The Ligue 1 relegation/promotion playoffs, known in French as the Barrages (),[1] is an annual play-off fixture in French football contested by the 16th-placed team in Ligue 1 and the winner of the Ligue 2 promotion play-offs. It takes place after the completion of the regular season and is administered by Ligue de Football Professionnel. Play-offs are a two-legged tie and the winner is decided by aggregate score. Play-offs were originally introduced in the 2015–16 season[2] but due to legal issues it was adopted in the 2016–17 season, even though similar play-offs were played until 1993 when Ligue 1 was named Division 1.[3] [4] The first leg of play-offs are played on the home ground of the Ligue 2 club with the return leg at the home of the Ligue 1 club.[5] [6]
The 2016–17 season saw the return of the Ligue 1 relegation/promotion play-offs between the 18th placed Ligue 1 team, Lorient, and the 3rd placed Ligue 2 team, Troyes, on a two-legged confrontation.
1st leg2nd leg
Troyes won 2–1 on aggregate and were promoted to the 2017–18 Ligue 1; Lorient were relegated to the 2017–18 Ligue 2.
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The 2017–18 season ended with a relegation play-off between the 18th-placed Ligue 1 team, Toulouse, and the 3rd placed Ligue 2 team, Ajaccio, on a two-legged confrontation.
1st leg
2nd leg
Toulouse won 4–0 on aggregate and therefore both clubs remained in their respective leagues.
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The 2018–19 season ended with a relegation play-off between the 18th-placed Ligue 1 team, Dijon, and the 3rd placed Ligue 2 team, Lens, on a two-legged confrontation.
1st leg
2nd leg
Dijon won 4–2 on aggregate and therefore both clubs remained in their respective leagues.
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The leagues were suspended in March 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic in France. No playoffs were played. The teams in the play-off positions at the time of suspension (Nîmes from Ligue 1 and Ajaccio from Ligue 2) remained in their respective leagues.
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The 2020–21 season ended with a relegation play-off between the 18th-placed Ligue 1 team, Nantes, and the winner of the semi-final of the Ligue 2 play-off, Toulouse, on a two-legged confrontation.
1st leg
2nd leg
2–2 on aggregate. Nantes won on away goals and therefore both clubs remained in their respective leagues.
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The 2021–22 season ended with a relegation play-off between the 18th-placed Ligue 1 team, Saint-Étienne, and the winner of the semi-final of the Ligue 2 play-off, Auxerre, on a two-legged confrontation.
1st leg
2nd leg
2–2 on aggregate. Auxerre won 5–4 on penalties and were promoted to the 2022–23 Ligue 1; Saint-Étienne were relegated to the 2022–23 Ligue 2.
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No playoffs took place in 2022–23 due to the restructuring of the French football pyramid. 4 teams were relegated from Ligue 1 while only 2 were promoted from Ligue 2.
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The 2023–24 season ended with a relegation play-off between the 16th-placed Ligue 1 team, Metz, and the winner of the semi-final of the Ligue 2 play-off, Saint-Étienne, on a two-legged confrontation.
1st leg
2nd leg
Saint-Étienne won 4–3 on aggregate and were promoted to the 2024–25 Ligue 1; Metz were relegated to the 2024–25 Ligue 2.