2015–16 Ligue 2

Ligue 2
Season 2015–16
Champions Nancy
Promoted Nancy
Dijon
Metz
Relegated Évian
Créteil
Paris
Matches played 380
Goals scored 875 (2.3 per match)
Top goalscorer Famara Diedhiou (Clermont) (21 goals)
Longest winning run 6 games
Dijon
Longest unbeaten run 15 games
Dijon
Longest winless run 28 games
Paris
Longest losing run 5 games
Évian
Highest attendance 36,254
Lens - Valenciennes
Average attendance 7,118
2016–17 →

The 2015–16 Ligue 2 season was the 77th season since its establishment.

Teams

There are 20 clubs in the league, with three promoted teams from Championnat National replacing the three teams that were relegated to the same level, and three relegated teams from Ligue 1 replacing the three teams that were promoted to the same level. All clubs that secured Ligue 2 status for the season were subject to approval by the DNCG before becoming eligible to participate.

The first team to officially join the division for the 2015–16 was Lens, who were relegated from Ligue 1 on 2 May 2015 as results on the day went against them. They were joined a week later by Metz, after a 4–0 home defeat against Lorient. The last relegated club were Evian after a 2-1 defeat on 16 May 2015.

Red Star were the first team promoted from National, after a 4–0 victory against Istres on 8 May 2015, marking their return to the professional levels after sixteen years in the amateur leagues. Paris FC and Bourg-Péronnas only gained the right to promote on the last day of the season, when Paris FC drew 0–0 against CA Bastia and Bourg-Péronnas won 1–0 against Boulogne.

Only 2 teams were planned to be promoted and relegated this season but the decision was later overturned by an appeal to the Conseil d'État and the French Football Federation.

Stadia and locations

Club Location Venue Capacity
Ajaccio Ajaccio Stade François Coty 10,660
Auxerre Auxerre Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps 21,379
Bourg-en-Bresse Bourg-en-Bresse Stade Marcel-Verchère1 11,400
Brest Brest Stade Francis-Le Blé 15,097
Clermont Foot Clermont-Ferrand Stade Gabriel Montpied 11,980
Créteil Créteil Stade Dominique Duvauchelle 12,050
Dijon Dijon Stade Gaston Gérard 16,098
Évian Annecy Parc des Sports 15,660
Laval Laval Stade Francis Le Basser 18,607
Le Havre Le Havre Stade Océane 25,000
Lens Lens Stade Bollaert-Delelis 35,000
Metz Metz Stade Saint-Symphorien 24,500
Nancy Tomblaine Stade Marcel Picot 20,087
Nîmes Nîmes Stade des Costières 18,482
Niort Niort Stade René Gaillard 10,886
Paris Paris Stade Sébastien Charléty 20,000
Red Star Saint-Ouen Stade Pierre Brisson2 10,178
Sochaux Montbéliard Stade Auguste Bonal 20,000
Tours Tours Stade de la Vallée du Cher 16,247
Valenciennes Valenciennes Stade du Hainaut 25,172

Personnel and kits

Team Manager1 Captain1 Kit Manufacturer1 Main Sponsor1
Ajaccio Olivier Pantaloni Johan Cavalli Macron Suite Home
Auxerre Jean-Luc Vannuchi Sébastien Puygrenier Airness Remarques LOUALT,Vitrans
Bourg-en-Bresse Hervé Della Maggiore Yannick Goyon adidas BestDrive
Brest Alex Dupont Bruno Grougi Nike Quéguiner
Clermont Corinne Diacre Cédric Avinel Patrick Crédit Mutuel
Créteil Laurent Roussey Jean-Michel Lesage adidas SFB Béton,Holcim
Dijon Olivier Dall'Oglio Cédric Varrault Kappa DVF, Doras,IPS
Evian Romain Revelli Olivier Sorlin Kappa MSC Croisières
Laval Denis Zanko Anthony Gonçalves Kappa Lactel
Le Havre Bob Bradley Yohann Rivière Nike Api
Lens Antoine Kombouaré Pablo Chavarría Umbro Azerbaijan: Land of Fire
Metz Philippe Hinschberger Kevin Lejeune Nike Moselle|
Nancy Pablo Correa Youssouf Hadji Nike Dane Elec
Nîmes Bernard Blaquart Toifilou Maoulida Erreà Marie Blachère
Niort Denis Renaud Jimmy Roye Puma Restaurant Le Billon (home), Cheminées Poujoulat (away)
Paris Jean-Luc Vasseur Hervé Libohy Nike Vinci
Red Star Rui Almeida Vincent Planté adidas
Sochaux Albert Cartier Matheus Vivian Lotto Peugeot
Tours Marco Simone Bryan Bergougnoux Nike Corsicatours
Valenciennes Faruk Hadžibegić Yunis Abdelhamid Uhlsport GDE Recyclage

1Subject to change during the season.

Managerial changes

Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming manager Date of appointment
Paris FC Christophe Taine Mutual consent 4 June 2015 Pre-season Denis Renaud 5 June 2015
Red Star Sébastien Robert 6 June 2015 Rui Almeida 12 June 2015
FC Metz Albert Cartier 16 June 2015 José Riga 16 June 2015
Tours Gilbert Zoonekynd 25 June 2015 Marco Simone 25 June 2015
Evian Pascal Dupraz 11 July 2015 Safet Sušić 11 July 2015
Sochaux Olivier Echouafni Sacked 12 September 2015 18th Albert Cartier 3 October 2015
Le Havre AC Thierry Goudet Sacked 28 September 2015 15th Bob Bradley 10 November 2015
Nîmes José Pasqualetti Resigned 21 November 2015 20th Bernard Blaquart 1 December 2015
Paris FC Denis Renaud Sacked 28 November 2015 18th Jean-Luc Vasseur 29 November 2015
Créteil Thierry Froger Sacked 9 December 2015 14th Laurent Roussey 9 December 2015
FC Metz José Riga Mutual consent 23 December 2015 6th Philippe Hinschberger 24 December 2015
Valenciennes David Le Frapper Sacked 28 December 2015 17th Faruk Hadžibegić 15 January 2016
Evian Safet Sušić Sacked 11 January 2016 13th Romain Revelli 11 January 2016
Niort Régis Brouard Sacked 29 February 2016 17th Denis Renaud 9 May 2016

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or Relegation
1 Nancy (C, P) 38 21 11 6 60 32 +28 74 Promotion to Ligue 1
2 Dijon (P) 38 20 10 8 62 36 +26 70
3 Metz (P) 38 19 8 11 54 39 +15 65
4 Le Havre 38 19 8 11 52 37 +15 65
5 Red Star 38 18 10 10 43 38 +5 64
6 Lens 38 15 13 10 39 35 +4 58
7 Clermont Foot 38 16 10 12 56 53 +3 58
8 Auxerre 38 15 10 13 47 46 +1 55
9 Tours 38 11 14 13 36 41 −5 47
10 Brest 38 12 11 15 34 41 −7 47
11 Bourg-en-Bresse 38 13 8 17 47 59 −12 47
12 Valenciennes 38 10 14 14 39 43 −4 44
13 Laval 38 9 17 12 35 42 −7 44
14 Nîmes 38 13 12 13 50 52 −2 43
15 Sochaux 38 9 15 14 34 36 −2 42
16 Niort 38 8 18 12 38 45 −7 42
17 Ajaccio 38 9 15 14 34 42 −8 42
18 Evian (R, D) 38 9 12 17 41 41 0 39 Demotion to Division d'Honneur Régionale
19 Créteil (R) 38 8 10 20 42 66 −24 34 Relegation to Championnat National
20 Paris FC (R) 38 4 18 16 32 51 −19 30
Source: Ligue 2
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) head-to-head goal difference; 5) fair play points
(C) Champions; (D) Disqualified; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. Nîmes was docked 8 points for match fixing in the 2013–14 season.
  2. Evian was demoted due to financial difficulties.

Results

Home \ Away ACA AUX BPE BRE CLE CRE DIJ ETG LAV HAC LEN MET NAL NIM NIO PFC RS SOC TOU VAL
Ajaccio — 1–0 2–0 2–1 3–1 3–0 0–0 1–1 0–0 1–1 1–1 0–1 2–1 2–0 2–0 0–0 1–2 0–2 1–2 1–1
Auxerre 0–0 — 1–2 0–0 1–0 3–1 2–0 3–1 2–3 1–3 1–2 4–0 2–2 1–0 1–1 2–0 0–1 2–1 2–1 1–1
Bourg-en-Bresse 3–0 1–1 — 3–1 1–2 5–1 2–1 0–2 0–0 1–3 2–1 0–3 2–0 4–2 2–1 4–1 0–1 2–1 0–2 0–0
Brest 1–0 0–0 2–1 — 1–2 2–1 0–0 0–2 0–0 0–0 2–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–0 0–1 1–0 3–0 1–2
Clermont Foot 2–1 1–2 3–2 2–0 — 1–0 2–3 4–1 4–1 2–1 2–2 2–1 1–2 1–0 2–1 1–1 0–2 0–0 0–1 2–0
Créteil 2–2 1–0 2–1 0–2 0–3 — 0–1 0–0 0–0 2–1 1–1 1–2 0–3 1–2 2–3 0–0 2–4 1–1 2–2 0–1
Dijon 2–0 0–0 3–0 3–1 4–1 4–1 — 1–3 2–0 2–1 2–0 0–4 0–0 0–1 3–0 3–0 0–0 2–2 3–0 1–0
Evian Thonon Gaillard 0–2 4–0 1–1 0–2 2–2 1–2 1–2 — 0–0 1–1 2–1 0–1 0–1 4–1 0–0 1–0 0–1 0–0 0–0 4–0
Laval 0–0 4–1 1–3 2–0 1–1 3–2 2–2 2–1 — 0–1 1–1 0–1 0–1 3–2 0–0 3–1 2–1 1–2 1–1 0–3
Le Havre 1–0 1–0 5–0 0–0 0–1 1–0 0–2 3–2 2–0 — 2–0 1–1 1–3 3–1 0–0 2–1 0–2 2–1 2–0 3–2
Lens 2–0 3–0 2–0 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–0 1–1 0–4 — 1–0 1–0 1–0 1–1 0–1 1–1 1–0 1–1 0–1
Metz 3–2 0–1 5–0 2–2 2–2 2–1 1–2 2–1 1–0 0–1 0–0 — 0–0 1–2 2–0 2–1 2–0 1–0 2–1 2–0
Nancy 3–0 0–1 3–1 3–0 3–1 1–0 3–1 1–0 1–0 3–1 1–0 2–2 — 3–4 1–1 3–2 2–0 1–0 0–0 1–0
Nîmes 0–0 2–1 1–1 2–0 6–2 1–3 1–1 0–0 1–1 2–2 4–2 2–1 2–2 — 1–0 1–1 1–1 0–2 2–1 2–0
Niort 3–1 2–3 0–0 1–2 1–1 4–2 2–2 0–3 0–1 0–0 0–1 1–1 0–0 1–0 — 2–1 0–0 1–1 0–0 0–1
Paris 0–0 2–2 2–0 1–1 0–0 2–2 0–3 0–0 1–1 3–0 0–1 1–2 1–1 0–0 1–1 — 0–1 0–0 1–3 1–4
Red Star 1–1 0–2 1–0 1–0 2–1 0–1 3–2 2–2 2–0 2–1 1–2 3–1 0–1 1–0 0–2 2–4 — 0–0 1–1 1–5
Sochaux 3–0 2–3 1–1 2–1 2–0 0–3 0–1 1–0 0–0 1–0 0–0 0–1 2–2 0–0 2–3 1–1 1–2 — 0–0 1–0
Tours 1–1 3–1 0–1 2–1 1–1 1–2 1–0 2–1 1–1 0–1 0–1 2–0 2–5 1–2 1–2 0–0 0–0 1–0 — 1–0
Valenciennes 1–1 0–0 1–1 0–1 1–2 2–2 1–3 1–0 0–0 0–1 0–1 2–1 1–0 2–2 3–3 1–1 0–0 2–2 0–0 —
Source: Ligue 2
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
For upcoming matches, an "a" indicates there is an article about the rivalry between the two participants.

Season statistics