Fédérale 3 is the seventh division of rugby union in France. The competition involves 160 clubs that are divided into 16 pools of 10. 16 teams earn promotion to the higher division of competition, Fédérale 2. Above the Fédérale divisions are the Nationale leagues, Nationale and Nationale 2. The two highest professional leagues are, Pro D2 and Top 14, which is the highest of the two.

History For a long time, the championship constituted the 3rd tier of rugby union in France, the last national championship before regional competitions. With the various reforms due to professionalisation at the end of the 1990s (the 1st division decreased from 40 teams in 1990 to 16 teams in 2001) various intermediate levels called Nationale 1 and 2, then Fédérale 1 and 2 pushed the championship to the 7th tier.

The competition has had different names and levels over the years: +DivisionSpanTierPromotion1926 to 19473rdHonneur1947 to 19483rdExcellence B1948 to 19553rdExcellence1955 to 19813rdThird Division1981 to 19953rd1995 to 19974thNationale 31997 to 20015thFédérale 32001 to 20205th2020 to 20226thSince 20227th

Format The teams are divided into 16 groups of 10 clubs, they are organized by geographical area. The teams in each group play each other in home and away matches.

At the end of the regular season, the top three teams from each group advance to the round of 32, while the fourth and fifth placed teams compete in a single-elimination playoff.

The eight teams that qualified for the quarter-finals are promoted to Fédérale 2, while the teams ranked ninth and tenth in each group are relegated to Régionale 1.

Results YearChampionScoreRunner-upPromotion1926–27SA Saint-Sever16–11Stade Dijonnais1927–28ES Avignon Saint-Saturnin?–??1928–29NAC Roanne6–3US Carmaux1929–30FC Auch6–3US Domène1930–31Stade Niortais6–3SC Salonais1931–32RRC Nice8–4AS Midi1932–33CS Lons10–3RC Coursan1933–34SO Chambéry12–3FC Yonnais1934–35Saint-Marcellin6–3Stade Rodez Aveyron1935–36Bordeaux EC16–9Stade Union Cavaillonnais1936–37SC Graulhet3–0FC Saint-Claude1937–38Avenir Valencien24–0UA International1938–39Olympique de Marseille11–3FC Moulins1939–40SC Mazamet30–3AS Mâcon1940–46No Championship from 1940–41 to 1945–46.1946–47Stade Port-Vendres14–5Stade Olympique GivorsHonneur1947–48Stade Lavelanétien10–0US CarmauxExcellence B1948–49Stade Port-Vendres9–0AS Prades1949–50Boucau Stade6–0Stade Auto Lyon1950–51US Bellegarde-Coupy15–3Saint-Girons SC1951–52Stade Athlétique Bordelais6–3US Issoire1952–53Gallia Club Perpignanais11–6RC Linxois1953–54Toulouse AC8–0US Ussel1954–55US Quillan6–3FC Saint-ClaudeExcellence1955–56Avenir Moissagais16–8US Foix1956–57UA Gujan-Mestras19–3RC Mathéysin1957–58US Montrejeaulaise9–3RC Guéretois1958–59CAO Esperazanais11–6AS Bort-les-Orgues1959–60SA Condom11–3Stade Piscenois1960–61GS Figeac10–3UA Gaillacoise1961–62CA Castelsarrasin13–3FC Moulins1962–63SC Pamiers11–3Pédale Stade Tarusate1963–64Avenir Valencien14–3Toulouse AC1964–65ES Avignon Saint-Saturnin11–8SA Hagetmau1965–66US Carcassonne14–6Stade Montchaninois1966–67UA Vicoise9–5Céret Sportif Vallespir1967–68AS Soustons11–6US Thuir1968–69UA Saverdun12–8SA Monein1969–70ES Argelès11–6Avenir Aturin1970–71Stade Sainte-Livrade15–12AS Fleurance1971–72SC Rieumois13–6US Objat1972–73US Mugron18–6Anglet ORC1973–74RO Castelnaudarian22–3Toulouse Lalande Omnisports1974–75GS Figeac6–3Avenir Valencien1975–76SA Monein30–15US Terrasson1976–77US La Seyne6–3Avenir Valencien1977–78Stade Olympique Vendrois7–3US Carqueiranne1978–79SC Rieumois9–6FC Kronenbourg1979–80Avenir Olympique de Viviez9–0Rabastens XV1980–81US L'Isle-Jourdain3–0Saint-Paul SRThird Division1981–82RC Sorgues28–3SC Pamiers1982–83FCS Rumilly13–12US Caussade Septfonds1983–84UA Laloubère26–3AS Fleurance1984–85CO Sigean22–6AS Bort-les-Orgues1985–86Pays d'Aix RC18–7Étoile Sportive Arudyenne1986–87Jeunesse Sportive Illibérienne10–9US Elusate1987–88  AS Prades21–3RC Seyssins1988–89Fleury Olympique26–12AS Vauréenne1989–90FC Kronenbourg21–6Saint-Marcellin Sports1990–91AS Bayonne13–6RC Mandelieu La Napoule1991–92US Cuxan21–6Stade Olympique Ugine-Albertville1992–93US Millas21–17Avenir de Bizanos1993–94RC Mèze-Bassin de Thau14–3US Montrejeaulaise1994–95US Carmaux21–11AS Saint-Junien1995–96US Saint-Cyprien Latour16–9US Fumel Libos1996–97SC Surgèrien30–16RC SolliesienNationale 31997–98RC Massy25–17Chateauneuf Orange RC1998–99Entente Servian-Boujan17–11Stade Saint-Gaudinois1999–00Rivesaltes XV20–18CS Villefranche2000–01AS Bayonne17–8Sporting Nazairien RugbyFédérale 32001–02Marseille Provence XV25–23ES Gimont2002–03Avenir Bizanos12–6CA Orsay RC2003–04CA Lannemezan20–8RC Sorgues Rhône Ouvèze2004–05Stade Bagnérais17–13RC Draguignan2005–06US Casteljalousaine20–13AS Ampuis Côte Rôtie2006–07AS Le Bugue-Le Buisson21–16JS Villeneuve-de-Marsan2007–08RC Cannes-Mandelieu12–9CARF2008–09Saint-Savin Sportif16–12Stade Bagnérais2009–10Vendres-Lespignan Hérault XV21–14RC Bon Encontre-Boé2010–11 RC Chalon22–6RO Lunel2011–12 RC Arcachon Basin12–9UA Gaillac2012–13 US Bergerac29–17AS Saint-Marcel-Bel-Accueil / L'Isle-d'Abeau2013–14 RC Aubagne25–19US Meyzieu2014–15 Rugby Chartres Métropole22–20US Annecy2015–16 US Salles16–14JO Prades Conflent Canigou2016–17 CA Périgueux46–6US Tours2017–18 Aviron Gruissanais26–7US Nantua Port Rugby du Haut-Bugey2018–19 RC Auch21–14RC Courbevoie2019–20The FRF cancelled all amateur competitions for the 2019–20, and 2020–21 seasons due to the lockdown period following the COVID-19 pandemic.2020–212021–22 USEP Ger-Séron-Bédeille28–19Salanque Côte Radieuse2022–23 CA Sarlat19–13RC Aubagne2023–24 UA Saverdun30–29Servian-Boujan Rugby2024–25FC Saint-Claude39–21Stade Rodez Aveyron2025–26TBDTBDTBD

References

External links Rugby Fédérale