Current season, competition or edition: 2025–26 LFH Division 1 Féminine | |
 | |
| Sport | Handball |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1951; 75 years ago (1951) |
| No. of teams | 14 |
| Country | France |
| Confederation | EHF |
| Most recent champion | Metz Handball (2024-25) |
| Most titles | Metz Handball (27 titles) |
| Broadcasters | Moselle TV(Metz) Tébéo(Brest) |
| Streaming partner | Handball TV |
| Relegation to | Division 2 (D2F) |
| Domestic cup | Coupe de France |
| International cups | Champions League EHF European League |
| Official website | ligue-feminine-handball.fr |
LFH Division 1 Féminine, known for sponsorship reasons asLigue Butagaz Énergie, is the premier women'shandball league inFrance. It is overseen by the Ligue Féminine de Handball (LFH), the governing body of French women's professional handball, under delegation from theFrench Handball Federation (FFHB). Founded in 1952, it is currently contested by twelve teams.
Metz Handball has dominated the championship in recent times with 27 titles between 1989 and 2025 including a 6-year winning streak, whileUS Ivry andParis UC were the most successful teams in past decades with nine and five titles respectively.[1]
As of 2025:
| Club | Manager | Captain | Kit manufacturer |
|---|---|---|---|
| ESBF Besançon |  Jérôme Delarue | Pauline Robert | Le Coq Sportif |
| Brest Bretagne | Raphaëlle Tervel |  Jenny Carlson | Craft |
| Chambray Touraine | Mathieu Lanfranchi |  Kappa | |
| JDA Dijon | Clément Alcacer | Sarah Valero Jodar | Erreà |
| Metz HB | Emmanuel Mayonnade | Chloé Valentini |  Kempa |
| Sambre Aveinois | Julien Vasseur | Kempa | |
| Le Havre AC | Tom Garnier | Erreà | |
| OGC Nice | Sébastien Mizoule |  Ehsan Abdelmalek |  Hummel |
| Paris 92 | Yacine Messaoudi | Méline Nocandy | Le Coq Sportif |
| Plan-de-Cuques | Angélique Spincer | Aurélie Goubel | Puma |
| Saint-Amand HB |  Edina Borsos Szabó | Romane Frécon-Demouge | Kempa |
| Stella Saint-Maur | Rémi Sanson | Pauline Plotton | Puma |
| SATH |  Jan Bašný | Dalila Abdesselam | Erima |
| Toulon | Joël da Silva | Manon Loquay | Hummel |
All 14 teams play each other twice during the season (home and away matches – 26 competition days). At the end of the season, the best ranked team is declared "Champion de France" and is granted a spot in theEHF Champions League's group stage.[3]
The last ranked team (14th) is relegated to the lower echelon of women's handballDivision 2 Féminine (D2F) and replaced by the top-ranked D2F team that possesses theVAP status.
Teams receive three points for a win, two points for a draw and one point for a loss.
Currently the Champion of France is granted a spot in theEHF Champions League's group stage.[3] Runner-up is qualified for theEHF European League but is able to apply for awildcard (upgrade) to participate in the Champions League. The winner of theCoupe de France is qualified for the EHF European League. If a qualified team declines to participate in the European League, the next best-ranked team in the league can apply to take their place. A number of the league's other top teams are eligible to participate in European competitions.
The number of teams per national federation qualified for European competitions (EHF Champions League andEHF European League) is determined by a federation's EHF coefficient and EHF rank. Each year, theEHF publishes a ranking that announces the place attribution for the following season (number of teams for each Federation in the various competitions).
For the 2023/24 season, the system changed.[4] The coefficients and ranks were not determined by the overall performance of a federation, as it used to be. The performances are separated by competitions (e.g.: good performance by french teams in the Champions League would not allocate more places for french teams in the European League). Thus, the new system includes separate rankings for the Champions League and the European League.
Place distribution for 2023/24 Women's EHF Club competitions -France's place attribution:[5]
The Champions League has 7 other spots open for clubs that are not national champions but have qualified for the European League (1 spot for the best seeded Federation of the EHF EL and 6 spots open for upgrades).[5] The EHF European League has 8 spots open in for upgrades.
A club needs to fulfill set technical and organizational or administrative requirements to be able to play in European competitions (finances, adequate playing hall, etc.).
Note - former names of clubs:
- Brest Bretagne Handball: Arvor 29
- ES Colombes: CSA Molière
- JDA Dijon Bourgogne HB: CSL Dijon & Cercle Dijon Bourgogne
- Mérignac Handball: Sport athlétique mérignacais
- Metz Handball: ASPTT Metz, HB Metz métropole
- Neptunes de Nantes: Nantes Atlantique HB
- Paris 92: Issy-les-Moulineaux & Issy Paris Hand
- Stade nantais université club: SNUC Atlantique / Stade Nantes UCA
- Toulon Métropole Var HB: Toulon Saint-Cyr Var HB
| Season | Nr | Edition | Winner | Second or finalist | Third or semi-finalist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1951-1952 | 41 | 1 | École Simon-Siégel (1) | Paris UC | Fémina Sport and CA Saint-Fons |
| 1952-1953 | 2 | École Simon-Siégel (2) | US Metro | CA Saint-Fons andCSL Dijon | |
| 1953-1954 | 3 | École Simon-Siégel (3) | Bordeaux EC | - | |
| 1954-1955 | 4 | Bordeaux EC (1) | Stade français | - | |
| 1955-1956 | 5 | Stade français (1) | Bordeaux EC | - | |
| 1956-1957 | 6 | CSA Molière | - | - | |
| 1957-1958[6] | 7 | US Ivry (1) | École Simon-Siégel | - | |
| 1958-1959[7] | 8 | US Ivry (2) | Paris UC | - | |
| 1959-1960[8] | 9 | US Ivry (3) | Bordeaux EC | - | |
| 1960-1961[9] | 10 | SNUC Atlantique | École Simon-Siégel | - | |
| 1961-1962[10] | 11 | Bordeaux EC (2) | US Ivry | - | |
| 1962-1963[11] | 12 | US Ivry (4) | École Simon-Siégel | - | |
| 1963-1964[12][13] | 13 | US Ivry (5) | CA Saint-Fons | École Simon-Siégel etStade français | |
| 1964-1965 | 14 | ES Colombes (1) | US Ivry | - | |
| 1965-1966 | 15 | ES Colombes (2) | US Ivry | - | |
| 1966-1967 | 20 | 16 | Stade Marseillais UC | ES Colombes | US Ivry etStade Nantes UCA |
| 1967-1968 | 17 | ES Colombes (3) | US Ivry | - | |
| 1968-1969 | 18 | US Ivry (6) | Stade français | - | |
| 1969-1970 | 19 | US Ivry (7) | Paris UC | - | |
| 1970-1971[14] | 20 | Stella Saint-Maur | Paris UC | Bordeaux EC &Stade français | |
| 1971-1972[15] | 21 | Stade pessacais UC | ASUL Vaulx-en-Velin | - | |
| 1972-1973 | 16 | 22 | ASUL Vaulx-en-Velin | ES Colombes | Bordeaux EC &SNUC |
| 1973-1974[16] | 23 | US Ivry (8) | Paris UC | Pessac &Stade français | |
| 1974-1975 | 24 | Paris UC (1) | ASUL Vaulx-en-Velin | - | |
| 1975-1976 | 25 | Paris UC (2) | US Ivry | - | |
| 1976-1977 | 26 | US Ivry (9) | Bordeaux EC | - | |
| 1977-1978 | 27 | Paris UC (3) | US Ivry | - | |
| 1978-1979[17] | 28 | Troyes OS | Paris UC | - | |
| 1979-1980 | 20 | 29 | Paris UC (4) | PLM Conflans | ASU Lyon &Troyes OS |
| 1980-1981 | 18 | 30 | Paris UC (5) | PLM Conflans | Racing Club de France |
| 1981-1982 | 18 | 31 | US Dunkerque | Paris UC | PLM Conflans |
| 1982-1983 | 18 | 32 | Bordeaux EC (3) | Paris UC | ASU Lyon |
| 1983-1984 | 18 | 33 | Stade français (2) | US Dunkerque | ES Besançon |
| 1984-1985 | 10 | 34 | USM Gagny (1) | ASUL Vaulx-en-Velin | Bordeaux Étudiants Club |
| 1985-1986 | 10 | 35 | Stade français Issy-les-Moulineaux (3) | USM Gagny | ES Besançon |
| 1986-1987 | 10 | 36 | USM Gagny 93 (2) | Stade français Issy-les-Moulineaux | ES Besançon |
| 1987-1988 | 10 | 37 | ES Besançon (1) | Stade français Issy-les-Moulineaux | USM Gagny |
| 1988-1989 | 12 | 38 | ASPTT Metz (1) | USM Gagny 93 | ES Besançon |
| 1989-1990 | 12 | 39 | ASPTT Metz (2) | USM Gagny 93 | ASUL Vaulx-en-Velin |
| 1990-1991 | 12 | 40 | USM Gagny 93 (3) | ASPTT Metz | CSL Dijon |
| 1991-1992 | 12 | 41 | USM Gagny 93 (4) | ASPTT Metz | - |
| 1992-1993 | 12 | 42 | ASPTT Metz (3) | USM Gagny 93 | CSL Dijon |
| 1993-1994 | 12 | 43 | ASPTT Metz (4) | USM Gagny 93 | AL Bouillargues |
| 1994-1995 | 10 | 44 | ASPTT Metz (5) | Stade béthunois | Stade français Issy-les-Moulineaux |
| 1995-1996 | 10 | 45 | ASPTT Metz (6) | ES Besançon | Stade français Issy-les-Moulineaux |
| 1996-1997 | 10 | 46 | ASPTT Metz (7) | ES Besançon | ASUL Vaulx-en-Velin |
| 1997-1998 | 10 | 47 | ES Besançon (2) | ASPTT Metz | ASUL Vaulx-en-Velin |
| 1998-1999 | 10 | 48 | ASPTT Metz (8) | ES Besançon | HBC Nîmes |
| 1999-2000 | 10 | 49 | ASPTT Metz (9) | ES Besançon | SA Mérignacais |
| 2000-2001 | 12 | 50 | ES Besançon (3) | ASPTT Metz | Sun A.L. Bouillargues |
| 2001-2002 | 12 | 51 | ASPTT Metz (10) | ES Besançon | Cercle Dijon Bourgogne |
| 2002-2003 | 12 | 52 | ES Besançon (4) | ASPTT Metz | Cercle Dijon Bourgogne |
| 2003-2004 | 12 | 53 | HB Metz métropole (11) | ES Besançon | CJF Fleury-les-Aubrais |
| 2004-2005 | 12 | 54 | HB Metz métropole (12) | ES Besançon | CJF Fleury-les-Aubrais |
| 2005-2006 | 12 | 55 | HB Metz métropole (13) | Le Havre AC | Mérignac Handball |
| 2006-2007 | 12 | 56 | HB Metz métropole (14) | Le Havre AC | Cercle Dijon Bourgogne |
| 2007-2008 | 12 | 57 | HB Metz métropole (15) | Le Havre AC | Issy-les-Moulineaux |
| 2008-2009 | 11 | 58 | Metz Handball (16) | Le Havre AC | HBC Nîmes |
| 2009-2010 | 10 | 59 | Toulon Saint-Cyr VHB | Le Havre AC | Metz Handball |
| 2010-2011 | 11 | 60 | Metz Handball (17) | Arvor 29 | Toulon Saint-Cyr VHB |
| 2011-2012 | 10 | 61 | Arvor 29 | Issy Paris Hand | Metz Handball |
| 2012-2013 | 10 | 63 | Metz Handball (18) | CJF Fleury-les-Aubrais | Issy Paris Hand |
| 2013-2014 | 10 | 63 | Metz Handball (19) | Issy Paris Hand | Le Havre AC |
| 2014-2015 | 10 | 64 | CJF Fleury Loiret Handball | Issy Paris Hand | Metz Handball |
| 2015-2016 | 10 | 65 | Metz Handball (20) | CJF Fleury-les-Aubrais | Issy Paris Hand |
| 2016-2017 | 11 | 66 | Metz Handball (21) | Brest Bretagne Handball | Issy Paris Hand |
| 2017-2018 | 12 | 67 | Metz Handball (22) | Brest Bretagne Handball | ES Besançon |
| 2018-2019 | 12 | 68 | Metz Handball (23) | OGC Nice Handball | Brest Bretagne Handball |
| 2019-2020 | 12 | 69 | Not awarded due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.Brest andMetz were 1st ex-aequo. | ||
| 2020-2021 | 14 | 70 | Brest Bretagne Handball (2) | Metz Handball | ES Besançon |
| 2021-2022 | 14 | 71 | Metz Handball (24) | Brest Bretagne Handball | Paris 92 |
| 2022-2023 | 14 | 72 | Metz Handball (25) | Brest Bretagne Handball | Neptunes de Nantes |
| 2023-2024 | 14 | 73 | Metz Handball (26) | Brest Bretagne Handball | Neptunes de Nantes |
| 2024-2025 | 14 | 74 | Metz Handball (27) | Brest Bretagne Handball | Jeanne d'Arc Dijon Handball |
Performance by club[edit]
| Medal table[edit]
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
"Handball TV": For the 2022-23 handball season, theFrench Federation of Handball launched its ownsubscription video on-demandover-the-topstreaming service:
Free TV channelSport en France used to broadcast some matches (BeIN Sports took the official broadcaster slot since 2023-24).
Catherine Kent Manon Livingstone
Moniky BancilonAna Paula BeloAdriana Cardoso de CastroDeonise CavaleiroBruna de PaulaFabiana DinizAlexandra do NascimentoElaine GomesMayara MouraGabriela MoreschiJacqueline Oliveira Santana [fr]Mayssa PessoaSilvia PinheiroSamira Rocha
Maida ArslanagićSonja BašićMia BrkićKlaudija BubaloIvana DežićDragica DžonoKristina ElezLidija HorvatIvana KapitanovićPetra MarinovićĆamila MičijevićIvana LovrićTena PetikaSara SablićKlára ČernáLenka ČernáCharlotte CholevováMarkéta HurychováKamila KordovskáPetra KudláčkováIveta LuzumováVeronika MaláPavla PoznarováHelena RyšánkováBarbora RaníkováLucie SatrapováHelena ŠtěrbováMelanie BakLouise BurgaardStine Bodholt NielsenSofia Deen [da]Lotte GrigelAnne Mette HansenMirja Lyngsø JensenKristina JørgensenMai Kragballe NielsenIda LagerbonStine Nørklit Lønborg [da]Mia MøldrupNadia OffendalJulie PontoppidanJane SchumacherSandra ToftLine UnoDitte VindAnna WierzbaMaria Berger WierzbaFie WollerDinah EckerleKatharina FilterAlina GrijseelsIsabell KleinAnnika LottEwgenija MinevskajaMaike SchirmerLuisa SchulzeXenia SmitsAimée von PereiraLisa VlugViktória CsákiAndrea FarkasÁgnes HornyákSzabina MayerKrisztina PigniczkiSzimonetta PlanétaSzabina Tápai
Jasna BoljevićTatjana BrnovićNada ĆorovićItana GrbićĐurđina JaukovićMarija JovanovićĐurđina MalovićJasna ToškovićMilica TrifunovićDijana UjkićMarina Vukčević
Lois AbbinghDebbie BontYvette BrochMerel FreriksJasmina JankovićIsabelle JongenelenJessy KramerJurswailly LucianoAnouk NieuwenwegCharris RozemalenEsther SchopMartine SmeetsLaura van der HeijdenSanne van OlphenMarieke van der WalPearl van der WisselKelly VollebregtKristy Zimmerman [fr]
Mari Finstad BergumCamilla CarstensHelene Gigstad FauskeRikke Marie GranlundAnette Helene HansenMalin HoltaTonje Haug LerstadTonje LøsethKaroline LundKristina NovakHanna Bredal OftedalStine Bredal OftedalSiv Heim SæbøeElise SkinnehaugenEmma SkinnehaugenMie Sophie Sando [fr]Celine SivertsenSilje SolbergPernille Wibe
Marta GęgaKatarzyna JaniszewskaMonika KobylińskaAneta ŁabudaNatalia NosekAdrianna PłaczekAleksandra RosiakMonika StachowskaKarolina SiódmiakEwa UrtnowskaPaulina UścinowiczJoanna WołoszykKarolina ZalewskaAleksandra Zych
Carolina LoureiroJoana Resende
Jovana BogojevićMarija ČolićBiljana FilipovićGordana Mitrović [fr]Kristina LiščevićTatjana MedvedSvetlana OgnjenovićSlađana Pop-LazićJelena PopovićDijana RadojevićDijana ŠtevinJovana StoiljkovićKatarina Tomašević
Nely Carla AlbertoJessica AlonsoAlexandrina CabralCarmen CamposMercedes CastellanosElisabet CesáreoElisabeth ChávezDarly de PaulaPatricia ElorzaBeatriz EscribanoBeatriz FernándezMagdalena Fernández-AgustiPaula García ÁvilaKaba GassamaLara González OrtegaMireya GonzálezMarta LópezMarta ManguéCarmen MartínMaría Muñoz JuanMaría NúñezPaula Valdivia MonserratNicole WigginsHanna ÅhlénJenny CarlsonKristina FlognmanTina FlognmanHanna FogelströmCecilia GrubbströmIsabelle GulldénNathalie HagmanFilippa IdéhnTherese Islas HelgessonAnna LagerquistClara Monti DanielssonFrida RosellJessica RydeLouise SandMalin SandbergCarin StrömbergFrida TegstedtUlrika Toft HansenCassandra TollbringLinnea TorstensonAngelica Wallén
Haifa AbdelhakNoura Ben SlamaTakoua ChabchoubMouna ChebbahMaroua DhaouadiAsma ElghaouiInes KhouildiOuided KilaniRafika MarzoukRakia RezguiFaten YahiaouiEHF League Ranking for 2022/23 season:[18]
(1)Nemzeti Bajnokság I (157.67)
(5)Ligue Butagaz Énergie (118.50)
(2)
Russian Superleague (114.50) (3)Bambusa Kvindeligaen (109.00) (6)REMA 1000-ligaen (102.77) (4)
Liga Națională (94.50)
