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.
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 | |||||||||||
2 | Ligue 2 | |||||||||||
Semi-professional leagues | ||||||||||||
3 | National | |||||||||||
4 | National 2 | |||||||||||
Group A 16 clubs | Group B 16 clubs | Group C 16 clubs | ||||||||||
5 | National 3 | |||||||||||
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 |
As of the 2022–23 season, this is the structure of the amateur regional leagues, operating directly below the national leagues.
Leagues | Level 6 | Level 7 | Level 8 | Level 9 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes | Régional 1 | Régional 2 | Régional 3 | |
Bourgogne-Franche-Comté | Régional 1 | Régional 2 | Régional 3 | |
Brittany | Régional 1 | Régional 2 | Régional 3 | |
Centre-Val de Loire | Régional 1 | Régional 2 | Régional 3 | |
Corsica | Régional 1 | Régional 2 | Régional 3 | Régional 4 |
Grand Est | Régional 1 | Régional 2 | Régional 3 | |
Hauts-de-France | Régional 1 | Régional 2 | Régional 3 | |
Méditerranée | Régional 1 | Régional 2 | ||
Normandy | Régional 1 | Régional 2 | Régional 3 | |
Nouvelle Aquitaine | Régional 1 | Régional 2 | Régional 3 | |
Occitanie | Régional 1 | Régional 2 | Régional 3 | |
Paris Île-de-France | Régional 1 | Régional 2 | Régional 3 | |
Pays de la Loire | Régional 1 | Régional 2 | Régional 3 |
As of the 2019–20 season, this is the structure of the amateur departmental leagues, operating at various levels below the regional leagues.
Departmental districts | Level 9 | Level 10 | Level 11 | Level 12 | Level 13 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ain | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | Départemental 5 |
Allier | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | Départemental 5 |
Cantal | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | Départemental 5 |
Drôme-Ardèche | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | Départemental 5 |
Haute-Loire | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | Départemental 5 |
Haute-Savoie-Pays de Gex | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | Départemental 5 |
Isère | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | Départemental 5 |
Loire | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | Départemental 5 |
Lyon Metropolis-Rhône | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | Départemental 5 |
Puy-de-Dôme | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | Départemental 5 |
Savoie | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | Départemental 5 |
Departmental districts | Level 9 | Level 10 | Level 11 | Level 12 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Côte-d'Or | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 |
Doubs-Territoire de Belfort | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 |
Haute-Saône | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 |
Jura | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 |
Nièvre | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 |
Saône-et-Loire | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 |
Yonne | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 |
Departmental districts | Level 9 | Level 10 | Level 11 | Level 12 | Level 13 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Côtes-d'Armor | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | |
Finistère | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | |
Ille-et-Vilaine | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | Départemental 5 |
Morbihan | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 |
Departmental districts | Level 9 | Level 10 | Level 11 | Level 12 | Level 13 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cher | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | Départemental 5 |
Eure-et-Loir | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | |
Indre | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | Départemental 5 |
Indre-et-Loire | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | Départemental 5 |
Loiret | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | Départemental 5 |
Loir-et-Cher | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 |
There are no district divisions in Corsica. The system in Corsica goes up to Régional 4.
Departmental districts | Level 9 | Level 10 | Level 11 | Level 12 | Level 13 | Level 14 | Level 15 | Level 16 | Level 17 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alsace | District 1 | District 2 | District 3 | District 4 | District 5 | District 6 | District 7 | District 8 | District 9 |
Ardennes | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | |||||
Aube | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | ||||||
Haute-Marne | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | |||||
Marne | District 1 | District 2 | District 3 | District 4 | |||||
Meurthe-et-Moselle | Division 1 | Division 2 | Division 3 | Division 4 | |||||
Meuse | Division 1 | Division 2 | Division 3 | ||||||
Moselle | Division 1 | Division 2 | Division 3 | Division 4 | |||||
Vosges | Division 1 | Division 2 | Division 3 | Division 4 |
Departmental districts | Level 9 | Level 10 | Level 11 | Level 12 | Level 13 | Level 14 | Level 15 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aisne | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | Départemental 5 | ||
Artois | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | Départemental 5 | Départemental 6 | Départemental 7 |
Côte d'Opale | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | Départemental 5 | Départemental 6 | Départemental 7 |
Escaut | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | Départemental 5 | Départemental 6 | Départemental 7 |
Flandres | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | Départemental 5 | Départemental 6 | Départemental 7 |
Oise | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | Départemental 5 | ||
Somme | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | Départemental 5 | Départemental 6 | Départemental 7 |
Departmental districts | Level 8 | Level 9 | Level 10 | Level 11 | Level 12 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alpes (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Hautes-Alpes) | District 1 | District 2 | District 3 | ||
Côte d'Azur (Alpes-Maritimes) | District 1 | District 2 | District 3 | District 4 | District 5 |
Provence (Bouches-du-Rhône) | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | |
Grand Vaucluse | District 1 | District 2 | District 3 | District 4 | |
Var | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 |
Departmental districts | Level 9 | Level 10 | Level 11 | Level 12 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Calvados | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 |
Eure | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 |
Manche | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 |
Orne | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 |
Seine-Maritime | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 |
Departmental districts | Level 9 | Level 10 | Level 11 | Level 12 | Level 13 | Level 14 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Charente | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | Départemental 5 | |
Charente-Maritime | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | ||
Corrèze | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | ||
Creuse | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | ||
Deux-Sèvres | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | Départemental 5 | |
Dordogne-Périgord (Dordogne) | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | ||
Gironde | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | ||
Haute-Vienne | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | Départemental 5 | |
Landes | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | ||
Lot-et-Garonne | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | ||
Pyrénées-Atlantiques | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | ||
Vienne | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | Départemental 5 | Départemental 6 |
Departmental districts | Level 9 | Level 10 | Level 11 | Level 12 | Level 13 | Level 14 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ariège | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | ||
Aude | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | ||
Aveyron | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | Départemental 5 | Départemental 6 |
Haute-Garonne | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | Départemental 5 | |
Hautes-Pyrénées | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | ||
Gard-Lozère | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | ||
Gers | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | |||
Hérault | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | Départemental 5 | |
Lot | Division 1 | Division 2 | Division 3 | Division 4 | ||
Pyrénées-Orientales | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | ||
Tarn | Division 1 | Division 2 | Division 3 | Division 4 | ||
Tarn-et-Garonne | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | Départemental 5 |
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 districts | Level 9 | Level 10 | Level 11 | Level 12 | Level 13 | Level 14 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Essonne | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | Départemental 5 | |
Hauts-de-Seine | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | Départemental 5 | Départemental 6 |
Seine-et-Marne | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | ||
Seine-Saint-Denis | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | Départemental 5 | |
Val d'Oise | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | ||
Val-de-Marne | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | ||
Yvelines | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | Départemental 5 | Départemental 6 |
Departmental districts | Level 9 | Level 10 | Level 11 | Level 12 | Level 13 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Loire-Atlantique | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | Départemental 5 |
Maine-et-Loire | Première Division | Deuxième Division | Troisième Division | Quatrième Division | Cinquième Division |
Mayenne | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | |
Sarthe | Départemental 1 | Départemental 2 | Départemental 3 | Départemental 4 | |
Vendée | Division 1 | Division 2 | Division 3 | Division 4 | Division 5 |
From 2023–24 onwards :
Level | League(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 |
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