The 2015–16 Ligue 2 season was the 77th season since its establishment.
Teams
There are 20 clubs in the league, with three promoted teams from Championnat National replacing the three teams that were relegated to the same level, and three relegated teams from Ligue 1 replacing the three teams that were promoted to the same level. All clubs that secured Ligue 2 status for the season were subject to approval by the DNCG before becoming eligible to participate.
The first team to officially join the division for the 2015–16 was Lens, who were relegated from Ligue 1 on 2 May 2015 as results on the day went against them. They were joined a week later by Metz, after a 4–0 home defeat against Lorient. The last relegated club were Evian after a 2-1 defeat on 16 May 2015.
Red Star were the first team promoted from National, after a 4–0 victory against Istres on 8 May 2015, marking their return to the professional levels after sixteen years in the amateur leagues. Paris FC and Bourg-Péronnas only gained the right to promote on the last day of the season, when Paris FC drew 0–0 against CA Bastia and Bourg-Péronnas won 1–0 against Boulogne.
Only 2 teams were planned to be promoted and relegated this season but the decision was later overturned by an appeal to the Conseil d'État and the French Football Federation.
Stadia and locations
Club Location Venue CapacityAjaccioStade François Coty 10,660AuxerreStade de l'Abbé-Deschamps 21,379Bourg-en-BresseStade Marcel-Verchère1 11,400BrestStade Francis-Le Blé 15,097Clermont-FerrandStade Gabriel Montpied 11,980CréteilStade Dominique Duvauchelle 12,050DijonStade Gaston Gérard 16,098AnnecyParc des Sports 15,660LavalStade Francis Le Basser 18,607Le HavreStade Océane 25,000Lens Stade Bollaert-Delelis 35,000MetzStade Saint-Symphorien 24,500TomblaineStade Marcel Picot 20,087NîmesStade des Costières 18,482NiortStade René Gaillard 10,886ParisStade Sébastien Charléty 20,000Saint-OuenStade Pierre Brisson2 10,178MontbéliardStade Auguste Bonal 20,000ToursStade de la Vallée du Cher 16,247ValenciennesStade du Hainaut 25,172
1 Bourg-Péronnas original stadium, Stade Municipal de Péronnas, is not homologated to host professional matches. The club will play its home games in Bourg-en-Bresse at Stade Marcel-Verchère, home stadium of the Bressane rugby union team, after the stadium's renovation. Bourg-Péronnas will play its first games at Stade Jean Laville in Gueugnon. 2 Red Star original stadium, Stade Bauer, is not homologated to host professional matches. The club will play its home games at Stade Pierre Brisson in Beauvais. Additionally, Red Star will host a number of games to be determined later at Stade de France in Saint-Denis.
Personnel and kits Team Manager1 Captain1 Kit Manufacturer1 Main Sponsor1Ajaccio MacronSuite HomeAuxerre AirnessRemarques LOUALT, VitransBourg-en-Bresse adidasBestDriveBrest NikeQuéguinerClermont PatrickCrédit MutuelCréteil adidas SFB Béton, HolcimDijon KappaDVF, Doras, IPSEvian KappaMSC CroisièresLaval KappaLactelLe Havre NikeApiLens UmbroAzerbaijan: Land of FireMetz NikeNancy NikeDane ElecNîmes ErreàMarie BlachèreNiort PumaRestaurant Le Billon (home), Cheminées Poujoulat (away)Paris NikeVinciRed Star adidasSochaux LottoPeugeotTours NikeCorsicatoursValenciennes Uhlsport GDE Recyclage 1Subject to change during the season.
Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointment Paris FC Mutual consent 4 June 2015Pre-season Denis Renaud 5 June 2015 Red Star 6 June 2015 Rui Almeida 12 June 2015 FC Metz 16 June 2015 José Riga 16 June 2015 Tours 25 June 2015 Marco Simone 25 June 2015 Evian 11 July 2015 Safet Sušić 11 July 2015 Sochaux Sacked 12 September 2015 18th Albert Cartier 3 October 2015 Le Havre AC Sacked 28 September 2015 15th 10 November 2015 Nîmes Resigned 21 November 2015 20th 1 December 2015 Paris FC Sacked 28 November 2015 18th 29 November 2015 Créteil Sacked 9 December 2015 14th 9 December 2015 FC Metz Mutual consent 23 December 2015 6th 24 December 2015 Valenciennes Sacked 28 December 2015 17th 15 January 2016 Evian Sacked 11 January 2016 13th 11 January 2016 Niort Sacked 29 February 2016 17th 9 May 2016
League table
Results
Season statistics Top goalscorers
Rank Player Club Goals1 Famara DiédhiouClermont212 Lys MoussetLe Havre143 Maurice DaléNancy13 Ande Dona NdohNiort5 Pape SanéBourg-Pérronas12 Yeni NgbakotoMetz
Source: Official Goalscorers' Standings
Attendances
# Club Average 1 Lens 26,393 2 Nancy 15,108 3 Metz 13,279 4 Sochaux 8,942 5 Valenciennes 8,805 6 Dijon 8,108 7 Le Havre 7,620 8 Nîmes 6,891 9 Stade brestois 6,887 10 Stade lavallois 5,442 11 AJ auxerroise 5,381 12 Tours 4,969 13 Évian 4,015 14 Clermont 3,865 15 Chamois niortais 3,803 16 Ajaccio 3,322 17 Paris FC 3,227 18 Créteil 2,273 19 FBBP 2,112 20 Red Star 1,914
Source:
References