Championnat National

Championnat National

Countries	France
Confederation	UEFA
Founded	1993
Number of teams	20 (2011–12 season)
Levels on pyramid	3
Promotion to	Ligue 2
Relegation to	Championnat de France amateur
Domestic cup(s)	Coupe de France Coupe de la Ligue (select clubs)
International cup(s)	Europa League (via domestic cups)
Current champions	Bastia (2010–11)
TV partners	France Télévisions
Website	Official site
2011–12 Championnat National

The Championnat de France National, commonly referred to as simply National or Division 3, serves as the third division of the French football league system behind Ligue 1 and Ligue 2. Contested by 20 clubs (21 for the 2010–11 season), the Championnat National operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Ligue 2 and the Championnat de France amateur, the fourth division of French football. 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 Saturdays, with a few games played during weekday evenings. Play is regularly suspended the last weekend before Christmas for two weeks before returning in the second week of January.

National was founded in 1993 by the French Football Federation and serves as a base league for clubs on the brink of becoming professional or falling to the amateur levels. The league is annually composed of professional, semi-professional, and amateur football clubs. The current champions are Bastia. The matches in the league attract on average between 1,500 and 2,000 spectators per match.

Competition format

There are 20 clubs in the Championnat National. 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 2. 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 second division, while the four lowest placed teams are relegated to the Championnat de France amateur and the four winners of the four groups from the Championnat de France amateur are promoted in their place.

Clubs

Members for 2011–12

The following 20 clubs will compete in the Championnat National during the 2011–12 season.

Club	Position in 2010–11	Founded	First season of current spell in National
Bayonne	00417th	1935	2008–09
Beauvais	0047th	1945	2006–07
Besançon	004CFA Group B: 1st	1904	2011–12
Cherbourg	004CFA Group D: 2nd	1945	2011–12
Colmar	YYY15th	1920	2010–11
Créteil	00410th	1936	2007–08
Épinal	004CFA Group B: 2nd	1941	2011–12
Fréjus	0046th	2009	2009–10
Gazélec Ajaccio	004CFA Group C: 1st	1910	2011–12
Le Poiré-sur-Vie	004CFA Group D: 1st	1954	2011–12
Luzenac	01011th	1936	2009–10
Niort	01013th	1925	2010–11
Nîmes	010Ligue 2: 19th	1937	2011–12
Orléans	0109th	1920	2010–11
Martigues	004CFA Group C: 2nd	1921	2011–12
Paris	01012th	1969	2006–07
Quevilly	004CFA Group A: 1st	1902	2011–12
Red Star	004CFA Group A: 2nd	1897	2011–12
Rouen	0108th	1899	2009–10
Vannes	010Ligue 2: 18th	1998	2011–12

Honours

Championnat National (1993–94, 1996–97)

• 1994. LB Châteauroux
• 1995. FC Lorient
• 1996. Sporting Toulon Var
• 1997. Nîmes Olympique

Champions (since 1997–98)

Season	Winner	Runner Up
1997–98	AC Ajaccio	Sedan
1998–99	Louhans-Cuiseaux	Créteil
1999-00	Beauvais	Martigues
2000–01	Grenoble	Amiens
2001–02	Clermont	Reims
2002–03	Besançon	Angers
2003–04	Reims	Brest
2004–05	Valenciennes	Valence
2005–06	Niort	Tours
2006–07	Clermont	Boulogne
2007–08	Vannes	Tours
2008–09	Istres	Laval
2009–10	Evian	Reims
2010–11	Bastia	Amiens

External links

• Official Site (French)