corsica. The system in Corsica goes up to Régional 4.

Grand Est region

Departmental districtsLevel 9Level 10Level 11Level 12Level 13Level 14Level 15Level 16Level 17
Alsace District 1District 2District 3District 4District 5District 6District 7District 8District 9
Ardennes Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4     
Aube Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3      
Haute-Marne Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4     
Marne District 1District 2District 3District 4     
Meurthe-et-Moselle Division 1Division 2Division 3Division 4     
Meuse Division 1Division 2Division 3      
Moselle Division 1Division 2Division 3Division 4     
Vosges Division 1Division 2Division 3Division 4     

Hauts-de-France region

Departmental districtsLevel 9Level 10Level 11Level 12Level 13Level 14Level 15
Aisne Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4Départemental 5  
Artois Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4Départemental 5Départemental 6Départemental 7
Côte d'Opale Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4Départemental 5Départemental 6Départemental 7
Escaut Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4Départemental 5Départemental 6Départemental 7
Flandres Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4Départemental 5Départemental 6Départemental 7
Oise Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4Départemental 5  
Somme Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4Départemental 5Départemental 6Départemental 7

Méditerranée Region

Departmental districtsLevel 8Level 9Level 10Level 11Level 12
Alpes (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Hautes-Alpes)District 1District 2District 3  
Côte d'Azur (Alpes-Maritimes)District 1District 2District 3District 4District 5
Provence (Bouches-du-Rhône)Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4 
Grand Vaucluse District 1District 2District 3District 4 
Var Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4 

Normandy region

Departmental districtsLevel 9Level 10Level 11Level 12
Calvados Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4
Eure Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4
Manche Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4
Orne Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4
Seine-Maritime Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4

Nouvelle Aquitaine region

Departmental districtsLevel 9Level 10Level 11Level 12Level 13Level 14
Charente Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4Départemental 5 
Charente-Maritime Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4  
Corrèze Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4  
Creuse Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4  
Deux-Sèvres Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4Départemental 5 
Dordogne-Périgord (Dordogne)Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4  
Gironde Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4  
Haute-Vienne Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4Départemental 5 
Landes Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4  
Lot-et-Garonne Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4  
Pyrénées-Atlantiques Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4  
Vienne Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4Départemental 5Départemental 6

Occitanie region

Departmental districtsLevel 9Level 10Level 11Level 12Level 13Level 14
Ariège Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4  
Aude Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4  
Aveyron Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4Départemental 5Départemental 6
Haute-Garonne Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4Départemental 5 
Hautes-Pyrénées Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4  
Gard-Lozère Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4  
Gers Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3   
Hérault Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4Départemental 5 
Lot Division 1Division 2Division 3Division 4  
Pyrénées-Orientales Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4  
Tarn Division 1Division 2Division 3Division 4  
Tarn-et-Garonne Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4Départemental 5 

Paris Île-de-France region

Clubs in the arrondissements of Paris are divided between the three surrounding suburban districts. The District of Hauts-de-Seine includes 6th, 7th, 8th, 14th, 15th, 16th and 17th, the District of Seine-Saint-Denis has the 9th, 10th, 11th, 18th, 19th, 20th and the District of Val-de-Marne includes 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 12th and 13th.

Départemental districtsLevel 9Level 10Level 11Level 12Level 13Level 14
Essonne Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4Départemental 5 
Hauts-de-Seine Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4Départemental 5Départemental 6
Seine-et-Marne Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4  
Seine-Saint-Denis Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4Départemental 5 
Val d'Oise Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4  
Val-de-Marne Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4  
Yvelines Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4Départemental 5Départemental 6

Pays de la Loire region

Departmental districtsLevel 9Level 10Level 11Level 12Level 13
Loire-Atlantique Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4Départemental 5
Maine-et-Loire Première DivisionDeuxième DivisionTroisième DivisionQuatrième DivisionCinquième Division
Mayenne Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4 
Sarthe Départemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4 
Vendée Division 1Division 2Division 3Division 4Division 5

Women

National leagues

From 2023–24 onwards :

LevelLeague(s)/Division(s)
1 Première Ligue
12 clubs
2 Seconde Ligue
12 clubs

3

Division 3 Féminine
24 clubs divided into 2 groups
Group A
12 clubs
Group B
12 clubs
4 Alsace Honneur, Aquitaine Honneur, Atlantique Honneur, Auvergne Honneur, Lower Normandy Honneur, Burgundy Honneur, Brittany Honneur, Centre Honneur, Centre-Ouest Honneur, Champagne-Ardenne Honneur, Corsica Honneur, Franche-Comté Honneur, Languedoc-Roussillon Honneur, Lorraine Honneur, Maine Honneur, Provence Honneur, Midi-Pyrénées Honneur, Nord-Pas-de-Calais Honneur, Upper Normandy Honneur, Paris Honneur, Picardy Honneur, Rhône-Alpes Honneur

Notes

  1. UE Bossòst play in the Occitanie League, Haute-Garonne division.

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