 | |
| Organising body | FFF |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1993; 32 years ago (1993) 2026; 1 year's time (2026) (as Ligue 3) |
| Country | France |
| Confederation | UEFA |
| Number of clubs | 18 |
| Level on pyramid | 3 |
| Promotion to | Ligue 2 |
| Relegation to | Championnat National 2 |
| Domestic cup | Coupe de France |
| Current champions | Nancy (1st title) (2024–25) |
| Most championships | Red Star (3 titles) |
| Broadcaster(s) | BFM Locales[1] |
| Website | Official site |
| Current:2025–26 Championnat National | |
TheChampionnat National (English:French National Championship), commonly referred to as simplyNational orDivision 3, is the third division of theFrench football league system behindLigue 1 andLigue 2. Contested by 18 clubs, the Championnat National operates on a system ofpromotion and relegation with Ligue 2 and theChampionnat National 2, the fourth division ofFrench 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.
The National was founded in 1993 by theFrench Football Federation and served as abase league for clubs on the brink of becoming professional or falling to the amateur levels. The league is annually composed of professional andsemi-professional clubs oramateur 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,Philippe Diallo announced the creation of a professional Ligue 3 from the 2026–27 season.[2]
There are 18 clubs in the Championnat National. 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, thengoal 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 theChampionnat National 2 and the three winners of the three groups from Championnat National 2 are promoted in their place until last season.
For the 2025–26 season.
| Club | Location | Venue | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aubagne | Aubagne | Stade de Lattre-de-Tassigny | 1,000 |
| Boulogne | Boulogne-sur-Mer | Stade de la Libération | 9,534 |
| Bourg-Péronnas | Bourg-en-Bresse | Stade Marcel-Verchère | 11,400 |
| Caen | Caen | Stade Michel d'Ornano | 21,215 |
| Concarneau | Concarneau | Stade Guy-Piriou [fr] | 5,800 |
| Dijon | Dijon | Stade Gaston Gérard | 15,995 |
| Fleury | Fleury-Mérogis | Stade Auguste Gentelet | 2,000 |
| Le Puy | Le Puy-en-Velay | Stade Charles Massot | 4,800 |
| Martigues | Martigues | Stade Francis Turcan | 8,290 |
| Orléans | Orléans | Stade de la Source | 7,000 |
| Paris 13 Atletico | Paris(Paris 13) | Stade Pelé | 1,000 |
| Quevilly-Rouen | Rouen | Stade Robert Diochon | 8,372 |
| Rouen | Rouen | Stade Robert Diochon | 8,372 |
| Sochaux | Montbéliard | Stade Auguste Bonal | 20,005 |
| Stade Briochin | Saint-Brieuc | Stade Fred-Aubert | 11,000 |
| Valenciennes | Valenciennes | Stade du Hainaut | 25,172 |
| Versailles | Versailles | Stade de Montbauron | 7,545 |
| Villefranche | Villefranche-sur-Saône | Stade Armand Chouffet | 3,500 |
French Football Federation (President:Philippe Diallo (interim))Ligue féminine de football professionnel (President:Jean-Michel Aulas) | |||||||
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