Ligue 3 ( or Ligue 3 Betclic for sponsorship reasons from 2026 onwards), formerly known as the Championnat National (), is a professional men's football league that serves as the third tier of the French football league system, behind Ligue 1 and Ligue 2. Contested by 18 clubs, Ligue 3 operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Ligue 2 and the Championnat National 1, 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.
Ahead of the 2026–27 season, the Championnat National was reformed to create a professional Ligue 3.
History The league was founded in 1993 by the French Football Federation (FFF) and served as a "base league" for clubs on the brink of becoming professional or falling to the amateur levels. The league was 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.
On 16 January 2025, during a press conference, FFF president Philippe Diallo announced the creation of a professional Ligue 3 from the 2026–27 season. The initiative was made official by the FFF's executive committee on 12 May 2026.
Competition format There are 18 clubs in Ligue 3. 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 three lowest placed teams are relegated to the Championnat National 1 and the three winners of the three groups from Championnat National 1 are promoted in their place until last season.
Current clubs For the 2026–27 season.
Team Location Stadium Capacity Amiens↓ Amiens Stade de la Licorne 12,097 Aubagne Air BelAubagneStade de Lattre-de-Tassigny 1,000 Bastia↓ Bastia Stade Armand-Cesari 16,048 Bourg-Péronnas Bourg-en-Bresse Stade Marcel-Verchère 11,400 Caen Caen Stade Michel d'Ornano21,215 Cannes↑ Cannes Stade Pierre de Coubertin9,819 Concarneau Concarneau 5,800Fleury-MérogisEssonne Stadium18,850 La Roche-sur-Yon↑ La Roche-sur-Yon Stade Henri Desgranges10,000Le Puy-en-VelayStade Charles Massot 4,800OrléansStade de la Source7,000Paris Stade Sébastien Charléty 20,000RouenStade Robert Diochon8,372RouenStade Robert Diochon8,372 Thionville↑ Thionville Stade de la Plaine 1,000ValenciennesStade du Hainaut25,172VersaillesStade de Montbauron 7,545Villefranche-sur-Saône 3,500
↓ Relegated from the Ligue 2 ↑ Promoted from the National 2
Table of honours
Championnat National 1 Season Group A Winner Group B Winner Other promoted teams1993–94En Avant de GuingampLB ChâteaurouxAmiens SC and Perpignan FC1994–95FC LorientSAS ÉpinalStade Poitevin and CS Louhans-Cuiseaux1995–96Stade BriochinSporting Toulon VarAssociation Troyes AC and AS Beauvais Oise1996–97ES WasquehalNîmes OlympiqueChampionnat National Season Champion Runner-up Third place1997–98AC AjaccioCS Sedan ArdennesUS Créteil-Lusitanos (not promoted)1998–99CS Louhans-CuiseauxUS Créteil-LusitanosGazélec Ajaccio (not promoted)1999–2000AS Beauvais OiseFC MartiguesAngers SCO2000–01Grenoble Foot 38Amiens SCFC Istres2001–02Clermont FootStade de ReimsASOA Valence and Toulouse FC (4 clubs promoted this season)2002–03Besançon Racing ClubAngers SCOFC Rouen2003–04Stade de ReimsStade Brestois 29Dijon FCO2004–05Valenciennes FCASOA Valence (not promoted due to financial problems)FC Sète 342005–06Chamois NiortaisTours FCFC Libourne-Saint-Seurin2006–07Clermont Foot (2)US BoulogneAngers SCO2007–08Vannes OCTours FCNîmes Olympique2008–09FC IstresStade LavalloisAC Arles2009–10Evian Thonon GaillardStade de ReimsES Troyes AC2010–11SC BastiaAmiens SCEn Avant de Guingamp2011–12Nîmes Olympique (2)Chamois NiortaisGazélec Ajaccio2012–13US Créteil-LusitanosFC MetzCA Bastia2013–14US OrléansUS LuzenacGazélec Ajaccio2014–15Red StarParis FCFC Bourg-Péronnas2015–16StrasbourgOrléansAmiens2016–17ChâteaurouxQuevillyParis FC (Promotion Play-Off)2017–18Red Star (2)BéziersGrenoble2018–19RodezChamblyLe Mans2019–20PauUSL DunkerqueUS Boulogne2020–21SC Bastia (2)Quevilly-RouenVillefranche2021–22LavalAnnecyVillefranche2022–23ConcarneauDunkerqueRed Star2023–24Red Star (3)MartiguesChamois Niortais (not promoted)2024–25NancyLe MansUS Boulogne2025–26DijonSochauxRouenLigue 3SeasonChampionsRunner-upThird place2026–27TBDTBDTBD
References
External links
Official Site