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Championnat National

From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Championnat National
Organising bodyFrench Football Federation
Founded1993; 32 years ago (1993)
CountryFrance
ConfederationUEFA
Number of teams18
Level on pyramid3
Promotion toLigue 2
Relegation toChampionnat National 2 [en]
Domestic cup(s)Coupe de France
Current championsNancy (1st title)
(2024–25 [en])
Most championshipsRed Star (3 titles)
Current: 2025–26 Championnat National [en]

Championnat National (English: French National Championship), also known as National or Division 3, is the third division of French football behind Ligue 1 and Ligue 2. It is contested by 18 clubs and runs on a system of promotion and relegation with Ligue 2, the second division of French football and the Championnat National 2, the fourth division of French football. It is a semi-professional league and is run annually and is composed of professional and semi-professional clubs or amateur clubs. In January 2025, Philippe Diallo announced during a press conference the Championnat National would be renamed Ligue 3 from the 2026–27 season, making it a professional league.[1]

Current clubs

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List (2025–26 season)

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Locations of teams in the 2025–26 Championnat National from Île-de-France


Team Location Stadium Capacity
Aubagne Air Bel Aubagne Stade de Lattre-de-Tassigny [fr] 1,000
Bourg-Péronnas Bourg-en-Bresse Stade Marcel-Verchère [en] 11,400
Caen Caen Stade Michel d'Ornano [en] 20,300
Châteauroux Châteauroux Stade Gaston-Petit [en] 17,173
Concarneau Concarneau Stade Guy-Piriou [fr] 5,800
Dijon Dijon Stade Gaston Gérard 15,995
Fleury [en] Fleury-Mérogis Stade Auguste Gentelet 2,000
Le Puy [en] Le Puy-en-Velay Stade Charles Massot 4,800
Orléans Orléans Stade de la Source [en] 7,533
Paris 13 Atletico Paris Stade Sébastien Charléty [en] 20,000
Quevilly-Rouen Le Petit-Quevilly [en] Stade Robert Diochon [en] 12,018
Rouen Rouen
Sochaux Montbéliard Stade Auguste-Bonal [en] 20,005
Stade Briochin Saint-Brieuc Stade Fred-Aubert [en] 10,600
Valenciennes Valenciennes Stade du Hainaut [en] 25,172
Versailles Versailles Stade Georges Lefèvre [en] 2,164
Villefranche Villefranche-sur-Saône Stade Armand Chouffet [fr] 3,500

Champions

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Teams in Bold were promoted.

Season Group A Winner Group B Winner Other promoted teams
1993–94 [fr] Guingamp Châteauroux Amiens and Perpignan [en]
1994–95 [fr] Lorient Épinal Stade Poitevin [en] and Louhans-Cuiseaux
1995–96 [fr] Stade Briochin Sporting Toulon Var Troyes and Beauvais
1996–97 [fr] Wasquehal Nîmes
Season Champions Runner Up Third place
1997–98 [en] AC Ajaccio Sedan Ardennes Créteil-Lusitanos [en]
1998–99 [fr] Louhans-Cuiseaux Créteil [en] Gazélec Ajaccio [en]
1999–2000 [fr] Beauvais Martigues Angers
2000–01 [fr] Grenoble Amiens Istres
2001–02 [fr] Clermont Reims Valence [en] and Toulouse[note 1]
2002–03 [fr] Racing Besançon Angers Rouen
2003–04 [fr] Stade de Reims Brest Dijon FCO
2004–05 [fr] Valenciennes Valence [en][note 2] Sète
2005–06 [fr] Niort Tours Libourne [en]
2006–07 [fr] Clermont (2) US Boulogne Angers
2007–08 [en] Vannes Tours Nîmes
2008–09 [en] Istres Laval [en] Arles
2009–10 [en] Évian [en] Reims Troyes
2010–11 [en] SC Bastia Amiens Guingamp
2011–12 [en] Nîmes (2) Niort Gazélec Ajaccio [en]
2012–13 [en] Créteil [en] Metz CA Bastia [en]
2013–14 [en] Orléans Luzenac [en] Gazélec Ajaccio [en]
2014–15 [en] Paris FC Red Star Bourg-Péronnas
2015–16 [en] Strasbourg Orléans Amiens
2016–17 [en] Châteauroux Quevilly-Rouen Paris FC
2017–18 [en] Red Star (2) Béziers [en] Grenoble
2018–19 [en] Rode [en] Chambly [en] Le Mans
2019–20 [en] Pau Dunkerque [en] US Boulogne
2020–21 [en] SC Bastia (2) Quevilly-Rouen Villefranche
2021–22 [en] Laval [en] Annecy [en] Villefranche
2022–23 [en] Concarneau Dunkerque [en] Red Star
2023–24 [en] Red Star (3) Martigues Niort
2024–25 [en] Nancy Le Mans US Boulogne
2025–26 [en] TBD TBD TBD
  1. 4 clubs promoted this season.
  2. Not promoted due to financial problems.
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References

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  1. "La FFF confirme le lancement de la Ligue 3 !". footmercato.net.