2016–17 Ligue 2
The 2016–17 Ligue 2 season is the 78th season since its establishment. The fixtures were announced on 6 June 2016.
Teams
There are 20 teams in the league, with three promoted teams from Championnat National replacing the three teams that were relegated from Ligue 2 following the 2015–16 season. All clubs that secured Ligue 2 status for the season were subject to approval by the DNCG before becoming eligible to participate.As of 30 May 2016, the following teams have mathematically achieved qualification for the 2016–17 season. They are listed below in alphabetical order.
- Ajaccio
- Amiens
- Auxerre
- Football [Bourg-en-Bresse Péronnas 01|Bourg-en-Bresse]
- Brest
- Clermont
- Gazélec Ajaccio
- Laval
- Le Havre
- Lens
- Nîmes
- Niort
- Orléans
- Red Star
- Reims
- Sochaux
- RC [Strasbourg Alsace|Strasbourg]
- Tours
- Troyes
- Valenciennes
Title & Promotion run
Going into the final day of the season, 6 teams had a chance of getting promoted and winning the title. Strasbourg, Brest, Troyes, Lens, Nîmes and Amiens all had a chance at winning the league and gaining promotion.Title run-in
All matches were at the same time. The matches were Strasbourg v. Bourg Péronnas, Reims v. Amiens, Nimes v. Laval, Lens v. Niort, Brest v. GFC Ajaccio and Troyes v. Sochaux.The teams last season in Ligue 1
Strasbourg last played in the 2008, Nimes in 1993, Lens in 2015, ESTAC Troyes in 2016 and Brest in 2013. Amiens is still the only team of the five others who never completes the top-tier.First Half
scored the first goal thanks to Kermit Erasmus against Niort in the 7th minute and climb to the first place. Later, Aboubakar Kamara opened the scoring for Amiens in the 9th minute and took the first place to Lens, Cristian Lopez scored the 2–0 lead for Lens in the 15th minute. At the same time, Kader Mangane opened the scoring for Strasbourg and climb to the first place they will keep permanently. On the 18th minute, an own goal of Bourg-en-Bresse defender Kévin Hoggas will granting a 2–0 lead for the Alsacian club. On 23rd and 40th minutes respectively, Florent Ogier and Florian Tardieu scored goals against Troyes. Earlier, Brest scored three goals in the span of six minutes, which dropped Troyes to fifth place. Yoane Wissa scored for Laval to make it 1-0.Second Half
On the 52nd minute, Olivier Kemen scored for GFC Ajaccio. Sada Thioub scored the equalizer-goal for Reims in the 57th minute. One minute later, Andé Dona Ndoh reduced the score for Niort via a penalty. Two minutes later, Stéphane Darbion reduced the score for Troyes. Two minutes later, Diego Rigonato scored the equalizer-goal for Reims and dropped Amiens to the fourth place, granting a promotion play-off. Habib Diallo scored earlier for Brest following by a goal of Cristian Battocchio in the 72nd minute. Cristian Battocchio scored two goals in the 72nd and 85th minutes respectively. Benjamin Nivet scored the equalizer goal in the 77th minute. On the 87th minute, Téji Tedy Savanier scored the winning goal for Nimes, but Samuel Grandsir scored a vital goal for Troyes that could secure promotion and dropped Lens to promotion play-off. Cristian López scored another goal to Lens in the stoppage time.Last seconds table
But a dramatical last-minute goal thanks to Amiens striker, Emmanuel Bourgaud in the last minute of the injury time grants Amiens to climb in the second place and earning their first Ligue 1 season ever, it forced Troyes to completes the promotion play-off against Lorient and Lens a fourth place, and a remaining in the second-tier.Outcome
After the final matchday, Strasbourg won the title and were promoted alongside Amiens and later, Troyes joined them by beating Lorient. They replaced the latter, Nancy Lorraine">AS Nancy Lorraine">Nancy Lorraine & SC Bastia, but SC Bastia themselves got demoted to the newly renamed National 3">2015–16 Championnat National">National 3 after getting relegated to the Championnat National originally because their finances weren’t high enough.Reviews
It was the closest title race ever according to a FourFourTwo website.Aftermath
On 2023, French channel Remontada uploaded a video about that title race. They also highlighted the winning goal.Team changes
To Ligue 2
Promoted from NationalRelegated from Ligue 1
From Ligue 2
Relegated to NationalPromoted to Ligue 1
Stadia and locations
| Club | Location | Venue | Capacity |
| Ajaccio | Stade François Coty | 10,660 | |
| Amiens | Stade de la Licorne | 12,097 | |
| Auxerre | Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps | 21,379 | |
| Bourg-en-Bresse | Stade Marcel-Verchère | 11,400 | |
| Brest | Stade Francis-Le Blé | 15,097 | |
| Clermont-Ferrand | Stade Gabriel Montpied | 11,980 | |
| Ajaccio | Stade Ange Casanova | 6,000 | |
| Laval | Stade Francis Le Basser | 18,607 | |
| Le Havre | Stade Océane | 25,000 | |
| Lens | Stade Bollaert-Delelis | 38,223 | |
| Nîmes | Stade des Costières | 18,482 | |
| Niort | Stade René Gaillard | 10,886 | |
| Orléans | Stade de la Source | 7,000 | |
| Saint-Ouen | Stade Jean-Bouin 1 | 20,000 | |
| Reims | Stade Auguste Delaune | 21,684 | |
| Montbéliard | Stade Auguste Bonal | 20,000 | |
| Strasbourg | Stade de la Meinau | 29,230 | |
| Tours | Stade de la Vallée du Cher | 16,247 | |
| Troyes | Stade de l'Aube | 21,684 | |
| Valenciennes | Stade du Hainaut | 25,172 |
Personnel and kits
1Subject to change during the season.League table
Top scorers
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 |  Play-offsThe 2016–17 season will see the return of a relegation play-off between the 18th placed Ligue 1 team and the 3rd placed team in the Ligue 2 in a two-legged confrontation. The Ligue 2 team will host the first game. Another relegation play-off involves the 18th placed Ligue 2 team and the 3rd placed National team also in two legs.---- ''Orléans won 2–0 on aggregate.'' Attendances
Source: |