🚨 Nantes relegated to Ligue 2, Lens qualify for the Champions League! | OneFootball

This time, it’s really over.

After years of flirting with the danger zone, FC Nantes have officially been relegated and will play in Ligue 2 in the 2026/27 season.

The 1-0 defeat to RC Lens on Friday night definitively buried Nantes’ hopes, as they can no longer catch Auxerre, who occupy the relegation playoff spot.

This season was a long ordeal for the Canaries, who began the campaign with Luis Castro in charge. The Portuguese coach was sacked after managing to scrape together just two small wins in 15 Ligue 1 matches.

His successor, Ahmed Kantari, did not do much better, with only six points from 10 games. In the end, club veteran Vahid Halilhodzic was called in as the firefighter on duty to finish the season.

And despite some improvement in both the team’s play and attitude, the Bosnian coach was unable to save an FC Nantes side that was simply too limited.

So, for the first time since the 2012/13 season, Nantes will be back in Ligue 2. The last time they went down, Nantes spent four years in the second division before returning to the top flight.

For their part, RC Lens have officially secured their place on the Ligue 1 podium with these three points!

Les Sang et Or are therefore guaranteed to play in the Champions League next season and move provisionally to within three points of PSG, who host Brest on Sunday night.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.

📸 FRANCOIS LO PRESTI - AFP or licensors