Ligue 2

For the Ivory Coast league with the same name, see Ligue 2 (Côte d'Ivoire).
Ligue 2
Country France
Confederation UEFA
Founded 1933
Number of teams 20
Level on pyramid 2
Promotion to Ligue 1
Relegation to Championnat National
Domestic cup(s) Coupe de France
Coupe de la Ligue
International cup(s) Europa League (via domestic cups)
Current champions Troyes
(2014–15)
TV partners beIN Sport
Website Official site
2015–16 Ligue 2

Ligue 2 (French pronunciation: [liɡ dø]), formerly known as Division 2, is a French professional football league. The league serves as the second division of French football and is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP), the other being Ligue 1, the country's top football division. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with both Ligue 1 and the third division Championnat National. Seasons run from August to May, with teams playing 38 games each totaling 380 games in the season. Most games are played on Fridays and Mondays, with a few games played during weekday and weekend evenings. Play is regularly suspended the last weekend before Christmas for two weeks before returning in the second week of January.

Ligue 2 was founded a year after the creation of the first division in 1933 under the name Division 2 and has served as the second division of French football ever since. The name lasted until 2002 before switching to its current name. Since the league is a part of the LFP, it allows clubs who are on the brink of professionalism to become so. However, if a club suffers relegation to the Championnat National, its professional status can be revoked temporarily until they return to Ligue 2. The current champions are Troyes, who will play in Ligue 1 in the 2015-2016 season.

History

Division 2 champions (Pre-WWII)
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

The second division of French football was established in 1933, one year after the creation of the all-professional first division. The inaugural season of the competition consisted of the six clubs who were relegated following the 1932–33 National season, as well as many of the clubs who opposed the creation of the first division the previous season. Clubs such as Strasbourg, RC Roubaix, and Amiens SC all played in the second division's debut season despite having prior grievances with the subjective criteria needed to become professional and play in the first division. The first year of the second division consisted of twenty-three clubs and were divided into two groups (Nord and Sud). Fourteen of the clubs were inserted into the Nord section, while the remaining nine were placed in Sud. Following the season, the winner of each group faced each other to determine which club would earn promotion. On 20 May 1934, the winner of the Nord group, Red Star Saint-Ouen, faced Olympique Alès, the winner of the Sud group. Red Star were crowned the league's inaugural champions following a 3–2 victory. Despite losing, Alès was also promoted to the first division and they were followed by Strasbourg and Mulhouse, who each won a pool championship, after the first division agreed to expand its teams to 16.

Due to several clubs merging, folding, or losing their professional status, the federation turned the second division into a 16-team league and adopted the single-table method for the 1934–35 season. Due to the unpredictable nature of French football clubs, the following season, the league increased to 19 clubs and, two years later, increased its allotment to 25 teams with the clubs being divided into four groups. Because of World War II, football was suspended by the French government and the Ligue de Football Professionnel. Following the end of the war, the second division developed stability. Due to the increase in amateur clubs, the league intertwined professional and amateur clubs and allowed the latter to become professional if they met certain benchmarks. In 2002, the league changed its name from Division 2 to Ligue 2.

In November 2014, the presidents of Caen and Nîmes were amongst several arrested on suspicion of match fixing. The arrests followed a 1–1 draw between Caen and Nîmes in May 2014, a result very beneficial for each club.[1][2]

Competition format

There are 20 clubs in Ligue 2. During the course of a season, usually from August to May, each club plays the others twice, once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents, for a total of 38 games. Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points, then goal difference, and then goals scored. At the end of each season, the club with the most points is crowned champion and promoted to Ligue 1. If points are equal, the goal difference and then goals scored determine the winner. If still equal, teams are deemed to occupy the same position. If there is a tie for the championship or for relegation, a play-off match at a neutral venue decides rank. The second and third-place finisher are also promoted to the first division, while the three lowest placed teams are relegated to the Championnat National and the top three teams from National are promoted in their place. For the season 2015-2016 the best two teams will be promoted in Ligue 1 and the last two teams will be relegated in National.[3]

Members of Ligue 2 (2015–16 season)

Club Location Venue Capacity
Ajaccio Ajaccio Stade François Coty 10,660
Auxerre Auxerre Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps 21,379
Bourg-en-Bresse Bourg-en-Bresse Stade Marcel-Verchère1 11,400
Brest Brest Stade Francis-Le Blé 15,097
Clermont Foot Clermont-Ferrand Stade Gabriel Montpied 11,980
Créteil Créteil Stade Dominique Duvauchelle 12,050
Dijon Dijon Stade Gaston Gérard 16,098
Évian Annecy Parc des Sports 15,660
Laval Laval Stade Francis Le Basser 18,607
Le Havre Le Havre Stade Océane 25,000
Lens Lens Stade Bollaert-Delelis 35,000
Metz Metz Stade Saint-Symphorien 24,500
Nancy Tomblaine Stade Marcel Picot 20,087
Nîmes Nîmes Stade des Costières 18,482
Niort Niort Stade René Gaillard 10,886
Paris Paris Stade Sébastien Charléty 20,000
Red Star Saint-Ouen Stade Pierre Brisson2 10,178
Sochaux Montbéliard Stade Auguste Bonal 20,000
Tours Tours Stade de la Vallée du Cher 16,247
Valenciennes Valenciennes Stade du Hainaut 25,172

Previous winners

Top goalscorers

Season Goals Top Scorer(s) Club(s)
1933–34
54 goalsJean NicolasFC Rouen
1934–35
30 goalsJean NicolasFC Rouen
1935–36
45 goalsJean NicolasFC Rouen
1936–37
30 goalsViktor SpechtlRC Lens
1937–38
29 goalsHugo LammanaCA Paris
1938–39
39 goalsHarold Newell & PlanquesUS Boulogne & Toulouse FC (1937)
1939–45
World War II
1945–46
27 goalsCampigliaSCO Angers
1946–47
45 goalsJozef "Pépé" HumpalFC Sochaux
1947–48
28 goalsHenri ArnaudeauGirondins de Bordeaux
1948–49
41 goalsCamille LibarGirondins de Bordeaux
1949–50
27 goalsEdmund HaanNîmes Olympique
1950–51
23 goalsThadée CisowskiFC Metz
1951–52
34 goalsEgon JonssonStade Français football
1952–53
27 goalsBror MellbergToulouse FC (1937)
1953–54
36 goalsJean CourteauxRC Paris
1954–55
40 goalsPetrus Van RhijnValenciennes Football Club
1955–56
32 goalsPetrus Van RhijnValenciennes Football Club
1956–57
27 goalsFernand DevlaeminckLille OSC
1957–58
29 goalsEgon JonssonFC Nancy
1958–59
31 goalsPetrus Van RhijnStade Français football
1959–60
29 goalsCorbelFC Rouen
1960–61
28 goalsCasimir KozakiewiczRC Strasbourg
1961–62
21 goalsSerge MasnaghettiValenciennes Football Club
1962–63
24 goalsErnesto GianellaAS Béziers (football)
1963–64
21 goalsAbderrahmane SoukhaneLe Havre AC
1964–65
22 goalsAnton GroschulskiRed Star Saint-Ouen
1965–66
30 goalsPierre FerrazziGrenoble Foot 38
1966–67
23 goalsEtienne SansonettiSC Bastia
1967–68
26 goalsJacques BonnetAvignon Football 84
1968–69
55 goalsGérard GrizettiAS Angoulême
1969–70
21 goalsRobert BlancFC Nancy
1970–71
20 goals
20 goals
20 goals
Nord : Yves Triantafyllos
Centre : Robert Blanc
Sud : Emmanuel Koum
US Boulogne
Limoges Foot 87
AS Monaco
1971–72
20 goals
28 goals
40 goals
Gr. A : Pierre Pleimelding
Gr. B : Yegba Maya Joseph
Gr. C : Marc Molitor
Troyes AC
Valenciennes Football Club
RC Strasbourg
1972–73
22 goals
31 goals
Gr. A : Eugeniusz Faber
Gr. B : Gérard Tonnel
RC Lens
Troyes AC
1973–74
26 goals
24 goals
Gr. A : Erwin Wilczek
Gr. B : Nestor Combin
Valenciennes Football Club
Red Star Saint-Ouen
1974–75
25 goals
28 goals
Gr. A : Georges Tripp
Gr. B : Jean Martinez
Stade Laval
AS Nancy
1975–76
22 goals
25 goals
Gr. A : Bozidar Antic
Gr. B : Marc Berdoll
SM Caen
SCO Angers
1976–77
30 goals
24 goals
Gr. A : Delio Onnis
Gr. B : Albert Gemmrich
AS Monaco
RC Strasbourg
1977–78
19 goals
23 goals
 
Gr. A : Giudicelli
Gr. B : Jean-Claude Garnier
Gr. B : Pierre-Antoine Dossevi
Olympique Alès
USL Dunkerque
Tours FC
1978–79
24 goals
26 goals
Gr. A : Antoine Trivino
Gr. B : Patrice Martet
FC Gueugnon
Stade Brestois
1979–80
16 goals
19 goals
 
Gr. A : Alain Polaniok
Gr. A : Bernard Ferrigno
Gr. B : Jacky Vergnes
Gr. B : Robert Pintenat
Stade de Reims
Tours FC
Montpellier HSC
Toulouse FC
1980–81
32 goals
22 goals
Gr. A : Robert Pintenat
Gr. B : Marcel Campagnac
Toulouse FC
Sporting Club Abbeville
1981–82
18 goals
25 goals
 
Gr. A : Marc Pascal
Gr. B : Zarko Olaveric
Gr. B : Isiaka Ouattara
Olympique de Marseille
Le Havre AC
FC Mulhouse
1982–83
28 goals
18 goals
Gr. A : Wlodzimierz Lubanski
Gr. B : Christian Dalger
Valenciennes Football Club
Sporting Toulon Var
1983–84
23 goals
23 goals
Gr. A : Mario Relmy
Gr. B : Omar Da Fonseca
Limoges Foot 87
Tours FC
1984–85
27 goals
28 goals
Gr. A : John Eriksen
Gr. B : Jorge Dominguez
FC Mulhouse
OGC Nice
1985–86
22 goals
29 goals
Gr. A : Jean-Marc Valadier
Gr. B : Eugene N'Goy Kabongo
Montpellier HSC
RC Paris
1986–87
22 goals
21 goals
Gr. A : Zvonko Kurbos
Gr. B : Gaspard N'Gouete
FC Mulhouse
SC Bastia
1987–88
18 goals
 
26 goals
Gr. A : Jean-Pierre Orts
Gr. A : Stéphane Paille
Gr. B : Patrice Martet
Olympique Lyonnais
FC Sochaux
FC Rouen
1988–89
22 goals
27 goals
Gr. A : Roberto Cabanas
Gr. B : Robby Langers
Stade Brestois
US Orléans
1989–90
26 goals
21 goals
Gr. A : Didier Monczuk
Gr. B : Jean-Pierre Orts
RC Strasbourg
FC Rouen
1990–91
23 goals
19 goals
Gr. A : Didier Monczuk
Gr. B : Christophe Lagrange
RC Strasbourg
SCO Angers
1991–92
22 goals
21 goals
Gr. A : Jean-Pierre Orts
Gr. B : Didier Monczuk
FC Rouen
RC Strasbourg
1992–93
21 goals
18 goals
Gr. A : Franck Priou
Gr. B : Jean-Pierre Orts
AS Cannes
FC Rouen
1993–94
27 goalsYannick Le SauxStade Briochin
1994–95
31 goalsTony CascarinoOlympique Marseille
1995–96
30 goalsTony CascarinoOlympique Marseille
1996–97
23 goalsSamuel MichelFC Sochaux
1997–98
20 goalsReginald RayLe Mans Union Club 72
1998–99
20 goalsHamed DialloStade Laval
1999–2000
17 goalsAmara TraoréFC Gueugnon
2000–01
21 goalsFrancileudo SantosFC Sochaux
2001–02
18 goalsHamed DialloAmiens SC
2002–03
20 goalsCédric FauréToulouse FC
2003–04
17 goalsDavid SuarezAmiens SC
2004–05
24 goalsBakari KonéFC Lorient
2005–06
16 goalsJean-Michel Lesage & Steve SavidanLe Havre AC & Valenciennes Football Club
2006–07
18 goalsJean-Michel Lesage & Kandia TraoreLe Havre AC & Le Havre AC
2007–08
28 goalsGuillaume HoarauLe Havre AC
2008–09
18 goalsGrégory ThilUS Boulogne
2009–10
21 goalsOlivier GiroudTours FC
2010–11
23 goalsSebastián RibasDijon FCO
2011–12
15 goalsCédric FauréReims
2012–13
23 goalsMustapha YatabaréEA Guingamp
2013–14
23 goalsAndy Delort & Mathieu DuhamelTours FC & SM Caen
2014–15
18 goalsMickaël Le BihanLe Havre AC

Records

77 points (1994–95 season) or 1.833 points per game (42 games) for Toulouse FC.
72 points (1995–96 season, 22 teams involved): or 1.71 points per game for Stade Lavallois.
69 points (2006–07 season, 20 teams involved): or 1.82 points per game for Amiens SC.

Broadcaster

Broadcaster Duration
beIN Sport 2012–13 → 2015–16
Eurosport 2010–11 → 2011–12
Eurosport & Numericable 2008–09 → 2009–10

References

External links

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