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 |
| Domestic cup(s) | Coupe de France |
| International cup(s) | UEFA Europa League (via cups) |
| Current champions | Auxerre (2nd title) (2023–24) |
| Most championships | Le Havre (6 titles) |
| TV partners | beIN Sports Amazon Prime Video |
Ligue 2 (pronounced "Leeg Doo") is a French professional football league. It is also known as Ligue 2 BKT because of its sponsor, Balkrishna Industries. This league is the second-highest division in French football. It is part of the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP), which also manages Ligue 1, France's top football league.
There are 18 clubs that play in Ligue 2. Teams can move up to Ligue 1 or down to the third division, Championnat National. The season usually runs from August to May. Each team plays 34 games. Most matches happen on Fridays and Mondays. The league takes a break for two weeks around Christmas.
Ligue 2 started in 1933. It was first called Division 2. It has always been the second division of French football. In 2002, its name changed to Ligue 2.
Contents
History of Ligue 2
The second division of French football began in 1933. This was one year after the top professional league started. The very first season had 23 clubs. These clubs were split into two groups: Nord (North) and Sud (South).
First Season and Champions
Fourteen clubs were in the Nord group. The other nine were in the Sud group. After the regular season, the winner of each group played against each other. This game decided which club would be the champion. On May 20, 1934, Red Star Saint-Ouen played Olympique Alès. Red Star won 3–2 and became the first champions.
Even though Alès lost, they were also promoted to the top division. Strasbourg and Mulhouse were also promoted. This happened because the first division decided to have more teams.
| 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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Changes Over Time
After the first season, the league became a 16-team league. All teams played in one big group. Over the years, the number of teams changed. Sometimes it grew to 19 or even 25 teams. These teams were sometimes divided into more groups.
Football was stopped during World War II. After the war, the second division became more stable. Both professional and amateur clubs played. Amateur clubs could become professional if they met certain requirements. In 2002, the league officially changed its name from Division 2 to Ligue 2.
How the Competition Works
Ligue 2 has 18 clubs. The 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.
Scoring Points and Ranking Teams
Teams get three points for a win. They get one point for a draw (a tie). No points are given for a loss. Teams are ranked based on their total points. If teams have the same points, the team with a better "goal difference" ranks higher. Goal difference means the number of goals a team has scored minus the number of goals they have let in. If goal difference is also the same, then the team that scored more goals ranks higher.
Promotion to Ligue 1
At the end of the season, the club with the most points wins the championship. This team is automatically promoted to Ligue 1. The team that finishes in second place is also automatically promoted to Ligue 1.
There is also a playoff system for promotion. The teams that finish fourth and fifth play each other. The winner then plays the team that finished third. The winner of that game plays against the 16th-placed team from Ligue 1. The winner of this final match gets to play in Ligue 1 the next season.
Relegation to Championnat National
The three teams that finish at the bottom of Ligue 2 are relegated. This means they move down to the Championnat National. In their place, the top three teams from Championnat National are promoted to Ligue 2.
In 2021, it was decided that Ligue 2 would shrink from 20 to 18 clubs. This change happened for the 2024–25 season. This means that at the end of the 2023–24 season, four clubs were relegated from Ligue 2, and only two were promoted from Championnat National.
Ligue 2 Members (2024–25 Season)
| Club | Finishing position last season | Location | Venue | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ajaccio | 15th | Ajaccio | Stade François Coty | 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 | 12rd | 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 | Dunkerque | 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 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 |
Past Champions of Ligue 2
Many different clubs have won the Ligue 2 championship over the years. Some clubs have won it multiple times. Le Havre has won the most titles, with six championships.
| 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 | 1 | 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 | 4 | 2 | 1936–37, 1948–49, 1972–73, 2008–09 | 2013–14, 2019–20 |
| Nice | 4 | 1 | 1947–48, 1964–65, 1969–70, 1993–94 | 1984–85 |
| Lille | 4 | 1 | 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 | 3 | 3 | 1962–63, 1998–99, 2003–04 | 1933–34, 1937–38, 1985–86 |
| Strasbourg | 3 | 2 | 1976–77, 1987–88, 2016–17 | 1971–72, 2001–02 |
| Toulouse | 3 | 1 | 1981–82, 2002–03, 2021–22 | 1996–97 |
| Lyon | 3 | – | 1950–51, 1953–54, 1988–89 | |
| Rennes | 2 | 5 | 1955–56, 1982–83 | 1938–39, 1957–58, 1975–76, 1989–90, 1993–94 |
| Valenciennes | 2 | 5 | 1971–72, 2005–06 | 1934–35, 1936–37, 1961–62, 1974–75, 1991–92 |
| Angers | 2 | 4 | 1968–69, 1975–76 | 1955–56, 1977–78, 1992–93, 2023–24 |
| Red Star | 2 | 3 | 1933–34, 1938–39 | 1954–55, 1964–65, 1973–74 |
| Sochaux | 2 | 2 | 1946–47, 2000–01 | 1963–64, 1987–88 |
| Ajaccio | 2 | 2 | 1966–67, 2001–02 | 2010–11, 2021–22 |
| Caen | 2 | 2 | 1995–96, 2009–10 | 2003–04, 2006–07 |
| Troyes | 2 | 2 | 2014–15, 2020–21 | 1953–54, 1972–73 |
| Alès | 2 | 1 | 1933–34, 1956–57 | 1946–47 |
| FC Nancy | 2 | 1 | 1945–46, 1957–58 | 1959–60 |
| Reims | 2 | 1 | 1965–66, 2017–18 | 2011–12 |
| Grenoble | 2 | – | 1959–60, 1961–62 | |
| Bastia | 2 | – | 1967–68, 2011–12 | |
| Auxerre | 2 | – | 1979–80, 2023–24 | |
| Nîmes | 1 | 3 | 1949–50 | 1967–68, 1990–91, 2017–18 |
| Sedan | 1 | 3 | 1954–55 | 1971–72, 1998–99, 2005–06 |
| Brest | 1 | 3 | 1980–81 | 1978–79, 2009–10, 2018–19 |
| Marseille | 1 | 3 | 1994–95 | 1965–66, 1983–84, 1995–96 |
| Monaco | 1 | 3 | 2012–13 | 1952–53, 1970–71, 1976–77 |
| Rouen | 1 | 2 | 1935–36 | 1933–34, 1981–82 |
| Stade Français | 1 | 2 | 1951–52 | 1945–46, 1958–59 |
| Lorient | 1 | 2 | 2019–20 | 1997–98, 2000–01 |
| Toulouse (1937) | 1 | 1 | 1952–53 | 1945–46 |
| Tours | 1 | 1 | 1983–84 | 1979–80 |
| Bordeaux | 1 | 1 | 1991–92 | 1948–49 |
| Paris Saint-Germain | 1 | – | 1970–71 | |
| Gueugnon | 1 | – | 1978–79 | |
| RCF Paris | 1 | – | 1985–86 | |
| Martigues | 1 | – | 1992–93 | |
| Châteauroux | 1 | – | 1996–97 | |
| Evian | 1 | – | 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 shows the players who scored the most goals in each Ligue 2 season.
| Season | Goals | Top scorer(s) | Club(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1933–34 | 54 goals | Jean Nicolas | Rouen |
| 1934–35 | 30 goals | Jean Nicolas | Rouen |
| 1935–36 | 45 goals | Jean Nicolas | Rouen |
| 1936–37 | 30 goals | Viktor Spechtl | Lens |
| 1937–38 | 29 goals | Hugo Lammana | CA Paris |
| 1938–39 | 39 goals | Harold Newell & Planques | Boulogne & Toulouse FC (1937) |
| 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 | Bordeaux |
| 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 FC (1937) |
| 1953–54 | 36 goals | Jean Courteaux | RC Paris |
| 1954–55 | 40 goals | Petrus Van Rhijn | Valenciennes |
| 1955–56 | 32 goals | Petrus Van Rhijn | Valenciennes |
| 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 | FC 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 | Tony Cascarino | Marseille |
| 1996–97 | 23 goals | Samuel Michel | Sochaux |
| 1997–98 | 20 goals | Reginald 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 |
Ligue 2 Records
- Fastest Hat-Trick: Angelo Fulgini scored three goals in just 5 minutes for Valenciennes in the 2016–17 season.
- Most Championships: Le Havre has won the second division championship 6 times.
- 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 for Angoulême in 1969.
- Most Seasons Played: Besançon and Cannes have each played 41 seasons in Ligue 2.
- Fastest Goal: Rémi Maréval scored a goal after only eight seconds of play. This happened on September 26, 2009, against Nîmes.
Where to Watch Ligue 2
Ligue 2 matches are shown on TV in France and other countries.
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) |
Around the World
| Country | Broadcaster | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Vietnam | VTVCab | 2022–23 → 2023–24 (all Pau FC matches) |
Sponsorship Names
Ligue 2 has had different names because of its sponsors:
- Domino's Ligue 2 (2016–2020)
- Ligue 2 BKT (2020–present)
See also
In Spanish: Ligue 2 para niños
