French football league system


The French football league system is a series of interconnected leagues for club football in France and Monaco, and includes one Spanish side. At the top two levels of the system is the Ligue de Football Professionnel, which consists of two professional national divisions, Ligue 1 and Ligue 2. Below that are a number of leagues run by the Fédération Française de Football. At level 3 is the semi-professional Championnat National. Below that is the amateur Championnat National 2, which is divided into four parallel regional divisions, followed by the Championnat National 3, which is divided into 12 parallel regional divisions. Underneath that are many more regional and departmental leagues and divisions. 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.

Men

National leagues

Starting in 2017–18 there were changes at Levels 3 and 4 and Level 5.

Regional leagues

For the 2019–20 season, this was the structure of the regional leagues, operating directly below the national leagues.
LeaguesLevel 6Level 7Level 8Level 9
Auvergne-Rhône-AlpesRegional 1Regional 2Regional 3
Bourgogne-Franche-ComtéRegional 1Regional 2Regional 3
BrittanyRegional 1Regional 2Regional 3
Centre-Val de LoireRegional 1Regional 2Regional 3
CorsicaRegional 1Regional 2Regional 3Regional 4
Grand EstRegional 1Regional 2Regional 3
Hauts-de-FranceRegional 1Regional 2Regional 3
MéditerranéeRegional 1Regional 2
NormandyRegional 1Regional 2Regional 3
Nouvelle AquitaineRegional 1Regional 2Regional 3
OccitanieRegional 1Regional 2Regional 3
Paris Île-de-FranceRegional 1Regional 2Regional 3
Pays de la LoireRegional 1Regional 2Regional 3

Departmental leagues

For the 2019–20 season, this was the structure of the departmental leagues, operating at various levels below the regional leagues.

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region

Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region

Brittany region

Centre-Val de Loire region

Corsica region

There are no district divisions in Corsica

Grand Est region

Hauts-de-France region

Méditerranée Region

Normandy region

Nouvelle Aquitaine region

Occitanie region

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
EssonneDépartemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4Départemental 5
Hauts-de-SeineDépartemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4Départemental 5Départemental 6
Seine-et-MarneDépartemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4
Seine-Saint-DenisDépartemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4Départemental 5
Val d'OiseDépartemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4
Val-de-MarneDépartemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4
YvelinesDépartemental 1Départemental 2Départemental 3Départemental 4Départemental 5Départemental 6

Pays de la Loire region

Women

National leagues