Soccer in France has a well-defined structure that allows clubs to compete at different levels of competitiveness. For people arriving in France and looking to join a soccer club, understanding this hierarchy is important. Whether it's for competition or leisure, this blog aims to make it easier to find and join amateur, semi-professional and professional clubs.

The structure of French divisions 

The French soccer system is organized into a pyramid of divisions, starting at the national level and working down to the departmental divisions. Here's an overview of the different levels:

Professional level

• • McDonald's Ligue 1: The highest level, comprising 18 clubs, is the showcase of French soccer.

• • Ligue 2 BKT : With 18 teams, this is the stepping stone to Ligue 1.

National level

• • National: Comprising 18 clubs, this is the third tier of French soccer.

• • National 2: Includes 48 teams divided into three groups of 16, often semi-professional clubs or reserves of professional clubs.

• • National 3: Comprising 139 teams divided into 10 groups, mainly top-level amateur clubs and some reserves of professional clubs.

Regional level

These levels bring together the best-performing local clubs in the regions, divided into three divisions throughout France. The best R1 clubs aim to reach the national level by promotion to National 3.

• • Regional 1 (R1)

• • Regional 2 (R2)

• • Regional 3 (R3) 

Departmental level

Made up of several divisions, depending on the density of clubs in each département. These are the most accessible levels, covering the vast majority of amateur clubs in France.