LFFP: a Seconde Ligue with 11 clubs in 2024-25, following the exclusion of FC Girondins de Bordeaux

"Following the decision by the French Football Federation's DNCG to exclude FC Girondins de Bordeaux from national women's competitions, the club has not appealed. The Seconde Ligue women's championship, the first matchday of which took place on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15/09/2024, is therefore being run with 11 teams (compared with 12 initially), in accordance with the regulations in force," stated the Ligue Féminine de Football Professionnel (LFFP) on 16/09/2024.

This announcement comes 11 days after the DNCG ruled that FC Girondins de Bordeaux's first team in the Seconde Ligue for the 2024-25 season and U19 team, who were due to take part in Group D of the national women's youth championship, should be excluded from "women's national competitions".

According to local press, the regulator's sanction was justified by the not yet finalised sale of the club's women's team to the English investment fund Sphera Partners. Sphera Partners had entered into negotiations to take over Girondins' women's structure after the club was declared bankrupt at the end of July 2024, meaning that FCGB…