View source for Ligue 2

{{other uses}}{{distinguish|EFL League Two}}{{Infobox football league
| logo                 = Logo Ligue 2 BKT 2024.svg
| pixels               = 130
| country              = {{FRA}}
| other countries      = <!--{{MON}} only if relegated-->
| confed               = [[UEFA]]
| founded              = {{start date and age|1933}} (officially) <br /> {{start date and age|2002}} (as Ligue 2)
| organiser            = [[Ligue de Football Professionnel|Ligue de Football<br />Professionnel]] (LFP)
| teams                = [[#Ligue 2 members (2024–25 season)|18]]
| promotion            = [[Ligue 1]]
| relegation           = [[Championnat National]] (until 2026) <br> [[Ligue 3]] (from 2026)
| levels               = 2
| domest_cup           = [[Coupe de France]]
| champions            = {{nowrap|[[FC Lorient|Lorient]] (2nd title)}}
| season               = [[2024-25 Ligue 2|2024-25]]
| most_champs          = {{nowrap|[[Le Havre AC|Le Havre]]<br>(6 titles)}}
| tv                   = [[BeIN Sports (France)|beIN Sports]]
| website              = {{URL|https://www.ligue2.fr|Ligue2.fr}} {{in lang|fr}}
| current              = [[2025–26 Ligue 2]]
}}

'''Ligue 2''' ({{IPA|fr|liɡ dø}}, League 2), also known as '''Ligue 2 [[Balkrishna Industries|BKT]]''' due to sponsorship reasons, is a French professional football league. The league serves as the second division of [[French football]] and is one of two divisions making up the [[Ligue de Football Professionnel]] (LFP), the other being [[Ligue 1]], the country's top football division. Contested by 18 clubs, it operates on a system of [[promotion and relegation]] with both Ligue 1 and the third division [[Championnat National]]. Seasons run from August to May, with teams playing 34 games each, totalling 306 games in the season. Most games are played on Fridays and Mondays, with a few games played during weekday and weekend evenings. Play is regularly suspended the last weekend before Christmas for two weeks before returning in the second week of January.

Ligue 2 was founded a year after the creation of the first division in 1933 under the name ''Division 2'' and has served as the second division of French football ever since. The name lasted until 2002 before switching to its current name. Since the league is a part of the LFP, it allows clubs who are on the brink of professionalism to become so.

== History ==
The second division of French football was established in 1933, one year after the creation of the all-professional first division. The inaugural season of the competition consisted of the six clubs who were relegated following the [[French football Division 1 1932–33|1932–33 National]] season, as well as many of the clubs who opposed the creation of the first division the previous season. Clubs such as [[RC Strasbourg|Strasbourg]], [[RC Roubaix]], and [[Amiens SC]] all played in the second division's debut season despite having prior grievances with the subjective criteria needed to become professional and play in the first division. The first year of the second division consisted of twenty-three clubs and were divided into two groups (''Nord'' and ''Sud''). Fourteen of the clubs were inserted into the ''Nord'' section, while the remaining nine were placed in ''Sud''. Following the season, the winner of each group faced each other to determine which club would earn promotion. On 20 May 1934, the winner of the ''Nord'' group, [[FC Red Star Saint-Ouen|Red Star Saint-Ouen]], faced [[Olympique Alès]], the winner of the ''Sud'' group. Red Star were crowned the league's inaugural champions following a 3–2 victory. Despite losing, Alès was also promoted to the first division and they were followed by [[RC Strasbourg|Strasbourg]] and [[FC Mulhouse|Mulhouse]], who each won a pool championship, after the first division agreed to expand its teams to 15.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;margin-left:1em;font-size:90%;float:right"
|+ '''Division 2 champions (Pre-WWII)'''
!width="75" | Season
!width="125" | Winner
|-
| align="center" | [[1933–34 French Division 2|1933–34]]
| [[FC Red Star Saint-Ouen|Red Star Saint-Ouen]]
|-
| align="center" | [[1934–35 French Division 2|1934–35]]
| [[FC Metz|CS Metz]]
|-
| align="center" | [[1935–36 French Division 2|1935–36]]
| [[FC Rouen|Rouen]]
|-
| align="center" | [[1936–37 French Division 2|1936–37]]
| [[RC Lens|Lens]]
|-
| align="center" | [[1937–38 French Division 2|1937–38]]
| [[Le Havre AC|Le Havre]]
|-
| align="center" | [[1938–39 French Division 2|1938–39]]
| [[FC Red Star Saint-Ouen|Red Star Saint-Ouen]]
|-
|-
| align="center" colspan=2 | {{further2|<br />[[List of French second division champions|French second division champions]]}}
|}

Due to several clubs merging, folding, or losing their professional status, the federation turned the second division into a 16-team league and adopted the single-table method for the [[French football Division 2 1934–35|1934–35 season]]. Due to the unpredictable nature of French football clubs, the [[French football Division 2 1934–35|following season]], the league increased to 19 clubs and, [[French football Division 2 1937–38|two years later]], increased its allotment to 25 teams with the clubs being divided into four groups. Because of World War II, football was suspended by the French government and the [[Ligue de Football Professionnel]]. Following the end of the war, the second division developed stability. Due to the increase in amateur clubs, the league intertwined professional and amateur clubs and allowed the latter to become professional if they met certain benchmarks. In 2002, the league changed its name from ''Division 2'' to ''Ligue 2''.

In November 2014, the presidents of [[Stade Malherbe Caen|Caen]] and [[Nîmes Olympique|Nîmes]] were amongst several arrested on suspicion of [[Match fixing in association football|match fixing]]. The arrests followed a 1–1 draw between Caen and Nîmes in May 2014, a result very beneficial for each club.<ref>{{cite web|title=Marseille arrests and match-fixing probe rock French football|url=http://www.france24.com/en/20141118-marseille-president-custody-day-scandal-french-football-match-fixing-gignac/|publisher=France 24|access-date=1 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190318011047/https://www.france24.com/en/20141118-marseille-president-custody-day-scandal-french-football-match-fixing-gignac|archive-date=18 March 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Presidents of two French clubs arrested on match-fixing suspicions|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/nov/18/presidents-of-two-french-clubs-arrested-on-match-fixing-suspicions|work=The Guardian|access-date=1 December 2014}}</ref>

==Competition format==
There are 18 clubs in Ligue 2. 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 34 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 automatically promoted to Ligue 1. 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-place finisher are also promoted automatically to the first division. The fourth and fifth-place finishers play a one leg fixture at the fourth-place finisher's stadium, the winner of this fixture faces the third-place finisher at the third-place finisher's stadium, the winner of this fixture plays the 16th-placed team in Ligue 1 for the right to play in Ligue 1 the following season.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-04-24 |title=Ligue 2 : Les play-offs changent de date ! |url=https://www.foot-national.com/ligue-2/ligue-2-les-play-offs-changent-de-date-587588 |access-date=2024-06-02 |website=Foot National |language=fr}}</ref> The three lowest placed teams are relegated to the [[Championnat National]] and the top three teams from National are promoted in their place. While a decision was originally made that during the 2015–16 season only the best two teams would be promoted to Ligue 1, and the last two teams would be relegated to the National,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-08-14 |title=Ligue 1 to keep three relegation places |url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/37428993/ligue-1-relegation-places-stay-three |access-date=2024-06-02 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref> that decision was later overturned by an appeal to the [[Conseil d'État (France)|Conseil d'État]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espnfc.com/french-ligue-1/story/2562661/ligue-1-relegation-places-stay-at-three|title=Ligue 1 relegation places stay at three, uncertainty continues|website=ESPN FC|access-date=11 November 2017}}</ref> and the French Football Federation.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://sport24.lefigaro.fr/football/ligue-1/actualites/le-refere-de-la-lfp-rejete-764618|title=Le référé de la LFP rejeté|work=Le Figaro.fr|language=fr|date=14 August 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.leparisien.fr/sports/football/ligue-1-ligue-2-il-y-aura-bien-trois-relegations-promotions-03-02-2016-5511303.php|title=Ligue 1/Ligue 2 : il y aura bien trois rélégations/promotions|date=3 February 2016|website=Le Parisien|access-date=11 November 2017}}</ref>

In December 2021, the majority of LFP member clubs, including Championnat National club leaders, voted to contract Ligue 2 from 20 to 18 clubs for the 2024–25 season. This happened one year after Ligue 1 itself dropped from 20 to 18 teams for the 2023–24 season. The plan was for Ligue 2 to relegate four clubs to, and promote two from, National at the end of 2023–24.<ref>{{cite news |title=Foot : la Ligue 2 à 18 clubs à partir de 2024-2025 |url=https://www.lefigaro.fr/sports/football/foot-la-ligue-2-a-18-clubs-a-partir-de-2024-2025-20211209 |access-date=1 April 2022 |work=Le Figaro |agency=Agence France-Presse |date=9 December 2021}}</ref>

==Ligue 2 members (2025–26 season)==

{{Location map+|France|width=450|float=right|caption=Location of teams in '''2025–26 Ligue 2'''|places=
{{Location map~ |France |lat=49.894    |long=2.263     |label=[[Amiens SC|Amiens]]|position=right}}
{{Location map~ |France |lat=45.916497 |long=6.118054  |label=[[FC Annecy|Annecy]]|position=right}}
{{Location map~ |France |lat=42.7028   |long=9.45      |label=[[SC Bastia|Bastia]]|position=left}}
{{Location map~ |France |lat=50.72     |long=1.61      |label=[[US Boulogne|Boulogne]]|position=right}}
{{Location map~ |France |lat=45.783088 |long=3.082352  |label=[[Clermont Foot|Clermont]]|position=top}}
{{Location map~ |France |lat=51.0383   |long=2.3775    |label=[[USL Dunkerque|Dunkerque]]|position=left}}
{{Location map~ |France |lat=45.2002   |long=5.7222    |label=[[Grenoble Foot 38|Grenoble]]|position=right}}
{{Location map~ |France |lat=48.566186 |long=-3.164706 |label=[[En Avant Guingamp|Guingamp]]|position=top}}
{{Location map~ |France |lat=48.0733333|long=-0.7688888|label=[[Stade Lavallois|Laval]]|position=left}}
{{Location map~ |France |lat=48.014911 |long=0.193153  |label=[[Le Mans FC|Le Mans]] |position=right}}
{{Location map~ |France |lat=43.61194  |long=3.97722   |label=[[Montpellier HSC|Montpellier]]|position=top}}
{{Location map~ |France |lat=48.6955   |long=6.210687  |label=[[AS Nancy Lorraine|Nancy]]|position=left}}
{{Location map~ |France |lat=43.3076949|long=-0.3273363|label=[[Pau FC|Pau]]|position=top}}
{{Location map~ |France |lat=48.9000   |long=2.3333    |label=[[Red Star FC|Red Star]]|position=top}}
{{Location map~ |France |lat=49.2627   |long=4.035     |label=[[Stade de Reims|Reims]]|position=right}}
{{Location map~ |France |lat=44.3506   |long=2.575     |label=[[Rodez AF|Rodez]]|position=left}}
{{Location map~ |France |lat=45.460767 |long=4.490117  |label=[[AS Saint-Étienne|Saint-Étienne]]|position=left}}
{{Location map~ |France |lat=48.2997   |long=4.0792    |label=[[ES Troyes AC|Troyes]]|position=right}}
}}

{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Club
!Finishing position [[2024–25 Ligue 2|last season]]
!Location
!Venue
!Capacity
|-
|{{sort|Amiens|[[Amiens SC|Amiens]]}}
|11th
|[[Amiens]]
|[[Stade de la Licorne]]
| align="center" | 12,097
|-
|{{sort|Annecy|[[FC Annecy|Annecy]]}}
|6th
|[[Annecy]]
|[[Parc des Sports (Annecy)|Parc des Sports]]
| align="center" |15,660
|-
|{{sort|Bastia|[[SC Bastia|Bastia]]}}
|8th
|[[Furiani]]
|[[Stade Armand-Cesari]]
| align="center" | 16,078
|-
|{{sort|Boulogne|[[US Boulogne|Boulogne]]}}
|3rd in [[2024–25 Championnat National|Championnat National]] (promoted)
|[[Boulogne-sur-Mer]]
|[[Stade de la Libération]]
| align="center" | 9,534
|-
|{{sort|Clermont|[[Clermont Foot|Clermont]]}}
|16th
|[[Clermont-Ferrand]]
|[[Stade Gabriel-Montpied]]
| align="center" |11,980 
|-
|{{sort|Dunkerque|[[USL Dunkerque|Dunkerque]]}}
|4th 
|[[Dunkirk]]
|[[Stade Marcel-Tribut]]
| align="center" | 4,933
|-
|{{sort|Grenoble|[[Grenoble Foot 38|Grenoble]]}}
|9th
|[[Grenoble]]
|[[Stade des Alpes]]
| align="center" |20,068
|-
|{{sort|Guingamp|[[En Avant de Guingamp|Guingamp]]}}
|5th
|[[Guingamp]]
|[[Stade de Roudourou]]
| align="center" |18,378
|-
|{{sort|Laval|[[Stade Lavallois|Laval]]}}
|7th
|[[Laval, Mayenne|Laval]]
|[[Stade Francis Le Basser]]
| align="center" |18,739
|-
|{{sort|Le Mans|[[Le Mans FC]]}}
|2nd in [[2024–25 Championnat National|Championnat National]] (promoted)
|[[Le Mans]]
|[[Stade Marie-Marvingt]]
| align="center" |25,064
|-
|{{sort|Montpellier|[[Montpellier HSC|Montpellier]]}}
|18th in [[2024–25 Ligue 1|Ligue 1]] (relegated)
|[[Martigues]]
|[[Stade de la Mosson]]
| align="center" |32,900
|-
|{{sort|Nancy|[[AS Nancy Lorraine|Nancy]]}}
|1st in [[2024–25 Championnat National|Championnat National]] (promoted)
|[[Nancy, France|Nancy]]
|[[Stade Marcel Picot]]
| align="center" |20,087
|-
|{{sort|Pau|[[Pau FC|Pau]]}}
|13th
|[[Pau, Pyrénées-Atlantiques|Pau]]
|[[Nouste Camp]]
| align="center" |4,031
|-
|{{sort|Red Star|[[Red Star F.C.|Red Star]]}}
|15th
|[[Paris]] {{small|([[Saint-Ouen, Seine-Saint-Denis|Saint-Ouen]])}}
|[[Stade Bauer]]
| style="text-align:center;"| 10,000
|-
|{{sort|Reims|[[Stade de Reims|Reims]]}}
|16th in [[2024–25 Ligue 1|Ligue 1]] (relegated) 
|[[Reims]]
|[[Stade Auguste-Delaune]]
| align="center" | 21,029
|-
|{{sort|Rodez|[[Rodez AF|Rodez]]}}
|14th
|[[Rodez]]
|[[Stade Paul-Lignon]]
| align="center" |5,955
|-
|{{sort|Saint-Étienne|[[AS Saint-Étienne|Saint-Étienne]]}}
|17th in [[2024–25 Ligue 1|Ligue 1]] (relegated)
|[[Saint-Étienne]]
|[[Stade Geoffroy-Guichard]]
| align="center" |41,965
|-
|{{sort|Troyes|[[ESTAC Troyes|Troyes]]}}
|10th
|[[Troyes]]
|[[Stade de l'Aube]]
| align="center" |20,400
|}
{{notelist}}

==Previous winners==
{{Main|List of French second division champions}}
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Club
! Winners
! Runners-up
! Winning years
! Runner-up years
|-
| [[Le Havre AC|Le Havre]]
| 6
| rowspan="2" | 1
| 1937–38, 1958–59, 1984–85, 1990–91, 2007–08, 2022–23
| 1949–50
|-
| [[AS Nancy Lorraine|Nancy]]
| 5
| 1974–75, 1989–90, 1997–98, 2004–05, 2015–16
| 1969–70
|-
| [[FC Metz|Metz]]
| rowspan="4" | 4
| 4
| 1934–35, 2006–07, 2013–14, 2018–19
| 1950–51, 1960–61, 1966–67, 2022–23
|-
| [[RC Lens|Lens]]
| 2
| 1936–37, 1948–49, 1972–73, 2008–09
| 2013–14, 2019–20
|-
| [[OGC Nice|Nice]]
| rowspan="2" | 1
| 1947–48, 1964–65, 1969–70, 1993–94
| 1984–85
|-
| [[Lille OSC|Lille]]
| 1963–64, 1973–74, 1977–78, 1999–2000
| 1970–71
|-
| [[Montpellier HSC|Montpellier]]
| rowspan="5" | 3
| rowspan="2" | 3
| 1945–46, 1960–61, 1986–87
| 1951–52, 1980–81, 2008–09
|-
| [[AS Saint-Étienne|Saint-Étienne]]
| 1962–63, 1998–99, 2003–04
| 1933–34, 1937–38, 1985–86
|-
| [[RC Strasbourg Alsace|Strasbourg]]
| 2
| 1976–77, 1987–88, 2016–17
| 1971–72, 2001–02
|-
| [[Toulouse FC|Toulouse]]
| 1
| 1981–82, 2002–03, 2021–22
| 1996–97
|-
| [[Olympique Lyonnais|Lyon]]
| –
| 1950–51, 1953–54, 1988–89
|
|-
| [[Stade Rennais F.C.|Rennes]]
| rowspan="15" | 2
| rowspan="2" | 5
| 1955–56, 1982–83
| 1938–39, 1957–58, 1975–76, 1989–90, 1993–94
|-
| [[Valenciennes FC|Valenciennes]]
| 1971–72, 2005–06
| 1934–35, 1936–37, 1961–62, 1974–75, 1991–92
|-
| [[Angers SCO|Angers]]
| 4
| 1968–69, 1975–76
| 1955–56, 1977–78, 1992–93, 2023–24
|-
| [[Red Star F.C.|Red Star]]
| 3
| 1933–34, 1938–39
| 1954–55, 1964–65, 1973–74
|-
| [[FC Sochaux-Montbéliard|Sochaux]]
| rowspan="5" | 2
| 1946–47, 2000–01
| 1963–64, 1987–88
|-
| [[AC Ajaccio|Ajaccio]]
| 1966–67, 2001–02
| 2010–11, 2021–22
|-
| [[Stade Malherbe Caen|Caen]]
| 1995–96, 2009–10
| 2003–04, 2006–07
|-
| [[ES Troyes AC|Troyes]]
| 2014–15, 2020–21
| 1953–54, 1972–73
|-
| [[FC Lorient|Lorient]]
| 2019–20, 2024–25
| 1997–98, 2000–01
|-
| [[Olympique Alès|Alès]]
| rowspan="3" | 1
| 1933–34, 1956–57
| 1946–47
|-
| [[FC Nancy]]
| 1945–46, 1957–58
| 1959–60
|-
| [[Stade de Reims|Reims]]
| 1965–66, 2017–18
| 2011–12
|-
| [[Grenoble Foot 38|Grenoble]]
| rowspan="3" | –
| 1959–60, 1961–62
|
|-
| [[SC Bastia|Bastia]]
| 1967–68, 2011–12
|
|-
| [[AJ Auxerre|Auxerre]]
| 1979–80, 2023–24
|
|-
| [[Nîmes Olympique|Nîmes]]
| rowspan="16" | 1
| rowspan="5" | 3
| 1949–50
| 1967–68, 1990–91, 2017–18
|-
| [[CS Sedan Ardennes|Sedan]]
| 1954–55
| 1971–72, 1998–99, 2005–06
|-
| [[Stade Brestois 29|Brest]]
| 1980–81
| 1978–79, 2009–10, 2018–19
|-
| [[Olympique de Marseille|Marseille]]
| 1994–95
| 1965–66, 1983–84, 1995–96
|-
| [[AS Monaco FC|Monaco]]
| 2012–13
| 1952–53, 1970–71, 1976–77
|-
| [[FC Rouen|Rouen]]
| rowspan="2" | 2
| 1935–36
| 1933–34, 1981–82
|-
| [[Stade Français (association football)|Stade Français]]
| 1951–52
| 1945–46, 1958–59
|-
| [[Toulouse FC (1937)|Toulouse (1937)]]
| rowspan="3" | 1
| 1952–53
| 1945–46
|-
| [[Tours FC|Tours]]
| 1983–84
| 1979–80
|-
| [[FC Girondins de Bordeaux|Bordeaux]]
| 1991–92
| 1948–49
|-
| [[Paris Saint-Germain FC|Paris Saint-Germain]]
| rowspan="6" | –
| 1970–71
|
|-
| [[FC Gueugnon|Gueugnon]]
| 1978–79
|
|-
| [[Racing Club de France football Colombes 92|RCF Paris]]
| 1985–86
|
|-
| [[FC Martigues|Martigues]]
| 1992–93
|
|-
| [[LB Châteauroux|Châteauroux]]
| 1996–97
|
|-
| [[Thonon Évian F.C.|Evian]]
| 2010–11
|
|}
Notes:
*[[AS Nancy Lorraine]] is not the successor to [[FC Nancy]].
*[[Toulouse FC]] is not the successor to [[Toulouse FC (1937)]].

==Top goalscorers==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Season
!Goals
!Top scorer(s)
!Club(s)
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1933–34 French Division 2|1933–34]] ||'''54 goals'''|| rowspan="3" |[[Jean Nicolas]]|| rowspan="3" |[[FC Rouen|Rouen]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1934–35 French Division 2|1934–35]] ||'''30 goals'''
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1935–36 French Division 2|1935–36]] ||'''45 goals'''
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1936–37 French Division 2|1936–37]] ||'''30 goals'''||Viktor Spechtl||[[RC Lens|Lens]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1937–38 French Division 2|1937–38]] ||'''29 goals'''||[[Hugo Lamanna]]||[[CA Paris-Charenton|CA Paris]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1938–39 French Division 2|1938–39]] ||'''39 goals'''||Harold Newell & ''Planques''||[[US Boulogne|Boulogne]] & [[Toulouse FC (1937)|Toulouse]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | 1939–45
|colspan=3 style="text-align: center;" | ''[[World War II]]''
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1945–46 French Division 2|1945–46]] ||'''27 goals'''||''Campiglia''||[[Angers SCO|Angers]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1946–47 French Division 2|1946–47]] ||'''45 goals'''||[[Jozef Humpal|Jozef "Pépé" Humpal]]||[[FC Sochaux-Montbéliard|Sochaux]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1947–48 French Division 2|1947–48]] ||'''28 goals'''||Henri Arnaudeau|| rowspan="2" |[[FC Girondins de Bordeaux|Bordeaux]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1948–49 French Division 2|1948–49]] ||'''41 goals'''||[[Camille Libar]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1949–50 French Division 2|1949–50]] ||'''27 goals'''||[[Edmund Haan]]||[[Nîmes Olympique|Nîmes]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1950–51 French Division 2|1950–51]] ||'''23 goals'''||[[Thadée Cisowski]]||[[FC Metz|Metz]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1951–52 French Division 2|1951–52]] ||'''34 goals'''||[[Egon Johnsson]]||[[Stade Français (association football)|Stade Français]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1952–53 French Division 2|1952–53]] ||'''27 goals'''||[[Bror Mellberg]]||[[Toulouse FC (1937)|Toulouse]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1953–54 French Division 2|1953–54]] ||'''36 goals'''||[[Jean Courteaux]]||[[Racing Club de France Football|RC Paris]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1954–55 French Division 2|1954–55]] ||'''40 goals'''|| rowspan="2" |Petrus Van Rhijn|| rowspan="2" |[[Valenciennes FC|Valenciennes]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1955–56 French Division 2|1955–56]] ||'''32 goals'''
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1956–57 French Division 2|1956–57]] ||'''27 goals'''||Fernand Devlaeminck||[[Lille OSC|Lille]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1957–58 French Division 2|1957–58]] ||'''29 goals'''||[[Egon Johnsson]]||[[FC Nancy]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1958–59 French Division 2|1958–59]] ||'''31 goals'''||Petrus Van Rhijn||[[Stade Français (association football)|Stade Français]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1959–60 French Division 2|1959–60]] ||'''29 goals'''||''Corbel''||[[FC Rouen|Rouen]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1960–61 French Division 2|1960–61]] ||'''28 goals'''||Casimir Kozakiewicz||[[RC Strasbourg Alsace|Strasbourg]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1961–62 French Division 2|1961–62]] ||'''21 goals'''||[[Serge Masnaghetti]]||[[Valenciennes FC|Valenciennes]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1962–63 French Division 2|1962–63]] ||'''24 goals'''||Ernesto Gianella||[[AS Béziers Hérault (football)|Béziers]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1963–64 French Division 2|1963–64]] ||'''21 goals'''||[[Abderrahmane Soukhane]]||[[Le Havre AC|Le Havre]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1964–65 French Division 2|1964–65]] ||'''22 goals'''||Anton Groschulski||[[Red Star F.C.|Red Star]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1965–66 French Division 2|1965–66]] ||'''30 goals'''||Pierre Ferrazzi||[[Grenoble Foot 38|Grenoble]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1966–67 French Division 2|1966–67]] ||'''23 goals'''||[[Etienne Sansonetti]]||[[SC Bastia|Bastia]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1967–68 French Division 2|1967–68]] ||'''26 goals'''||Jacques Bonnet||[[AC Avignonnais|Avignon]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1968–69 French Division 2|1968–69]] ||'''55 goals'''||Gérard Grizetti||[[Angoulême Charente FC|Angoulême]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1969–70 French Division 2|1969–70]] ||'''21 goals'''||[[Robert Blanc]]||[[FC Nancy|Nancy]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1970–71 French Division 2|1970–71]] ||'''20 goals'''<br />'''20 goals'''<br />'''20 goals'''||Nord: [[Yves Triantafyllos]]<br />Centre: [[Robert Blanc]]<br />Sud: [[Emmanuel Koum]]||[[US Boulogne|Boulogne]]<br />[[Limoges FC|Limoges]]<br />[[AS Monaco FC|Monaco]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1971–72 French Division 2|1971–72]] ||'''20 goals'''<br />'''28 goals'''<br />'''40 goals'''||Gr. A: [[Pierre Pleimelding]]<br />Gr. B: [[Yegba Maya Joseph]]<br />Gr. C: [[Marc Molitor]]||[[ES Troyes AC|Troyes]]<br />[[Valenciennes FC|Valenciennes]]<br />[[RC Strasbourg Alsace|Strasbourg]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1972–73 French Division 2|1972–73]] ||'''22 goals'''<br />'''31 goals'''||Gr. A: [[Eugeniusz Faber]]<br />Gr. B: Gérard Tonnel||[[RC Lens|Lens]]<br />[[ES Troyes AC|Troyes]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1973–74 French Division 2|1973–74]] ||'''26 goals'''<br />'''24 goals'''||Gr. A: [[Erwin Wilczek]]<br />Gr. B: [[Nestor Combin]]||[[Valenciennes FC|Valenciennes]]<br />[[Red Star F.C.|Red Star]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1974–75 French Division 2|1974–75]] ||'''25 goals'''<br />'''28 goals'''||Gr. A: [[Georges Tripp]]<br />Gr. B: Jean Martinez||[[Stade Lavallois|Laval]]<br />[[AS Nancy Lorraine|Nancy]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1975–76 French Division 2|1975–76]] ||'''22 goals'''<br />'''25 goals'''||Gr. A: [[Boško Antić]]<br />Gr. B: [[Marc Berdoll]]||[[Stade Malherbe Caen|Caen]]<br />[[Angers SCO|Angers]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1976–77 French Division 2|1976–77]] ||'''30 goals'''<br />'''24 goals'''||Gr. A: [[Delio Onnis]]<br />Gr. B: [[Albert Gemmrich]]||[[AS Monaco FC|Monaco]]<br />[[RC Strasbourg Alsace|Strasbourg]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1977–78 French Division 2|1977–78]] ||'''19 goals'''<br />'''23 goals'''<br />&nbsp;||Gr. A: ''Giudicelli''<br />Gr. B: Jean-Claude Garnier<br />Gr. B: [[Pierre-Antoine Dossevi]]||[[Olympique Alès|Alès]]<br />[[USL Dunkerque|Dunkerque]]<br />[[Tours FC|Tours]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1978–79 French Division 2|1978–79]] ||'''24 goals'''<br />'''26 goals'''||Gr. A: Antoine Trivino<br />Gr. B: Patrice Martet||[[FC Gueugnon|Gueugnon]]<br />[[Stade Brestois 29|Brest]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1979–80 French Division 2|1979–80]] ||'''16 goals'''<br />'''19 goals'''<br />&nbsp;||Gr. A: [[Alain Polaniok]]<br />Gr. A: Bernard Ferrigno<br />Gr. B: [[Jacky Vergnes]]<br />Gr. B: [[Robert Pintenat]]||[[Stade de Reims|Reims]]<br />[[Tours FC|Tours]]<br />[[Montpellier HSC|Montpellier]]<br />[[Toulouse FC|Toulouse]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1980–81 French Division 2|1980–81]] ||'''32 goals'''<br />'''22 goals'''||Gr. A: [[Robert Pintenat]]<br />Gr. B: Marcel Campagnac||[[Toulouse FC|Toulouse]]<br />Sporting Club Abbeville
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1981–82 French Division 2|1981–82]] ||'''18 goals'''<br />'''25 goals'''||Gr. A: Marc Pascal<br />Gr. B: [[Žarko Olarević]]||[[Olympique de Marseille|Marseille]]<br />[[Le Havre AC|Le Havre]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1982–83 French Division 2|1982–83]] ||'''27 goals'''<br />'''18 goals'''||Gr. A: [[Włodzimierz Lubański]]<br />Gr. B: [[Christian Dalger]]||[[Valenciennes FC|Valenciennes]]<br />[[SC Toulon|Toulon]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1983–84 French Division 2|1983–84]] ||'''23 goals'''<br />&nbsp;<br />'''22 goals'''||Gr. A: [[Mario Relmy]]<br />Gr. A: [[Boubacar Sarr]]<br />Gr. B: [[Omar da Fonseca]]||[[Limoges FC|Limoges]]<br />[[Olympique de Marseille|Marseille]]<br />[[Tours FC|Tours]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1984–85 French Division 2|1984–85]] ||'''27 goals'''<br />'''28 goals'''||Gr. A: [[John Eriksen]]<br />Gr. B: [[Jorge Domínguez (footballer)|Jorge Dominguez]]||[[FC Mulhouse|Mulhouse]]<br />[[OGC Nice|Nice]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1985–86 French Division 2|1985–86]] ||'''22 goals'''<br />'''30 goals'''||Gr. A: Jean-Marc Valadier<br />Gr. B: [[Eugène Kabongo]]||[[Montpellier HSC|Montpellier]]<br />[[Racing Club de France Football|RC Paris]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1986–87 French Division 2|1986–87]] ||'''21 goals'''<br />'''20 goals'''<br />&nbsp;||Gr. A: [[Tony Kurbos]]<br />Gr. B: Gaspard N'Gouete<br />Gr. B: Jean-Pierre Orts||[[FC Mulhouse|Mulhouse]]<br />[[SC Bastia|Bastia]]<br />[[Olympique Lyonnais|Lyon]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1987–88 French Division 2|1987–88]] ||'''21 goals'''<br />'''26 goals'''||Gr. A: [[Ray Stephen]]<br />Gr. B: Patrice Martet||[[AS Nancy Lorraine|Nancy]]<br />[[FC Rouen|Rouen]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1988–89 French Division 2|1988–89]] ||'''21 goals'''<br />&nbsp;<br />'''28 goals'''||Gr. A: [[Roberto Cabanas]]<br />Gr. A: [[Franck Priou]]<br />Gr. B: [[Robby Langers]]||[[Stade Brestois 29|Brest]]<br />[[FC Mulhouse|Mulhouse]]<br />[[US Orléans|Orléans]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1989–90 French Division 2|1989–90]] ||'''26 goals'''<br />'''21 goals'''||Gr. A: Didier Monczuk<br />Gr. B: Jean-Pierre Orts||[[RC Strasbourg Alsace|Strasbourg]]<br />[[FC Rouen|Rouen]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1990–91 French Division 2|1990–91]] ||'''23 goals'''<br />'''19 goals'''||Gr. A: Didier Monczuk<br />Gr. B: [[Christophe Lagrange]]||[[RC Strasbourg Alsace|Strasbourg]]<br />[[Angers SCO|Angers]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1991–92 French Division 2|1991–92]] ||'''22 goals'''<br />'''23 goals'''||Gr. A: Jean-Pierre Orts<br />Gr. B: Didier Monczuk||[[FC Rouen|Rouen]]<br />[[RC Strasbourg Alsace|Strasbourg]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1992–93 French Division 2|1992–93]] ||'''21 goals'''<br />'''18 goals'''||Gr. A: [[Franck Priou]]<br />Gr. B: Jean-Pierre Orts||[[AS Cannes|Cannes]]<br />[[FC Rouen|Rouen]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1993–94 French Division 2|1993–94]] ||'''27 goals'''||Yannick Le Saux||[[Stade Briochin|Saint-Brieuc]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1994–95 French Division 2|1994–95]] ||'''31 goals'''|| rowspan="2" |[[Tony Cascarino]]|| rowspan="2" |[[Olympique de Marseille|Marseille]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1995–96 French Division 2|1995–96]] ||'''30 goals'''
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1996–97 French Division 2|1996–97]] ||'''23 goals'''||[[Samuel Michel]]||[[FC Sochaux-Montbéliard|Sochaux]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1997–98 French Division 2|1997–98]] ||'''20 goals'''||[[Réginald Ray]]||[[Le Mans FC|Le Mans]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1998–99 French Division 2|1998–99]] ||'''20 goals'''||[[Hamed Modibo Diallo|Hamed Diallo]]||[[Stade Lavallois|Laval]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[1999–2000 French Division 2|1999–2000]] ||'''17 goals'''||[[Amara Traoré]]||[[FC Gueugnon|Gueugnon]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[2000–01 French Division 2|2000–01]] ||'''21 goals'''||[[Francileudo Santos]]||[[FC Sochaux-Montbéliard|Sochaux]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[2001–02 French Division 2|2001–02]] ||'''18 goals'''||[[Hamed Modibo Diallo|Hamed Diallo]]||[[Amiens SC|Amiens]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[2002–03 Ligue 2|2002–03]] ||'''20 goals'''||[[Cédric Fauré]]||[[Toulouse FC|Toulouse]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[2003–04 Ligue 2|2003–04]] ||'''17 goals'''||[[David Suarez (footballer)|David Suarez]]||[[Amiens SC|Amiens]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[2004–05 Ligue 2|2004–05]] ||'''24 goals'''||[[Bakari Koné]]||[[FC Lorient|Lorient]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[2005–06 Ligue 2|2005–06]] ||'''16 goals'''||[[Jean-Michel Lesage]] & [[Steve Savidan]]||[[Le Havre AC|Le Havre]] & [[Valenciennes FC|Valenciennes]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[2006–07 Ligue 2|2006–07]] ||'''18 goals'''||[[Jean-Michel Lesage]] & [[Kandia Traore]]||[[Le Havre AC|Le Havre]] & [[Le Havre AC|Le Havre]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[2007–08 Ligue 2|2007–08]] ||'''28 goals'''||[[Guillaume Hoarau]]||[[Le Havre AC|Le Havre]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[2008–09 Ligue 2|2008–09]] ||'''18 goals'''||[[Grégory Thil]]||[[US Boulogne|Boulogne]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[2009–10 Ligue 2|2009–10]] ||'''21 goals'''||[[Olivier Giroud]]||[[Tours FC|Tours]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[2010–11 Ligue 2|2010–11]] ||'''23 goals'''||[[Sebastián Ribas]]||[[Dijon FCO|Dijon]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[2011–12 Ligue 2|2011–12]] ||'''15 goals'''||[[Cédric Fauré]]||[[Stade de Reims|Reims]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[2012–13 Ligue 2|2012–13]] ||'''23 goals'''||[[Mustapha Yatabaré]]||[[En Avant Guingamp|Guingamp]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[2013–14 Ligue 2|2013–14]] ||'''23 goals'''||[[Andy Delort]] & [[Mathieu Duhamel]]||[[Tours FC|Tours]] & [[Stade Malherbe Caen|Caen]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[2014–15 Ligue 2|2014–15]] ||'''18 goals'''||[[Mickaël Le Bihan]]||[[Le Havre AC|Le Havre]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[2015–16 Ligue 2|2015–16]] ||'''21 goals'''||[[Famara Diedhiou]]||[[Clermont Foot|Clermont]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[2016–17 Ligue 2|2016–17]] ||'''23 goals'''||[[Adama Niane (footballer)|Adama Niane]]||[[ES Troyes AC|Troyes]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | [[2017–18 Ligue 2|2017–18]] ||'''24 goals'''||[[Umut Bozok]]||[[Nîmes Olympique|Nîmes]]
|-
|style="text-align: center;" | [[2018–19 Ligue 2|2018–19]] ||'''27 goals'''||[[Gaëtan Charbonnier]]||[[Stade Brestois 29|Brest]]
|-
|style="text-align: center;" | [[2019–20 Ligue 2|2019–20]] ||'''20 goals'''||[[Tino Kadewere]]||[[Le Havre AC|Le Havre]]
|-
|style="text-align: center;" | [[2020–21 Ligue 2|2020–21]] ||'''22 goals'''||[[Mohamed Bayo]]||[[Clermont Foot|Clermont]]
|-
|style="text-align: center;" | [[2021–22 Ligue 2|2021–22]] ||'''20 goals'''||[[Rhys Healey]]||[[Toulouse FC|Toulouse]]
|-
|style="text-align: center;" | [[2022–23 Ligue 2|2022–23]] ||'''23 goals'''||[[Georges Mikautadze]]||[[FC Metz|Metz]]
|-
|style="text-align: center;" | [[2023–24 Ligue 2|2023–24]] ||'''22 goals'''||[[Alexandre Mendy (footballer, born 1994)|Alexandre Mendy]]||[[Stade Malherbe Caen|Caen]]
|-
|style="text-align: center;" | [[2024–25 Ligue 2|2024–25]] ||'''22 goals'''||[[Eli Junior Kroupi]]||[[FC Lorient|Lorient]]
|}

== Records ==
* 5 minutes: the time it took [[Angelo Fulgini]] ([[Valenciennes FC|Valenciennes]], 2016–17 season) to score the fastest [[Hat-trick|hat trick]] in the history of Ligue 2.
* 6 times: the number of times [[Le Havre AC|Le Havre]] won the second division championship. 
* Number of points won by a team in a single season, without achieving promotion to [[Ligue 1]]: 
:::77 points (1994–95 season) or 1.833 points per game (42 games) for [[Toulouse FC|Toulouse]].
:::72 points (1995–96 season, 22 teams involved): or 1.71 points per game for [[Stade Lavallois|Laval]].
:::71 points (2018–19 season, 20 teams involved): or 1.868 points per game for [[ES Troyes AC|Troyes]].
:::70 points (2020–21 season, 20 teams involved): or 1.84 points per game for [[Toulouse FC|Toulouse]].
:::52 points (curtailed 2019–20 season, 20 teams involved) or 1.857 points per game (28 games) for [[AC Ajaccio|Ajaccio]].
* 128 goals: The number of goals scored in 40 games (a single season) by [[Angers SCO|Angers]] in 40 games, (1968–69 season).
* 55 goals: the number of goals scored in a season by [[Gerard Grizzetti]], forward playing for [[Angoulême Charente FC|Angoulême]] (1969).
* 41 seasons: Number of seasons played by [[Racing Besançon|Besançon]] and [[AS Cannes|Cannes]].
* The fastest goal in the history of Ligue 2 was scored on 26 September 2009 by [[Rémi Maréval]] against [[Nîmes Olympique|Nîmes]]. After eight seconds of play, the ball crossed the goal line of [[Nicolas Puydebois]].

==Broadcaster==
=== France ===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Duration
! Broadcaster
|-
| 2012–13 → 2023–24
| [[beIN Sports]]
|-
| 2008–09 → 2011–12
| [[Eurosport]]
|-
| 2008–09 → 2009–10
|[[Numericable]]
|-
|2020–21
|[[Téléfoot (TV channel)|Téléfoot]]
|-
|2021–22 → 2023–24
|beIN Sports (2 matches) <br> Amazon Prime Video (8 matches) <br> [[L'Equipe]] (1 match from Amazon)
|-
|2024–25 → 2028–29
|beIN Sports (all matches)
|}

=== International ===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Country
! Broadcaster
! Duration
|-
|[[Vietnam]]
| VTVCab
| 2022–23 → 2023–24 (all Pau FC matches)<ref>{{Cite web |last=VTV |first=BAO DIEN TU |date=2022-07-19 |title=VTVcab chính thức sở hữu bản quyền phát sóng các trận đấu của Quang Hải cùng Pau FC tại Ligue 2 |trans-title=VTVcab officially owns the rights to broadcast Quang Hai's matches with Pau FC in Ligue 2 |url=https://vtv.vn/news-20220719134135855.htm |access-date=2022-07-26 |website=BAO DIEN TU VTV |language=vi}}</ref>
|}

==== Middle East and North Africa ====
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! Country
! Broadcasters
|-
| '''MENA'''
|[[beIN Sports]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.beinsports.com/en-mena/football/ligue-1/articles/bein-media-group-extends-long-term-deal-for-ligue-1-ligue-2-2024-08-16 |title=beIN MEDIA GROUP extends long-term deal for Ligue 1 & Ligue 2 |website=beinsports.com |date=16 August 2024 |access-date=15 July 2025}}</ref>
|-
| '''Israel'''
| Sport5
|-
|}

==Sponsorship names==
* [[Domino's]] Ligue 2 (2016–2020)
* Ligue 2 [[Balkrishna Industries|BKT]] (2020–present)

==Notes==

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* {{official website|https://www.ligue2.fr}} {{in lang|fr}}
* {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190829112936/https://www.ligue1.com/ligue2 |date=29 August 2019 |title=Ligue1.com/ligue2 (official website)}} {{in lang|en}}
* [http://www.league321.com/france-football.html  League321.com] – French football league tables, records & statistics database.

{{Ligue 2}}
{{Football in France}}
{{UEFA second leagues}}
{{use dmy dates|date=April 2015}}

[[Category:Ligue 2| ]]
[[Category:Ligue de Football Professionnel competitions|2]]
[[Category:1933 establishments in France]]
[[Category:Second-level football leagues in Europe|France]]
[[Category:Sports leagues established in 1933]]
[[Category:Professional football leagues in France]]