Ligue 2 facts for kids
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| Organising body | Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1933 (officially) 2002 (as Ligue 2) |
| Country |  France |
| Confederation | UEFA |
| Number of teams | 18 |
| Level on pyramid | 2 |
| Promotion to | Ligue 1 |
| Relegation to | Championnat National (until 2026) Ligue 3 (from 2026) |
| Domestic cup(s) | Coupe de France |
| Current champions | Lorient (2nd title) (2024-25) |
| Most championships | Le Havre (6 titles) |
| TV partners | beIN Sports |
Ligue 2 (pronounced "League Two") is a professional football league in France. It is also known as Ligue 2 BKT because of its sponsor. This league is the second-highest division in French football. It is part of the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP), which also includes Ligue 1, France's top football league.
Eighteen clubs compete in Ligue 2. Teams can move up to Ligue 1 (promotion) or down to the third division, Championnat National (relegation). The season usually runs from August to May. Each team plays 34 games. Most matches happen on Fridays and Mondays. There is a short break around Christmas.
Ligue 2 started in 1933, one year after the first division. It was first called Division 2. In 2002, its name changed to Ligue 2. Being part of the LFP helps clubs become professional.
Contents
History of Ligue 2 Football
The second division of French football began in 1933. This was just one year after the top professional league started. The first season included six clubs that had moved down from the top league. It also had clubs that didn't want to join the first division at first.
Teams like Strasbourg and Amiens SC played in this first season. They had concerns about the rules for becoming a professional team. The first year had 23 clubs. They were split into two groups: Nord (North) and Sud (South).
Fourteen clubs were in the Nord group, and nine were in the Sud group. After the season, the winner of each group played against each other. This game decided which club would move up to the top league. On May 20, 1934, Red Star Saint-Ouen from the Nord group played Olympique Alès from the Sud group. Red Star won 3–2 and became the first champions. Alès also moved up to the first division. Strasbourg and Mulhouse also got promoted.
| 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 |
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Further information:
French second division champions |
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Over time, some clubs joined together or stopped being professional. So, for the 1934–35 season, the second division became a 16-team league. All teams played in one big group. The league grew to 19 clubs the next season. By 1937–38, it had 25 teams split into four groups.
Football was paused during World War II. After the war, the second division became more stable. Many amateur clubs joined, and they could become professional if they met certain standards. In 2002, the league officially changed its name from Division 2 to Ligue 2.
In November 2014, there were some issues involving the presidents of Caen and Nîmes. This happened after a 1–1 draw between their teams in May 2014.
How Ligue 2 Works
Ligue 2 has 18 clubs. A season usually runs from August to May. Each club plays every other club twice. One game is at their home stadium, and the other is at their opponent's stadium. This means each team plays a total of 34 games.
Teams get three points for a win and one point for a draw. They get no points for a loss. Teams are ranked by their total points. If points are tied, the team with a better "goal difference" (goals scored minus goals against) ranks higher. If still tied, the team that scored more goals ranks higher. If there's still a tie for the championship or for moving down, a special play-off game is held.
At the end of the season, the club with the most points wins the championship. This team automatically moves up to Ligue 1. The team that finishes second also moves up to Ligue 1.
Teams finishing fourth and fifth play a single game at the fourth-place team's stadium. The winner then plays the third-place team at their stadium. The winner of that game plays the 16th-placed team from Ligue 1. The winner of this final match gets to play in Ligue 1 next season.
The three teams at the bottom of Ligue 2 move down to the Championnat National. In their place, the top three teams from the Championnat National move up to Ligue 2.
In December 2021, most clubs in the LFP decided to make Ligue 2 smaller. From the 2024–25 season, it changed from 20 clubs to 18 clubs. This happened a year after Ligue 1 also went from 20 to 18 teams. To make this change, Ligue 2 moved four clubs down to National at the end of the 2023–24 season. Only two teams came up from National.
Ligue 2 Teams (2025–26 Season)
| Club | Finishing position last season | Location | Venue | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amiens | 11th | Amiens | Stade de la Licorne | 12,097 |
| Annecy | 6th | Annecy | Parc des Sports | 15,660 |
| Bastia | 8th | Furiani | Stade Armand-Cesari | 16,078 |
| Boulogne | 3rd in Championnat National (promoted) | Boulogne-sur-Mer | Stade de la Libération | 9,534 |
| Clermont | 16th | Clermont-Ferrand | Stade Gabriel-Montpied | 11,980 |
| Dunkerque | 4th | Dunkirk | Stade Marcel-Tribut | 4,933 |
| Grenoble | 9th | Grenoble | Stade des Alpes | 20,068 |
| Guingamp | 5th | Guingamp | Stade de Roudourou | 18,378 |
| Laval | 7th | Laval | Stade Francis Le Basser | 18,739 |
| Le Mans FC | 2nd in Championnat National (promoted) | Le Mans | Stade Marie-Marvingt | 25,064 |
| Montpellier | 18th in Ligue 1 (relegated) | Martigues | Stade de la Mosson | 32,900 |
| Nancy | 1st in Championnat National (promoted) | Nancy | Stade Marcel Picot | 20,087 |
| Pau | 13th | Pau | Nouste Camp | 4,031 |
| Red Star | 15th | Paris (Saint-Ouen) | Stade Bauer | 10,000 |
| Reims | 16th in Ligue 1 (relegated) | Reims | Stade Auguste-Delaune | 21,029 |
| Rodez | 14th | Rodez | Stade Paul-Lignon | 5,955 |
| Saint-Étienne | 17th in Ligue 1 (relegated) | Saint-Étienne | Stade Geoffroy-Guichard | 41,965 |
| Troyes | 10th | Troyes | Stade de l'Aube | 20,400 |
Past Champions
This table shows the clubs that have won the Ligue 2 championship.
| 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 | ||
| Lorient | 2019–20, 2024–25 | 1997–98, 2000–01 | ||
| 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 | ||
| 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:
- AS Nancy Lorraine is not the successor to FC Nancy.
- Toulouse FC is not the successor to Toulouse FC (1937).
Top Goal Scorers
This table lists the players who scored the most goals each season.
| 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 Lamanna | 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 |
| 2024–25 | 22 goals | Eli Junior Kroupi | Lorient |
Ligue 2 Records
- Fastest Hat-trick: Angelo Fulgini scored three goals in just 5 minutes for Valenciennes during the 2016–17 season. This is the fastest hat-trick in Ligue 2 history.
- Most Championships: Le Havre has won the second division championship 6 times, more than any other team.
- Most Goals in a Season (Team): Angers scored 128 goals in 40 games during the 1968–69 season.
- Most Goals in a Season (Player): Gerard Grizzetti scored 55 goals in one season for Angoulême in 1969.
- Most Seasons Played: Besançon and Cannes have each played 41 seasons in Ligue 2.
- Fastest Goal: The quickest goal in Ligue 2 history was scored on September 26, 2009. Rémi Maréval scored for Nîmes after only eight seconds of play.
Where to Watch Ligue 2
In France
| 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) |
Around the World
| Country | Broadcaster | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Vietnam | VTVCab | 2022–23 → 2023–24 (all Pau FC matches) |
Sport 5
Sponsorship Names
Ligue 2 has had different names due to sponsors:
- Domino's Ligue 2 (2016–2020)
- Ligue 2 BKT (2020–present)
See also
In Spanish: Ligue 2 para niños
