The Championnat National 2, commonly referred to as simply National 2 and formerly known as Championnat de France Amateur 2 and Championnat National 3, is a football league competition. The league serves as the fifth division of the French football league system behind Ligue 1, Ligue 2, Ligue 3, and the National 1. Usually contested by 112 clubs, the Championnat National 3 operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Championnat National 1 and the regional leagues of the Division d'Honneur, the sixth division of French football. Seasons run from August to May, with teams in eight groups playing 26 games each totalling 1,456 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.
The competition was founded in 1993 as National 3 and lasted for five years before being converted to Championnat de France Amateur 2 in 1998. In 2017, the FFF reorganised amateur football and the restructured 5th level again became Championnat National 3. In 2026, Championnat National 3 became Championnat National 2. Some clubs that participate in the league are semi-professional. The matches in the league attract on average between 200 and 400 spectators per match.
History and format
The amateur championship of France was created in 1993 under the name National 3, replacing the former Division 4. The league's debut coincided with the creation of the Championnat National, the third division of French football, which is commonly known as National. For the first three years of the competition, an amateur champion was crowned in France regardless of whether the club was amateur or a reserve team.
In 1998 the competition was renamed Championnat de France Amateur 2 as part of a restructuring of Amateur football. In this guise, the competition saw 112 clubs participate, split into eight parallel groups of 14 with their group affiliation being based on the regional location of the club. The league became open to reserve teams in France and amateur clubs in France and both were eligible for promotion to the Championnat de France Amateur.
2017 to 2023 format
In 2017 the FFF reorganised amateur football along the lines of the 2016 reorganisation of the Regions of France, creating Championnat National 2 and Championnat National 3 to replace CFA and CFA2. For National 2 this was in effect just a change of name, whilst National 3 saw a major restructure. This new competition sees 168 clubs participating, in twelve parallel groups directly aligned to the thirteen new regions (Corsica is merged with Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur to form a Méditerranee-Corse group). The administration of the league is devolved to the regional leagues on a group by group basis, with the exception of the Méditerranee-Corse group, which is directly managed by the FFF.
During the course of a season, usually from August to May, each club plays the others in their respective group twice, once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents, for a total of 26 games. Teams are ranked by total points. Ties between clubs with equal points are resolved by: a) points gained in games between the two (or more) clubs, b) goal difference in games between the two (or more) clubs, c) overall goal difference, d) goals scored, e) best disciplinary record, f) drawing of lots.
At the end of each season, the winner of each group was promoted to what was then Championnat National 2. If a group winner was prevented from being promoted, or elected not to be promoted, they were replaced by the next best team in the group who were eligible. At a minimum the bottom three teams in each group were relegated to the Regional league's top division. In the case of groups which started a season with more than 14 teams, extra relegation places were added in order to get the league back to 14 teams for the following season. Which groups were given extra relegation places was also dependent on which regions teams relegated from the fourth tier belonged to.
Uncompleted seasons
Two consecutive seasons, 2019–20 and 2020–21, were not completed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in France. Standings of the 2019–20 season were finalised based on points per game, whilst the 2020–21 season was declared void.
Restructuring As part of the restructuring of the French football league system by the French Football Federation between 2022 and 2026, the league was gradually restructured over three seasons from the pre-2023 structure of 168 teams (12 groups of 14) to 154 teams (11 groups of 14) in 2023–24. Future seasons will see 140 teams (10 groups of 14) in 2024–25 and 112 teams (8 groups of 14) in 2025–26.
This change in structure moved the competition away from groups that directly related to the regional leagues that feed Championnat National 3, and also brought the competition back under the direct control of the FFF.
The league changed name to Championnat National 2 ahead of the 2026–27 season, as part of the FFF's decision that also saw Championnat National change name to Ligue 3 and former Championnat National 2 change name to Championnat National 1.
Current Teams (2026-27) +Group AGroup BGroup CGroup D Blagnac FC FC Bassin d'Arcachon Castanéenne FC AS Chamalièrs AS Colomiers Gazinet-Cestas US Lège-Cap-Ferret Les Genêts d'Anglet Mérignac-Arlac Onet-le-Château Football Pau FC 2 Rodez AF 2 Toulouse FC 2 Trélissac-Antonne US Alençonnaise Avoine OCC FC Challans US Chauvigny La Châtaigneraie Le Mans 2 Les Sables VF FC Nantes 2 AS Panazol US Philibertine Sablé FC Stade Lavallois 2 Vendée Fontenay Foot USSA Vertou ASPTT Caen SM Caen 2 OC Cesson AS Ginglin-Cesson EA Guingamp 2 Lannion FC SP Milizac TA Rennes FC Saint-Lô Manche Stade Brestois 2 Stade Rennais 2 Vannes OC AF Virois AS Vitré FC Balagne SC Bastia 2 C' Chartres Football IC Croix Lille 2 CMS Oissel Olympique Saint-Quentin Red Star 2 Saint Amand FC AS Saint-Ouen-l'Aumône AS Steenvoorde AS Trouville-Deauville-Villers FC Versailles 2 US VimyGroup EGroup FGroup GGroup H FCM Aubervilliers ASM Belfort JA Drancy US Ivry FC Metz 2 APM Metz FC Mulhouse Nancy Lorraine 2 SFC Neuilly-sur-Marne Olympique Charleville AM Sochaux-Montbéliard 2 RC Strasbourg 2 ES Thaon US Torcy FC Annecy 2 Racing Besançon FC Bourgoin-Jallieu FC Chalon ASPTT Dijon-Bourgogne Dijon FCO 2 US Feurs Is-Selongey Football Jura Dolois Football Mâcon 71 Olympique Lyon 2 CA Pontarlier Thonon Évian F.C. FC Vesoul AS Atlas Paillade Berre SC ES Cannet Rocheville FC Espaly ES Fosséenne GC Lucciana US Mandelieu-La Napoule Montpellier 2 Olympique d'Alès Olympique Marseille 2 Riviera FC FC Rousset SVO Stade Beaucairois FC Saint-Étienne 2 GFC Ajaccio AJ Auxerre 2 Blois Football 41 CS Brétigny LB Châteauroux 2 USC Corte ESA Linas-Montlhéry US Orléans 2 Paris FC 2 SF Romorantin Sainte-Geneviève FC FC Saint-Jean-le-Blanc Vierzon FC
Performance
Titles per group
8 groups (1993-2017)
National 3Season Group A Group B Group C Group D Group E Group F Group G Group H1993-1994AS Beauvais BLe Mans UC 72 BCS BlénodAngers SCO BClermont FootOlymp. Thonon ChablaisFC BergeracFC Martigues B1994-1995Red Star FC BParis SG CFC SensStade lavallois BSO RomorantinRC Lons-le-SaunierAFC AurillacES Vitrolles1995-1996Olympique Saint-QuentinAmiens SC BASC BiesheimRC La FlècheLB Châteauroux BAC AjaccioMontauban FCStade beaucairois1996-1997JA ArmentièresUS Moissy-CramayelAC Troyes BFC Lorient BVF FontenayFC Gueugnon BBorgo FCFC Bourg-Péronnas Championnat de France Amateur 2Season Group A Group B Group C Group D Group E Group F Group G Group H1997-1998Calais RUFCFC Les LilasStade de ReimsLe Mans UC 72 BLB Châteauroux BAJ Auxerre CAS Porto VecchioASOA Valence B1998-1999AC CambraiSS L'HôpitalAJ Auxerre CAC arlésienES VitrollesFC Libourne-Saint-SeurinLe Mans UC 72 BOG Rouen1999-2000Levallois SCFCSR HaguenauFC Sochaux-Montbéliard BAS Saint-Étienne BRCO AgdeFC Saint-MédardFC Nantes BUSON Mondeville2000-2001SC AbbevilleRed Star FC BUSFC VesoulSC Bastia BUS EndoumeESA BriveEA Guingamp BEntente SSG2001-2002Amiens SC BUS Sénart-MoissyFC Sochaux-Montbéliard BUS Saint-GeorgesStade raphaëloisGirondins de Bordeaux BFC Lorient BRC La Flèche2002-2003Calais RUFCAJ Auxerre CSC SchiltigheimGap HAFCSporting Toulon VarAviron bayonnaisStade poitevinUS Concarneau2003-2004US LesquinCO ChâlonsSAS ÉpinalAS YzeureUS Le PontetRodez AFUSJA CarquefouUSON Mondeville2004-2005SC FeigniesDijon FCO BFC Gueugnon BSO Cassis CarnouxUS LuzenacLe Mans UC 72 BAS VitréVillemomble Sports2005-2006Red Star FCRC Épernay ChampagneVesoul HSCNîmes Olympique BCA BastiaStade bordelaisLes Herbiers VFSM Caen B2006-2007Valenciennes FC BASM BelfortASF Andrézieux-BouthéonHyères FCFontenay VFRC France 92La Vitréenne FCSM Caen B2007-2008Olympique Noisy-le-SecES Troyes AC BFC Villefranche BeaujolaisRCO AgdeChamois niortais BLuçon VFStade quimpéroisUJA Alfortville2008-2009AS MarckJA DrancySAS ÉpinalGrenoble Foot 38 BStade raphaëloisToulouse FontainesTours FC BUSJA Carquefou 2009-2010Calais RUFCFCM AubervilliersFC Metz BMonts d'Or AzerguesAS Monaco BAS BéziersLe Poiré-sur-Vie VFFC Lorient B2010-2011AC AmiensCalais RUFCRC Strasbourg BSO ChambéryFC CalviStade montoisOlympique de SaumurGSI Pontivy2011-2012FC Chambly ThelleUS RoyeRC StrasbourgFC Montceau BourgogneGrenoble Foot 38Stade bordelaisTrélissac FCUS Saint-Malo2012-2013FC DieppeEntente SSG Vesoul HSFAS Saint-PriestOGC Nice BJeunesse villenavaiseFC Nantes BAS Vitré2013-2014Arras FAIC CroixFC Metz BAS Saint-Étienne BFC Sète 34Montpellier HSC BUS Fleury-MérogisFC Lorient B2014-2015Voltigeurs de ChâteaubriantSO CholetAC Boulogne-BillancourtES WasquehalAJ Auxerre BLe Puy Foot 43 AuvergneOlympique de Marseille BBergerac Périgord FC2015-2016Stade rennais FC BFC ChartresES Paulhan-PézenasSporting Toulon VarASF Andrézieux-BouthéonStade de Reims BLille OSC BLe Havre AC B2016-2017Stade briochinSt-Pryvé St-Hilaire FCAS Beauvais OiseRC Strasbourg Alsace BSainte-Geneviève SportsAS Saint-PriestRC GrasseStade bordelais
12 regional groups (2017-2023)
Between 2017 et 2023, regional leagues organize their respective group, except for the Corse-Méditerranée group, which stays under the direction of the national federation.
National 3SeasonAuRABFCBzhCentreGd EstHdFIdFNorm.Nle-Aq.Occ.PdLCor.-Médi.2017-2018AS Saint-Étienne B CA PontarlierVannes OCBlois Foot 41FCSR HaguenauEntente Feignies Aulnoye FCAF BobignyCMS OisselGirondins de Bordeaux BNîmes Olympique BFC Nantes BUS Endoume2018-2019FC ChamalièresDijon FCO BEA Guingamp BBourges FootFC Mulhouse Olympique Saint-QuentinFC GobelinsFC RouenAngoulême CFCMontpellier HSC BAngers SCO BSC Bastia2019-2020GFA Rumilly-VallièresAJ Auxerre BStade plabennécoisTours FCFC Metz BAS Beauvais OiseFC Versailles 78SM Caen BStade montoisCanet Roussillon FCVoltigeurs de ChâteaubriantAthlético Marseille2020-2021Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic..2021-2022Thonon Évian GGFCRacing BesançonStade rennais FC 2Vierzon FCSR ColmarWasquehal FootballRacing CFFÉvreux FC FCStade bordelaisOlympique d'AlèsOlympique de SaumurAS Furiani-Agliani2022-2023FC Bourgoin-JallieuUF MâconnaisDinan-Léhon FCAvoine OCCASC BiesheimEntente Feignies Aulnoye FCFCM AubervilliersAF ViroisFC LibourneAS BéziersLa Roche VFAS Cannes
Transition period (2023-2025)
From the 2023-2024 season onwards, the championship is taken over by the federation. It is initially reduced to 11 groupes, then 10 in 2024-2025, aiming for an 8-group-championship in 2025-2026.