Ligue 1 Standings

French Ligue 1 Table

Understanding Ligue 1 Standings

Ligue 1, the top-tier soccer league in France, has 20 teams who play 38-games each season. Ligue 1 standings follow a similar format to other popular soccer leagues: Three points for a win, one point is earned for a tie and zero points are given for a loss. Matches don’t go into extra time in the event of a draw, so the score at the end of 90 minutes is final.

Because so much is at stake for the French teams near the top and bottom, late-season Ligue 1 standings and scores are critical for most teams. Staying away from the bottom three is the main goal for teams close to the bottom of the table. Meanwhile, the five teams at the top of the standings are awarded places in UEFA competitions for the following season.

Ligue 1 Ranking & Format

Whichever Ligue 1 team finishes the season with the most points in the table is the Ligue 1 champion. If there’s a tie between two or more teams in a given place, it is broken by goal difference, followed by goals scored. Ligue 1’s promotion and relegation structure is similar to the German Bundesliga’s.

At the end of the 38-game season, the last place and second-to-last place teams in Ligue 1 are relegated to Ligue 2 for next year. The top-two teams in Ligue 2 earn places in Ligue 1 for next season. Meanwhile, the team that finishes in 18th place in Ligue 1 competes in a two-leg playoff against the third-place team in Ligue 2 for a spot in Ligue 1.

The top-two teams in Ligue 1 qualify for next season’s Champions League Group Stage. The third-place team can qualify for the Champions League by progressing through the playoff rounds. Meanwhile, the fourth-place team qualifies for the Europa League, and the fifth place earns entry into the third-tier UEFA Conference League.

If the team who wins the Coupe de France -a standalone knockout competition open to any team in France- finishes outside the top three or isn’t in Ligue 1, they also earn a place in the Europa League.

One of the most important components of the point spreads for each matchup is each team’s place in the table.

Ligue 1 Standings FAQs

How does relegation work in Ligue 1?

At the end of each Ligue 1 season, the teams that finish in the bottom three positions of the league table are relegated to Ligue 2, the second-tier league in France. Conversely, the top two teams from Ligue 2, along with the winner of the Ligue 2 playoff, earn promotion to Ligue 1.

Who are some of the most successful clubs in Ligue 1?

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), Olympique de Marseille, and AS Saint-Étienne are historically some of the most successful clubs in Ligue 1. PSG has dominated in recent years, winning numerous league titles.

How are points awarded in Ligue 1?

In Ligue 1, a team receives three points for a win, one point for a draw, and no points for a loss. The team with the most points at the end of the season is crowned the champion.

Are there any notable rivalries in Ligue 1?

Yes, Ligue 1 features several intense rivalries between clubs. One of the most famous is “Le Classique” between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Olympique de Marseille. The “Derby Rhône-Alpes” between Olympique Lyonnais and AS Saint-Étienne is another significant rivalry in the league.