The Championnat National U17 is the highest tier of under-17 football in France.[1] Organized by the French Football Federation, it is contested by 84 clubs that are split into 6 groups.
 | |
| Organising body | French Football Federation (FFF) |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1990 (officially) 2009 (as Championnat National U17) |
| Country | France (83 teams) |
| Other club(s) from | Monaco (1 team) |
| Level on pyramid | 1 (of under-17 age group) |
| Relegation to | Regional leagues |
| Current champions | Amiens (1st title) (2023–24) |
| Most championships | Lyon (4 titles) |
| Website | Championnat National U17 |
History
In 2009, the Championnat National 16 ans was renamed the Championnat National U17.[2][3] A under-15 (moins de 15 ans) league existed from 1990 to 1999, and a 15 ans league from 1999 to 2002.[4] The Championnat National U17 became the continuation for these competitions.[5]
| Period | Name of the competition | Age category |
|---|---|---|
| 1990–1996 | Championnat National des moins de 15 ans | Players turning 16 on or after 1 August of the year the competition ends |
| 1996–1999 | Players turning 16 on or after 1 January of the year the competition ends | |
| 1999–2002 | Championnat National des 15 ans | |
| 2002–2009 | Championnat National 16 ans | Players turning 17 on or after 1 January of the year the competition ends |
| 2009–present | Championnat National U17 |
Format
The Championnat National U17 is an annual competition that is contested by 84 clubs, with 83 coming from France and 1 from Monaco. The teams are distributed into 6 geographically-determined groups of 14 teams. A season starts in the end of summer and ends the following the spring. In the league phase, each team plays each other twice (home and away) in their respective groups for a total of 26 matches played per team. Afterwards, the 6 first-place teams in addition to the 2 best second-place teams face off in a play-off phase. The winner of the final is crowned French under-17 champion.[6]
Clubs
2023–24 season
For the 2023–24 season, 84 clubs participate in the Championnat National U17.[7]
| Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D | Group E | Group F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amiens | Bastia | Andrézieux | SC Air Bel | Balma | Angers |
| Blois | Borgo | Annecy | AC Ajaccio | Bordeaux | Avranches |
| Caen | Cambrai | Auxerre | Gazélec Ajaccio | Canet Roussillon | Brest |
| Châteauroux | Drancy | Racing Besançon | Clermont | Castelnau Le Crès | Carquefou |
| Laval | Épernay | Bourg-en-Bresse | Lyon | Istres | Cholet |
| Le Havre | Lens | Dijon | Lyon La Duchère | Marmande | Guingamp |
| Le Mans | Lesquin | FC Lyon | ASPTT Marseille | Marseille | La Roche |
| Mantes | Lille | Metz | Monaco | Mérignac | Lorient |
| Montrouge FC 92 | FC Montfermeil | Nancy | Nice | Montpellier | Nantes |
| Orléans | Paris 13 Atletico | Sochaux | Cavigal Nice | Rodez | Niort |
| Paris FC | Red Star | Strasbourg | Nîmes | Olympique Rovenain | Rennes |
| Paris Saint-Germain | Reims | Torcy | Saint-Étienne | Entente St Clément Montferrier | TA Rennes |
| Quevilly-Rouen | AAS Sarcelles | Troyes | Saint-Priest | Toulouse | ES Saintes |
| Versailles | Valenciennes | Villefranche | Valence | UJS Toulouse | Vertou |
Performances by club
Lyon have won the most titles, with four. The title was not awarded for the 2019–20 and 2020–21 seasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and no competition was held for the 1994–95 season.[5]
| Team | Winners | Years won |
|---|---|---|
| Lyon | 4 | 1993–94, 1999–2000, 2003–04, 2013–14 |
| Auxerre | 3 | 1990–91, 1995–96, 2002–03 |
| Paris Saint-Germain | 3 | 2010–11, 2015–16, 2016–17 |
| Marseille | 3 | 2007–08, 2008–09, 2022–23 |
| Le Havre | 2 | 1991–92, 1997–98 |
| Metz | 2 | 2004–05, 2006–07 |
| Nantes | 2 | 2005–06, 2018–19 |
| Cannes | 1 | 1992–93 |
| Lille | 1 | 1996–97 |
| Bordeaux | 1 | 1998–99 |
| INF Clairefontaine | 1 | 2000–01 |
| Bastia | 1 | 2001–02 |
| Sochaux | 1 | 2009–10 |
| Lens | 1 | 2011–12 |
| Saint-Étienne | 1 | 2012–13 |
| Lorient | 1 | 2014–15 |
| Rennes | 1 | 2017–18 |
| Toulouse | 1 | 2021–22 |
| Amiens | 1 | 2023–24 |