Championnat National

The French Football Federation (FFF) has officially announced the launch of the fully professional "Ligue 3" for the upcoming 2026-2027 season, permanently replacing the current third-tier Championnat National. This historic move marks the first time the FFF will directly organize a professional men's league.

As part of this major restructuring of the French football pyramid, the lower divisions will also be renamed for better clarity: the current National 2 will become National 1, and National 3 will shift to National 2. The newly formed 18-team Ligue 3 aims to bring greater financial stability, technological innovation such as a coaches' video challenge system, and increased exposure to the division, with all 309 matches set to be broadcast exclusively on the Ligue 1+ platform.

To mark this monumental transition, the FFF has also introduced a completely new visual identity for the competition. The rebranding is centered around a modern logo that combines the rectangular shape of a football pitch with the tiered structure of a stadium grandstand. This design visually embodies the league's new official slogan, "Terrain de rencontres" (Meeting Ground), aiming to highlight the intersection of professional ambition and popular, locally rooted football.