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The 2023-24 Championnat National 3 is the seventh season of the fifth tier in the French football league system in its current format. For this season only, the competition is contested by 154 clubs split geographically across 11 groups of 14 teams. The teams include amateur clubs (although a few are semi-professional) and the reserve teams of professional clubs. The competition starts on 27 August 2023 and is scheduled to end on 19 May 2024.

Teams

On 13 July 2023, the FFF ratified the constitution of the competition, and published the groups, although there were still some issues to be resolved at the time of publishing.

Changes from the 2022–23 season were as follows:

Teams joining the division

• Évreux, Rennes (res), Vannes, SM Caen (res), Chartres, Reims (res), Sainte-Geneviève, Metz (res), Belfort, Saint-Maur, Sète, Saint-Priest, Lyon (res), Canet Roussillon, Louhans-Cuiseaux, Vierzon, Moulins Yzeure, Stade Bordelais and Nantes (res) finished in relegation positions in 2022–23 Championnat National 2
• Lyon La Duchère were administratively relegated by the DNCG from 2022–23 Championnat National 2.
• 36 teams gained promotion from the various Régional 1 leagues.

1. Originally, ES Saint-Zacharie were promoted, however they were given a points deduction by the league after the end of the season.
2. Originally Redon.

Teams leaving the division

• Libourne, La Roche, Avoine Chinon, Cannes, Mâcon, Biesheim, Feignies Aulnoye, Vire, Dinan Léhon, Aubervilliers and Bourgoin-Jallieu were champions of each group, and were promoted to 2023–24 Championnat National 2. Béziers finished top of their group, but were denied promotion by the DNCG, and failed to appeal successfully. Toulouse (res) were promoted as runners-up.
• Mont-de-Marsan, Guéret, Neuville, Portes Entre-Deux-Mers, Pouzauges, Changé, Beaucouzé, La Roche-sur-Yon,Le Mans (res), Montargis, Dreux, Chartres (res), Saint-Jean-le-Blanc, Marignane GCB (res), Nice (res), Carnoux, Quetigny, Montceau, Saint-Apollinaire, Grandvillars, Morteau-Montlebon, Jarville, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, Champigneulles, Épernay, Schiltigheim, Bagnols Pont, Union Saint-Jean, Balma, Rodez (res), Aigues-Mortes, Longueau, Lambres-lez-Douai, AC Amiens, Amiens SC (res), Maubeuge, Mont-Gaillard, Grand-Quevilly, Avranches (res), Gonfreville, US Montagnarde, Dol-de-Bretagne, Brest (res), Cesson, Le Mée, Blanc-Mesnil, Paris Saint-Germain (res), Paris FC (res) and Les Ulis, Montluçon, Lyon La Duchère (res), Aix-les-Bains and Domérat finished in the relegation zones and were relegated to Régional 1 for the 2023–24 season.
• Cherbourg were excluded from National competitions by the Ligue de Normandie, and will be relegated to Régional 1.
• Gazélec Ajaccio were placed into liquidation in January 2023, which resulted in their removal from the league and annulment of all their results.

AS Béziers

Having been denied promotion, Béziers were placed in Group A when the groups were announced. Subsequently, on 20 July 2023, the DNCG announced Béziers would be downgraded to Régional 1 for financial irregularities. An appeal followed, which was confirmed as unsuccessful on 31 July 2023. Because the decision came after the constitution of the competition was ratified, no team will be reprieved and Group A will take place with 13 teams.

Stade Pontivyen and Redon

Although declared as part of the division as champions of their Régional 1 group, Redon were eventually denied their promotion on 25 August 2023, one day before the start of the season, after a protracted legal battle, with Stade Pontivyen being promoted in their place.

Promotion and relegation

If eligible, the top team in each group is promoted to Championnat National 2. If a team finishing top of the group is ineligible, or declines promotion, the next eligible team in that group is promoted.

This season a total of 37 teams will be relegated to Régional 1, as a result of the restructuring of the French leagues. This will result in teams finishing in the bottom three places being relegated, along with the four worst eleventh-placed clubs, calculated from results against the teams placed 5th to 10th in their group.

Reserve teams whose training centres are categorised as category 2B or lower cannot be promoted to Championnat National 2 by the rules of the competition.

League tables

Group A

Group B

1. The match between Colomiers and Pau (res) on 25 August 2023, which ended 2–0, was subject to a technical challenge. On review, it was found Colomiers had fielded two suspended players. Pau (res) were awarded the match 3–0 and Colomiers were penalised with the deduction of a point.

Group C

1. The match between Poitiers and Tours on 21 October 2023 was abandoned after 83 minutes, with the score 2–1, after incidents in the stands. On 14 December 2023, the disciplinary committee of the FFF awarded the match to Poitiers. On 18 February 2024 it was published that Tours' appeal was unsuccessful. Poitiers were awarded the match 3–0 and Tours were penalised with the deduction of a point.
2. The match between Panazol and Ouest Tourangeau on 27 August 2023, which ended 3–1, was subject to a technical challenge. On review, it was found Panazol had fielded an ineligible player. Ouest Tourangeau were awarded the match 3–0 and Panazol were penalised with the deduction of a point.

Group D

Group E

Group F

Group G

Group H

1. The match between Sainte-Geneviève and Ivry on 3 February 2024 was abandoned in stoppage time after Sainte-Geneviève were awarded a goal by the referee. Ivry protested that the ball had not entered the goal, and did not restart the match. The referee eventually blew the whistle to stop the game and Ivry placed a technical challenge. On 14 February 2024 it was published that the FFF had penalised Ivry, awarded the match to Sainte-Geneviève by the scoreline of 3–0, and deducted a point from Ivry.
2. The match between FC Balagne and Orléans (res) on 21 October 2023 did not take place, due to Orléans (res) not having booked plane tickets to Corsica. On 9 November 2023, it was published that the FFF had declared the match forfeit by Orléans, and awarded the tie to Balagne by the standard forfeit scoreline of 3–0, penalising Orléans (res) by deducting a point.

   Orléans (res) were penalised in another match, against Montrouge, after the game which was scheduled for 13 January 2024 had to be postponed due to faulty floodlights, and lack of staff to repair them. The match was awarded to Montrouge by the scoreline of 0–3 and Orléans (res) were deducted another penalty point.

Group I

Group J

Group K

References

1. "N1, N2, N3, Coupe de France : découvrez le calendrier 2023-2024" (in French). Foot Amateur. 23 January 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
2. "National 3. Les groupes pour la saison 2023-2024" (in French). Foot Amateur. 13 July 2023.
3. "DNCG. Lyon La Duchère rétrogradé en National 3 !" (in French). Foot Amateur. 13 June 2023.
4. "On connaît les 36 clubs promus de Régional 1 en National 3" (in French). Foot Amateur. 11 June 2023.
5. "L'ES Fos promue en National 3 à la place de l'ES Saint-Zacharie" (in French). Foot Amateur. 14 June 2023.
6. "DNCG. Nancy relégué en N3, Béziers interdit d'accession" (in French). Foot Amateur. 27 June 2023.
7. "Appel DNCG. Sochaux en National, Nancy en National 2" (in French). Foot Amateur. 11 July 2023.
8. "L'AS Cherbourg exclue des championnat nationaux !" (in French). Foot Amateur. 20 June 2023.
9. "En liquidation judiciaire, le Gazelec Ajaccio ne finira pas la saison" (in French). footamateur.fr. 23 January 2023.
10. "Placé en liquidation judiciaire, c'est fini pour le Gazelec Ajaccio !" (in French). footamateur.fr. 30 January 2023.
11. "DNCG. L'AS Béziers est rétrogradé en Régional 1 !" (in French). Foot Amateur. 20 July 2023.
12. "DNCG. La rétrogradation de l'AS Béziers confirmée en appel" (in French). Foot Amateur. 31 July 2023.
13. "Football : Le Stade Pontivyen jouera cette saison en National 3, au grand dam du FCAV de Redon" (in French). francetvinfo.fr. 25 August 2023.
14. "National 3. Montées, descentes : la réforme du championnat en détail" (in French). footamateur.fr. 10 May 2022.
15. "National 3. Le point sur les descentes de la saison 2023-2024" (in French). Foot Amateur. 20 June 2023.
16. "Colomiers perd sa première journée face au Pau FC sur Tapis Vert" (in French). foot-national.com. 8 September 2023.
17. "National 3 M : match perdu confirmé à Poitiers pour le Tours FC" (in French). La Nouvelle République. 18 February 2024.
18. "National 3 : l'AS Panazol s'impose au bout du suspense" (in French). Le Populaire. 10 September 2023.
19. "Trou dans les filets ou tir à côté ? En N3, un vrai-faux but sème la discorde entre Sainte-Geneviève et Ivry" (in French). Le Parisien. 7 February 2024.
20. "National 3. Sainte-Geneviève gagne par pénalité contre Ivry" (in French). footamateur. 14 February 2024.
21. "National 3. Victoire sur tapis vert pour Balagne face à l'US Orléans B" (in French). Foot Amateur. 9 November 2023.
22. "National 3. Match perdu par pénalité pour Orléans contre Montrouge" (in French). Foot Amateur. 1 February 2024.

• Championnat National 3 seasons
• 2023–24 in French football
• 2023–24 in European fifth tier association football leagues