The French football system and the football pyramid
France has an extensive and structured football system that is built in a hierarchical pyramid. At the top are the professional leagues, while the system extends to the departmental level, where amateur clubs play their matches. This structure allows clubs to be promoted and relegated between the different levels, so that there is always dynamism and competition within French football.
The French football system is managed by the Fédération Française de Football (FFF) and consists of 13 regional ligues based on the French administrative regions. Among these regional ligues, there are 90 districts that correspond to the French departments. The national leagues at the top are organized by the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) and include Ligue 1 and Ligue 2. Among these professional levels are the semi-professional and amateur competitions organized by the FFF, starting with the Championnat National at level 3.
National - The highest national level
At the highest national level, we find the professional leagues: Ligue 1 (18 clubs) and Ligue 2 (18 clubs). Directly below is the semi-professional Championnat National (level 3) with also 18 clubs. At level 4 follows the Championnat National 2, divided into four regional groups of 16 clubs each. The Championnat National 3 forms level 5 and is divided into 11 groups of 14 clubs, each representing a metropolitan region or combination of regions.
Football Results, standings and fixtures in French National Football
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
The Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region is divided into 11 districts that organize football at the local level. This region includes the departments of Ain, Allier, Ardèche, Cantal, Drôme, Isère, Loire, Haute-Loire, Puy-de-Dôme, Rhône (including Lyon Metropolis), Savoie and Haute-Savoie (including the Pays de Gex area). The Drôme-Ardèche district is unique in that it brings together two departments, while Haute-Savoie-Pays de Gex also includes clubs from part of the Ain department. At the regional level, clubs play in the Régional 1 (level 6), Régional 2 (level 7) and Régional 3 (level 8), after which they move on to the departmental divisions from level 9.
Football scores, standings and fixtures in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Burgundy-Franche-Comté
The Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region consists of 7 districts covering the departments of Côte-d'Or, Doubs, Territoire de Belfort, Haute-Saône, Jura, Nièvre, Saône-et-Loire and Yonne. The district of Doubs-Territoire de Belfort was formed in 2016 by the merger of two previous districts. At the regional level, clubs have three divisions (Régional 1, 2 and 3) before moving on to the departmental leagues. Football in this region has a rich history, with districts dating back to the 1920s and 1930s, when the structure of French football began to take shape.
Football scores, standings and fixtures in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté
Brittany
Brittany is divided into 4 districts representing the departments of Côtes-d'Armor, Finistère, Ille-et-Vilaine and Morbihan. The district of Finistère was formed in 2016 by the merger of Finistère-Nord and Finistère-Sud. The Breton football leagues have a long tradition, with clubs competing at regional level in the Régional 1, Régional 2 and Régional 3, before moving on to the departmental divisions. Brittany is known for its strong amateur football and passion for the sport, with many clubs deeply rooted in local communities.
Football scores, standings and fixtures in Brittany
Centre-Val de Loire
The Centre-Val de Loire region includes 6 districts covering the departments of Cher, Eure-et-Loir, Indre, Indre-et-Loire, Loir-et-Cher and Loiret. The football system here has its roots in the early 1920s, when the districts were established to better organise regional football. Clubs play at regional level in the Régional 1, Régional 2 and Régional 3, after which they can move on to the departmental competitions. The region has produced a diverse football culture, with both urban and rural clubs vying for sporting honors.
Football scores, standings and fixtures in Centre-Val de Loire
Corsica, Corse, in the Corsica département
Corsica is unique within the French football system because it does not have separate districts. Instead, all competitions are organized directly by the regional ligue. The island has a football system that extends to Régional 4 (level 9), which goes deeper than in most other regions. The departments of Haute-Corse and Corse-du-Sud are both part of this structure. Corsican football has its own character, influenced by the island's insular culture and landscape, with clubs often strongly linked to their local identity.
Football scores, standings and fixtures in Corse
Grand Est
The Grand Est region was formed in 2016 and consists of 9 districts that include the departments of Ardennes, Aube, Marne, Haute-Marne, Meurthe-et-Moselle, Meuse, Moselle, Vosges, and Alsace (Bas-Rhin and Haut-Rhin). The district of Alsace is special because it now functions as one large district that covers both Alsatian departments. The district of Alsace has the most extensive system in France, with leagues that extend to level 17 (District 9). The district of Meurthe-et-Moselle was formed in 2016 by the merger of two previous districts. Clubs in this region play at the regional level in the Régional 1, 2 and 3 before moving on to the departmental divisions.
Grand Est Football Scores, Standings and Fixtures
Hauts-de-France
The Hauts-de-France region was created in 2016 by the merger of the former regions of Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Picardy, and includes 7 districts: Aisne, Artois (part of Pas-de-Calais), Côte d'Opale (part of Pas-de-Calais), Escaut (part of Nord), Flandres (part of Nord), Oise and Somme. It is noteworthy that the departments of Nord and Pas-de-Calais are each divided into two districts, for which the FFF has granted an exception. The district of Flandres was formed in 2017 by the merger of the districts of Flandre and Maritime Nord. This region is known for its rich football tradition and the large number of clubs at all levels, with leagues ranging from Régional 1 to sometimes Départemental 7 in some districts.
Football scores, standings and fixtures in Hauts-de-France
Méditerranée
The Méditerranée region (formerly Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur) consists of 5 districts covering the departments of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Hautes-Alpes (together the district of Alpes), Alpes-Maritimes (district Côte d'Azur), Bouches-du-Rhône (district Provence), Var and Vaucluse (district Grand Vaucluse). The district of Alpes was created in 1982 and combines two mountainous departments due to the lower club density. The district of Grand Vaucluse also extends over part of the Bouches-du-Rhône. The region has a varied football landscape, from the coastal areas of the Côte d'Azur to the mountainous Alpine districts, with clubs playing at regional level (Régional 1, 2 and 3) before moving on to the departmental divisions.
Football Scores, Standings and Fixtures in Méditerranée
Normandy
Normandy was formed in 2016 by the reunification of Lower Normandy and Upper Normandy, and is made up of 5 districts covering the departments of Calvados, Eure, Manche, Orne and Seine-Maritime. The Seine-Maritime district was formed in 2016 by the merger of three previous districts: Maritime, Fluvial and Vallées. The Normandy football system has a long history, with some districts dating back to the early 1920s. Clubs play at regional level in the Régional 1, 2 and 3, after which they can move on to the departmental competitions with four division levels.
Football Scores, Standings and Fixtures in Normandy
Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Nouvelle-Aquitaine is the largest French region and includes 12 districts covering the departments of Charente, Charente-Maritime, Corrèze, Creuse, Deux-Sèvres, Dordogne (district Dordogne-Périgord), Gironde, Haute-Vienne, Landes, Lot-et-Garonne, Pyrénées-Atlantiques and Vienne. The district of Gironde was formed in 2016 by the merger of four previous districts: Bordeaux, Gironde-Atlantique, Gironde-Est and Sauternais-et-Graves, due to the merger of the former regions of Aquitaine, Limousin and Poitou-Charentes. The region has a rich football history, with many districts dating back to the 1920s and 1940s. Clubs play at the regional level (Régional 1, 2 and 3) before moving to the departmental divisions.
Football scores, standings and fixtures in Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Occitania
Created in 2016 by the merger of Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrénées, Occitania is made up of 12 districts that include the departments of Ariège, Aude, Aveyron, Gard-Lozère (a combined district), Gers, Haute-Garonne, Hautes-Pyrénées, Hérault, Lot, Pyrénées-Orientales, Tarn and Tarn-et-Garonne. The district of Haute-Garonne was formed in 2016 by the merger of the districts of Midi Toulousain and Comminges. The district of Gard-Lozère combines two departments due to the lower club density in Lozère. The region has a rich football tradition dating back to the earliest days of organised French football, with competitions at the regional level (Régional 1, 2 and 3) followed by departmental divisions.
Football scores, standings and fixtures in Occitania
Paris Île-de-France
The Paris Île-de-France region includes 8 districts since the creation of the district of Paris in 2021. The departments are: Essonne, Hauts-de-Seine, Paris, Seine-et-Marne, Seine-Saint-Denis, Val-de-Marne, Val-d'Oise and Yvelines. The district of Seine-et-Marne was formed in 2016 by the merger of Seine-et-Marne Nord and Seine-et-Marne Sud. Unique to this region, clubs from different arrondissements of Paris were divided between the three surrounding suburban districts until 2021 before the district of Paris was created. The region has a dense network of clubs at all levels, with leagues ranging from Regional 1 to sometimes Departmental 6 in some districts such as Hauts-de-Seine and Yvelines.
Football Scores, Standings and Fixtures in Paris Île-de-France
Pays de la Loire
The Pays de la Loire region is made up of 5 districts that include the departments of Loire-Atlantique, Maine-et-Loire, Mayenne, Sarthe and Vendée. The districts in this region have a long history, with many being established in the 1940s and 1960s. The football system here follows the standard structure with regional leagues (Régional 1, 2 and 3) followed by departmental divisions. What is special is that Maine-et-Loire uses its own naming system with "Première Division", "Deuxième Division", etc., instead of "Départemental 1", "Départemental 2", as is common in other regions. Vendée also uses division numbers instead of the departmental terminology.
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