play-offs for entry into Ligue 1, number of relegations, increase to 18… What you need to know four days before the end of the championship

Four days before the end of the season, Auxerre is leader of Ligue 2 and Valenciennes is guaranteed to be relegated to National 1.

Like Ligue 1 for this 2023-2024 season, Ligue 2 will go from 20 clubs to 18 next season. Four days before the end of the championship, the battle for maintenance and promotion to the first division is in full swing. Great matches remain to be contested among the clubs at the top of the ranking, starting with the clash between Paris FC, fifth, and Angers, second, Saturday April 27 on the occasion of the 35th day.

The top two in Ligue 2 will move directly to Ligue 1 at the end of the season, while “play-offs” will be organized to establish who will have the opportunity to play a round-trip play-off against the 16th in Ligue 1. Thus, the fifth in Ligue 2 will travel to the fourth on May 21. The winner of this meeting will then travel to the third place on May 24. And finally, whoever wins this final play-off will be able to aim for a ticket to Ligue 1 on the condition of winning a return match, on May 30 and June 2, with the return match away, against 16th in Ligue 1.

Four days before the end of the championship, Auxerre are at the top of the championship, ahead of Angers. Saint-Etienne, Rodez and Paris FC are in a position to play the play-offs, but Pau and Caen are only one point behind. Several matches between direct competitors will be decisive, such as Auxerre-Paris FC and Angers-Pau on the 36th day, or even Saint-Etienne-Rodez on the 37th day.

Valenciennes already relegated

At the bottom of the ranking, Valenciennes is already assured of being relegated to National 1 after having experienced defeat 20 times already this season. On the other hand, Quevilly Rouen, Concarneau, Troyes, Annecy, even Dunkirk and Bordeaux, can still be worried, since four teams in total will be demoted. QRM and Dunkirk must face each other on the 36th day, just like Troyes and Annecy on the last.

In National 1, where only the first two will be promoted, Red Star has ensured its rise to the second division. He is well ahead of Niort, second and in a good position four days from the end of the championship, ahead of Martigues.