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Ligue 2

(Redirected from French Division 2)
For other uses, see Ligue 2 (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with EFL League Two.

Ligue 2 (French pronunciation: [liɡ dø], League 2), also known as Ligue 2 BKT due to sponsorship reasons, is a French professional football league. The league serves as the second division of French football and is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP), the other being Ligue 1, the country's top football division. Contested by 18 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with both Ligue 1 and the third division Championnat National. 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 Mondays, with a few games played during weekday and weekend evenings. Play is regularly suspended the last weekend before Christmas for two weeks before returning in the second week of January.

Ligue 2
Organising bodyLigue de Football
Professionnel (LFP)
Founded1933; 91 years ago (1933) (officially)
2002; 22 years ago (2002) (as Ligue 2)
Country France
ConfederationUEFA
Number of teams18
Level on pyramid2
Promotion toLigue 1
Relegation toChampionnat National
Domestic cup(s)Coupe de France
International cup(s)UEFA Europa League (via cups)
Current championsAuxerre (2nd title)
(2023–24)
Most championshipsLe Havre
(6 titles)
TV partnersbeIN Sports
Amazon Prime Video
WebsiteLigue2.fr (in French)
Current: 2024–25 Ligue 2
The Ligue 2 trophy

Ligue 2 was founded a year after the creation of the first division in 1933 under the name Division 2 and has served as the second division of French football ever since. The name lasted until 2002 before switching to its current name. Since the league is a part of the LFP, it allows clubs who are on the brink of professionalism to become so.

History

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The second division of French football was established in 1933, one year after the creation of the all-professional first division. The inaugural season of the competition consisted of the six clubs who were relegated following the 1932–33 National season, as well as many of the clubs who opposed the creation of the first division the previous season. Clubs such as Strasbourg, RC Roubaix, and Amiens SC all played in the second division's debut season despite having prior grievances with the subjective criteria needed to become professional and play in the first division. The first year of the second division consisted of twenty-three clubs and were divided into two groups (Nord and Sud). Fourteen of the clubs were inserted into the Nord section, while the remaining nine were placed in Sud. Following the season, the winner of each group faced each other to determine which club would earn promotion. On 20 May 1934, the winner of the Nord group, Red Star Saint-Ouen, faced Olympique Alès, the winner of the Sud group. Red Star were crowned the league's inaugural champions following a 3–2 victory. Despite losing, Alès was also promoted to the first division and they were followed by Strasbourg and Mulhouse, who each won a pool championship, after the first division agreed to expand its teams to 16.

Division 2 champions (Pre-WWII)
Season Winner
1933–34 Red Star Saint-Ouen
1934–35 CS Metz
1935–36 Rouen
1936–37 Lens
1937–38 Le Havre
1938–39 Red Star Saint-Ouen
Further information:
French second division champions

Due to several clubs merging, folding, or losing their professional status, the federation turned the second division into a 16-team league and adopted the single-table method for the 1934–35 season. Due to the unpredictable nature of French football clubs, the following season, the league increased to 19 clubs and, two years later, increased its allotment to 25 teams with the clubs being divided into four groups. Because of World War II, football was suspended by the French government and the Ligue de Football Professionnel. Following the end of the war, the second division developed stability. Due to the increase in amateur clubs, the league intertwined professional and amateur clubs and allowed the latter to become professional if they met certain benchmarks. In 2002, the league changed its name from Division 2 to Ligue 2.

In November 2014, the presidents of Caen and Nîmes were amongst several arrested on suspicion of match fixing. The arrests followed a 1–1 draw between Caen and Nîmes in May 2014, a result very beneficial for each club.[1][2]

Competition format

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There are 18 clubs in Ligue 2. 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 goal difference, and then goals scored. At the end of each season, the club with the most points is crowned champion and automatically promoted to Ligue 1. 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 second-place finisher are also promoted automatically to the first division. The fourth and fifth-place finishers play a one leg fixture at the fourth-place finisher's stadium, the winner of this fixture faces the third-place finisher at the third-place finisher's stadium, the winner of this fixture plays the 16th-placed team in Ligue 1 for the right to play in Ligue 1 the following season.[3] The three lowest placed teams are relegated to the Championnat National and the top three teams from National are promoted in their place. While a decision was originally made that during the 2015–16 season only the best two teams would be promoted to Ligue 1, and the last two teams would be relegated to the National,[4] that decision was later overturned by an appeal to the Conseil d'État[5] and the French Football Federation.[6][7]

In December 2021, the majority of LFP member clubs, including Championnat National club leaders, voted to contract Ligue 2 from 20 to 18 clubs for the 2024–25 season. This happened one year after Ligue 1 itself dropped from 20 to 18 teams for the 2023–24 season. The plan was for Ligue 2 to relegate four clubs to, and promote two from, National at the end of 2023–24.[8]

Ligue 2 members (2024–25 season)

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Location of teams in 2024–25 Ligue 2
Club Finishing position last season Location Venue Capacity
Ajaccio 15th Ajaccio Stade Michel-Moretti 10,446
Amiens 8th Amiens Stade de la Licorne 12,097
Annecy 14th Annecy Parc des Sports 15,660
Bastia 13th Furiani Stade Armand-Cesari 16,078
Bordeaux 12th Bordeaux Matmut Atlantique 42,115
Caen 6th Caen Stade Michel d'Ornano 21,215
Clermont 18th in Ligue 1 (relegated) Clermont-Ferrand Stade Gabriel-Montpied 11,980
Dunkerque 16th Dunkirk Stade Marcel-Tribut 4,933
Grenoble 11th Grenoble Stade des Alpes 20,068
Guingamp 9th Guingamp Stade de Roudourou 18,378
Laval 7th Laval Stade Francis Le Basser 18,739
Lorient 17th in Ligue 1 (relegated) Lorient Stade du Moustoir 18,890
Martigues 2nd in Championnat National (promoted) Martigues Stade Francis Turcan 8,290
Metz 16th in Ligue 1 (relegated) Longeville-lès-Metz Stade Saint-Symphorien 28,786
Paris FC 5th Paris (13th arrondissement) Stade Sébastien-Charléty 20,000
Pau 10th Pau Nouste Camp 4,031
Red Star 1st in Championnat National (promoted) Paris (Saint-Ouen) Stade Bauer 10,000
Rodez 4th Rodez Stade Paul-Lignon 5,955

Previous winners

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Main article: List of French second division champions
Club Winners Runners-up Winning years Runner-up years
Le Havre 6 1 1937–38, 1958–59, 1984–85, 1990–91, 2007–08, 2022–23 1949–50
Nancy 5 1974–75, 1989–90, 1997–98, 2004–05, 2015–16 1969–70
Metz 4 4 1934–35, 2006–07, 2013–14, 2018–19 1950–51, 1960–61, 1966–67, 2022–23
Lens 2 1936–37, 1948–49, 1972–73, 2008–09 2013–14, 2019–20
Nice 1 1947–48, 1964–65, 1969–70, 1993–94 1984–85
Lille 1963–64, 1973–74, 1977–78, 1999–2000 1970–71
Montpellier 3 3 1945–46, 1960–61, 1986–87 1951–52, 1980–81, 2008–09
Saint-Étienne 1962–63, 1998–99, 2003–04 1933–34, 1937–38, 1985–86
Strasbourg 2 1976–77, 1987–88, 2016–17 1971–72, 2001–02
Toulouse 1 1981–82, 2002–03, 2021–22 1996–97
Lyon – 1950–51, 1953–54, 1988–89
Rennes 2 5 1955–56, 1982–83 1938–39, 1957–58, 1975–76, 1989–90, 1993–94
Valenciennes 1971–72, 2005–06 1934–35, 1936–37, 1961–62, 1974–75, 1991–92
Angers 4 1968–69, 1975–76 1955–56, 1977–78, 1992–93, 2023–24
Red Star 3 1933–34, 1938–39 1954–55, 1964–65, 1973–74
Sochaux 2 1946–47, 2000–01 1963–64, 1987–88
Ajaccio 1966–67, 2001–02 2010–11, 2021–22
Caen 1995–96, 2009–10 2003–04, 2006–07
Troyes 2014–15, 2020–21 1953–54, 1972–73
Alès 1 1933–34, 1956–57 1946–47
FC Nancy 1945–46, 1957–58 1959–60
Reims 1965–66, 2017–18 2011–12
Grenoble – 1959–60, 1961–62
Bastia 1967–68, 2011–12
Auxerre 1979–80, 2023–24
Nîmes 1 3 1949–50 1967–68, 1990–91, 2017–18
Sedan 1954–55 1971–72, 1998–99, 2005–06
Brest 1980–81 1978–79, 2009–10, 2018–19
Marseille 1994–95 1965–66, 1983–84, 1995–96
Monaco 2012–13 1952–53, 1970–71, 1976–77
Rouen 2 1935–36 1933–34, 1981–82
Stade Français 1951–52 1945–46, 1958–59
Lorient 2019–20 1997–98, 2000–01
Toulouse (1937) 1 1952–53 1945–46
Tours 1983–84 1979–80
Bordeaux 1991–92 1948–49
Paris Saint-Germain – 1970–71
Gueugnon 1978–79
RCF Paris 1985–86
Martigues 1992–93
Châteauroux 1996–97
Evian 2010–11

Notes:

Top goalscorers

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Season Goals Top scorer(s) Club(s)
1933–34 54 goals Jean Nicolas Rouen
1934–35 30 goals
1935–36 45 goals
1936–37 30 goals Viktor Spechtl Lens
1937–38 29 goals Hugo Lammana CA Paris
1938–39 39 goals Harold Newell & Planques Boulogne & Toulouse
1939–45 World War II
1945–46 27 goals Campiglia Angers
1946–47 45 goals Jozef "Pépé" Humpal Sochaux
1947–48 28 goals Henri Arnaudeau Bordeaux
1948–49 41 goals Camille Libar
1949–50 27 goals Edmund Haan Nîmes
1950–51 23 goals Thadée Cisowski Metz
1951–52 34 goals Egon Johnsson Stade Français
1952–53 27 goals Bror Mellberg Toulouse
1953–54 36 goals Jean Courteaux RC Paris
1954–55 40 goals Petrus Van Rhijn Valenciennes
1955–56 32 goals
1956–57 27 goals Fernand Devlaeminck Lille
1957–58 29 goals Egon Johnsson FC Nancy
1958–59 31 goals Petrus Van Rhijn Stade Français
1959–60 29 goals Corbel Rouen
1960–61 28 goals Casimir Kozakiewicz Strasbourg
1961–62 21 goals Serge Masnaghetti Valenciennes
1962–63 24 goals Ernesto Gianella Béziers
1963–64 21 goals Abderrahmane Soukhane Le Havre
1964–65 22 goals Anton Groschulski Red Star
1965–66 30 goals Pierre Ferrazzi Grenoble
1966–67 23 goals Etienne Sansonetti Bastia
1967–68 26 goals Jacques Bonnet Avignon
1968–69 55 goals Gérard Grizetti Angoulême
1969–70 21 goals Robert Blanc Nancy
1970–71 20 goals
20 goals
20 goals		 Nord: Yves Triantafyllos
Centre: Robert Blanc
Sud: Emmanuel Koum		 Boulogne
Limoges
Monaco
1971–72 20 goals
28 goals
40 goals		 Gr. A: Pierre Pleimelding
Gr. B: Yegba Maya Joseph
Gr. C: Marc Molitor		 Troyes
Valenciennes
Strasbourg
1972–73 22 goals
31 goals		 Gr. A: Eugeniusz Faber
Gr. B: Gérard Tonnel		 Lens
Troyes
1973–74 26 goals
24 goals		 Gr. A: Erwin Wilczek
Gr. B: Nestor Combin		 Valenciennes
Red Star
1974–75 25 goals
28 goals		 Gr. A: Georges Tripp
Gr. B: Jean Martinez		 Laval
Nancy
1975–76 22 goals
25 goals		 Gr. A: Boško Antić
Gr. B: Marc Berdoll		 Caen
Angers
1976–77 30 goals
24 goals		 Gr. A: Delio Onnis
Gr. B: Albert Gemmrich		 Monaco
Strasbourg
1977–78 19 goals
23 goals
 		 Gr. A: Giudicelli
Gr. B: Jean-Claude Garnier
Gr. B: Pierre-Antoine Dossevi		 Alès
Dunkerque
Tours
1978–79 24 goals
26 goals		 Gr. A: Antoine Trivino
Gr. B: Patrice Martet		 Gueugnon
Brest
1979–80 16 goals
19 goals
 		 Gr. A: Alain Polaniok
Gr. A: Bernard Ferrigno
Gr. B: Jacky Vergnes
Gr. B: Robert Pintenat		 Reims
Tours
Montpellier
Toulouse
1980–81 32 goals
22 goals		 Gr. A: Robert Pintenat
Gr. B: Marcel Campagnac		 Toulouse
Sporting Club Abbeville
1981–82 18 goals
25 goals		 Gr. A: Marc Pascal
Gr. B: Žarko Olarević		 Marseille
Le Havre
1982–83 27 goals
18 goals		 Gr. A: Włodzimierz Lubański
Gr. B: Christian Dalger		 Valenciennes
Toulon
1983–84 23 goals
 
22 goals		 Gr. A: Mario Relmy
Gr. A: Boubacar Sarr
Gr. B: Omar da Fonseca		 Limoges
Marseille
Tours
1984–85 27 goals
28 goals		 Gr. A: John Eriksen
Gr. B: Jorge Dominguez		 Mulhouse
Nice
1985–86 22 goals
30 goals		 Gr. A: Jean-Marc Valadier
Gr. B: Eugène Kabongo		 Montpellier
RC Paris
1986–87 21 goals
20 goals
 		 Gr. A: Tony Kurbos
Gr. B: Gaspard N'Gouete
Gr. B: Jean-Pierre Orts		 Mulhouse
Bastia
Lyon
1987–88 21 goals
26 goals		 Gr. A: Ray Stephen
Gr. B: Patrice Martet		 Nancy
Rouen
1988–89 21 goals
 
28 goals		 Gr. A: Roberto Cabanas
Gr. A: Franck Priou
Gr. B: Robby Langers		 Brest
Mulhouse
Orléans
1989–90 26 goals
21 goals		 Gr. A: Didier Monczuk
Gr. B: Jean-Pierre Orts		 Strasbourg
Rouen
1990–91 23 goals
19 goals		 Gr. A: Didier Monczuk
Gr. B: Christophe Lagrange		 Strasbourg
Angers
1991–92 22 goals
23 goals		 Gr. A: Jean-Pierre Orts
Gr. B: Didier Monczuk		 Rouen
Strasbourg
1992–93 21 goals
18 goals		 Gr. A: Franck Priou
Gr. B: Jean-Pierre Orts		 Cannes
Rouen
1993–94 27 goals Yannick Le Saux Saint-Brieuc
1994–95 31 goals Tony Cascarino Marseille
1995–96 30 goals
1996–97 23 goals Samuel Michel Sochaux
1997–98 20 goals Réginald Ray Le Mans
1998–99 20 goals Hamed Diallo Laval
1999–2000 17 goals Amara Traoré Gueugnon
2000–01 21 goals Francileudo Santos Sochaux
2001–02 18 goals Hamed Diallo Amiens
2002–03 20 goals Cédric Fauré Toulouse
2003–04 17 goals David Suarez Amiens
2004–05 24 goals Bakari Koné Lorient
2005–06 16 goals Jean-Michel Lesage & Steve Savidan Le Havre & Valenciennes
2006–07 18 goals Jean-Michel Lesage & Kandia Traore Le Havre & Le Havre
2007–08 28 goals Guillaume Hoarau Le Havre
2008–09 18 goals Grégory Thil Boulogne
2009–10 21 goals Olivier Giroud Tours
2010–11 23 goals Sebastián Ribas Dijon
2011–12 15 goals Cédric Fauré Reims
2012–13 23 goals Mustapha Yatabaré Guingamp
2013–14 23 goals Andy Delort & Mathieu Duhamel Tours & Caen
2014–15 18 goals Mickaël Le Bihan Le Havre
2015–16 21 goals Famara Diedhiou Clermont
2016–17 23 goals Adama Niane Troyes
2017–18 24 goals Umut Bozok Nîmes
2018–19 27 goals Gaëtan Charbonnier Brest
2019–20 20 goals Tino Kadewere Le Havre
2020–21 22 goals Mohamed Bayo Clermont
2021–22 20 goals Rhys Healey Toulouse
2022–23 23 goals Georges Mikautadze Metz
2023–24 22 goals Alexandre Mendy Caen

Records

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  • 5 minutes: the time it took Angelo Fulgini (Valenciennes, 2016–17 season) to score the fastest hat trick in the history of Ligue 2.
  • 6 times: the number of times Le Havre won the second division championship.
  • Number of points won by a team in a single season, without achieving promotion to Ligue 1:
77 points (1994–95 season) or 1.833 points per game (42 games) for Toulouse.
72 points (1995–96 season, 22 teams involved): or 1.71 points per game for Laval.
71 points (2018–19 season, 20 teams involved): or 1.868 points per game for Troyes.
70 points (2020–21 season, 20 teams involved): or 1.84 points per game for Toulouse.
52 points (curtailed 2019–20 season, 20 teams involved) or 1.857 points per game (28 games) for Ajaccio.
  • 128 goals: The number of goals scored in 40 games (a single season) by Angers in 40 games, (1968–69 season).
  • 55 goals: the number of goals scored in a season by Gerard Grizzetti, forward playing for Angoulême (1969).
  • 41 seasons: Number of seasons played by the Besançon and Cannes.
  • The fastest goal in the history of Ligue 2 was marked on 26 September 2009 by Rémi Maréval against Nîmes. After eight seconds of play, the ball crossed the goal line of Nicolas Puydebois.

Broadcaster

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France

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Duration Broadcaster
2012–13 → 2023–24 beIN Sports
2008–09 → 2011–12 Eurosport
2008–09 → 2009–10 Numericable
2020–21 Téléfoot
2021–22 → 2023–24 beIN Sports (2 matches)
Amazon Prime Video (8 matches)
L'Equipe (1 match from Amazon)
2024–25 → 2028–29 beIN Sports (all matches)

International

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Country Broadcaster Duration
Vietnam VTVCab 2022–23 → 2023–24 (all Pau FC matches)[9]

Sponsorship names

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  • Domino's Ligue 2 (2016–2020)
  • Ligue 2 BKT (2020–present)

Notes

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References

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  1. ^ "Marseille arrests and match-fixing probe rock French football". France 24. Archived from the original on 18 March 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  2. ^ "Presidents of two French clubs arrested on match-fixing suspicions". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  3. ^ "Ligue 2 : Les play-offs changent de date !". Foot National (in French). 24 April 2019. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  4. ^ "Ligue 1 to keep three relegation places". ESPN.com. 14 August 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  5. ^ "Ligue 1 relegation places stay at three, uncertainty continues". ESPN FC. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
  6. ^ "Le référé de la LFP rejeté". Le Figaro.fr (in French). 14 August 2015.
  7. ^ "Ligue 1/Ligue 2 : il y aura bien trois rélégations/promotions". Le Parisien. 3 February 2016. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
  8. ^ "Foot : la Ligue 2 à 18 clubs à partir de 2024-2025". Le Figaro. Agence France-Presse. 9 December 2021. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  9. ^ VTV, BAO DIEN TU (19 July 2022). "VTVcab chính thức sở hữu bản quyền phát sóng các trận đấu của Quang Hải cùng Pau FC tại Ligue 2" [VTVcab officially owns the rights to broadcast Quang Hai's matches with Pau FC in Ligue 2]. BAO DIEN TU VTV (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 26 July 2022.
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