Ligue 1 relegation/promotion play-offs

The Ligue 1 relegation/promotion playoffs, known in French as the Barrages (transl. play-offs),[1] is an annual play-off fixture in French football contested by the 16th-placed team in Ligue 1 and the winner of the Ligue 2 promotion play-offs. It takes place after the completion of the regular season and is administered by Ligue de Football Professionnel. Play-offs are a two-legged tie and the winner is decided by aggregate score. Play-offs were originally introduced in the 2015–16 season[2] but due to legal issues it was adopted in the 2016–17 season, even though similar play-offs were played until 1993 when Ligue 1 was named Division 1.[3][4] The first leg of play-offs are played on the home ground of the Ligue 2 club with the return leg at the home of the Ligue 1 club.[5][6]

Results

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2016–17 season

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The 2016–17 season saw the return of the Ligue 1 relegation/promotion play-offs between the 18th placed Ligue 1 team, Lorient, and the 3rd placed Ligue 2 team, Troyes, on a two-legged confrontation.

1st leg

Troyes2–1Lorient
Report
Attendance: 14,081[7]
Referee: Ruddy Buquet

2nd leg

Lorient0–0Troyes
Report
Attendance: 16,000[8]

Troyes won 2–1 on aggregate and were promoted to the 2017–18 Ligue 1; Lorient were relegated to the 2017–18 Ligue 2.


2017–18 season

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The 2017–18 season ended with a relegation play-off between the 18th-placed Ligue 1 team, Toulouse, and the 3rd placed Ligue 2 team, Ajaccio, on a two-legged confrontation.

1st leg

Ajaccio0–3Toulouse
Report

2nd leg

Toulouse1–0Ajaccio
Report
Attendance: 16,519

Toulouse won 4–0 on aggregate and therefore both clubs remained in their respective leagues.


2018–19 season

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The 2018–19 season ended with a relegation play-off between the 18th-placed Ligue 1 team, Dijon, and the 3rd placed Ligue 2 team, Lens, on a two-legged confrontation.

1st leg

Lens1–1Dijon
Report
Attendance: 37,355
Referee: Amaury Delerue

2nd leg

Dijon3–1Lens
Report

Dijon won 4–2 on aggregate and therefore both clubs remained in their respective leagues.


2019–20 season

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The leagues were suspended in March 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic in France. No playoffs were played. The teams in the play-off positions at the time of suspension (Nîmes from Ligue 1 and Ajaccio from Ligue 2) remained in their respective leagues.


2020–21 season

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The 2020–21 season ended with a relegation play-off between the 18th-placed Ligue 1 team, Nantes, and the winner of the semi-final of the Ligue 2 play-off, Toulouse, on a two-legged confrontation.

1st leg

Toulouse1–2Nantes
Report
Attendance: 0 (Behind closed doors)
Referee: Jérémie Pignard

2nd leg

Nantes0–1Toulouse
Report

2–2 on aggregate. Nantes won on away goals and therefore both clubs remained in their respective leagues.


2021–22 season

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The 2021–22 season ended with a relegation play-off between the 18th-placed Ligue 1 team, Saint-Étienne, and the winner of the semi-final of the Ligue 2 play-off, Auxerre, on a two-legged confrontation.

1st leg

Auxerre1–1Saint-Étienne
Report

2nd leg

Saint-Étienne1–1 (a.e.t.)Auxerre
Report
Penalties
4–5

2–2 on aggregate. Auxerre won 5–4 on penalties and were promoted to the 2022–23 Ligue 1; Saint-Étienne were relegated to the 2022–23 Ligue 2.


2022–23 season

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No playoffs took place in 2022–23 due to the restructuring of the French football pyramid. 4 teams were relegated from Ligue 1 while only 2 were promoted from Ligue 2.


2023–24 season

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The 2023–24 season ended with a relegation play-off between the 16th-placed Ligue 1 team, Metz, and the winner of the semi-final of the Ligue 2 play-off, Saint-Étienne, on a two-legged confrontation.

1st leg

Saint-Étienne2–1Metz
Report

2nd leg

Metz2–2 (a.e.t.)Saint-Étienne
Report

Saint-Étienne won 4–3 on aggregate and were promoted to the 2024–25 Ligue 1; Metz were relegated to the 2024–25 Ligue 2.

References

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  1. ^ "Tout savoir sur les Barrages". Ligue1 (in French). Retrieved 2024-06-02.
  2. ^ "Ligue 1 reduces relegation to just 2 clubs". ESPN.com. 2015-05-22. Retrieved 2024-06-02.
  3. ^ "2 relegation spots / 2 promotion spots to Ligue 1 proposal officially scrapped - Get French Football News". 2016-02-03. Retrieved 2024-06-02.
  4. ^ "Ligue 1 to keep three relegation places". ESPN.com. 2015-08-14. Retrieved 2024-06-02.
  5. ^ "LFP announces Ligue 1 relegation, promotion playoff for next season". ESPN. 15 April 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  6. ^ since 1993, A. playoff has not decided relegation and promotion in France's top-two leagues. "Relegation Playoff Reintroduced In Ligue 1". beIN SPORTS. Retrieved 2024-06-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ "Troyes vs. Lorient". Soccerway. 25 May 2017. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
  8. ^ "Lorient vs. Troyes". Soccerway. 28 May 2017. Retrieved 28 May 2017.