The 2020–21 Championnat National 3 was the fourth season of the fifth tier in the French football league system in its current format. The competition was contested by 168 clubs split geographically across 12 groups of 14 teams. The teams included amateur clubs (although a few were semi-professional) and the reserve teams of professional clubs.
After a suspension starting in October 2020, the season was declared void by the FFF on 24 March 2021 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in France, with some teams having played just three games.
Teams On 17 July 2020, the French Football Federation ratified the constitution of the competition, and published the groups as follows:
120 teams that were not relegated or promoted from the 2019–20 Championnat National 3 groups. 11 teams relegated from 2019–20 Championnat National 2 after any reprieves. 1 team reprieved from relegation from 2019–20 Championnat National 3 groups. 36 teams promoted from Régional 1 leagues (as shown in the table below).
Teams promoted to Championnat National 3RegionTeamMethod of qualificationNouvelle-AquitaineNeuvilleR1A championsLibourneR1B championsTartasR1C championsPays de la LoirePoiré-sur-VieR1A championsSautronR1A runners upSaint-Philbert-de-Grand-LieuR2A championsCentre-Val de LoireDéolsR1 runners upAmillyR1 thirdSaint-Jean-le-BlancR1 fourthMéditerranée-CorsicaCorteR1 Corsica championsCannet RochevilleR1 Méditerranée championsRoussetR1 Méditerranée runners upBourgogne-Franche-ComtéSaint-ApollinaireR1A championsGrandvillarsR1B runners upParonR1A runners upGrand EstÉpernayR1A championsNancy (res)R1B championsColmarR1C championsOccitanieCastanetR1A runners upNarbonneR1B championsAlberes ArgelèsR1C championsHauts-de-FranceWasquehalR1A championsChantillyR1B championsSaint-OmerR1B runners up (best runner up on PPG) NormandyBayeuxR1A runners upRomillyR1B runners upDives-CabourgR1A thirdBrittanyMilizacR1A championsGuipry MessacR1B championsSaint-Brieuc (res)R1B runners up (best runner up on PPG)Paris Île-de-FranceMeaux AcademyR1A championsLinas-MontlhéryR1B championsBrétignyR1B runners upAuvergne-Rhône-AlpesMoulinsR1A championsThonon ÉvianR1B championsVelayR1A runners up
On 27 July 2020, the Appeals committee of the DNCG confirmed that Athlético Marseille would be allowed to play in Championnat National 2, thus temporarily leaving a vacant place in Group D. Three days later, the disciplinary committee of the FFF announced that they were demoting the club back to National 3, due to the production of fraudulent documentation at the end of the 2018–19 season.
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.
Generally, three teams are relegated from each group to their respective top regional league, subject to reprieves. Extra teams are relegated from a group if more than one team is relegated to that group from Championnat National 2. In the case that no teams are relegated to a group from Championnat National 2, one less team is relegated from that group to the regional league.
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.
Impacts of COVID-19 on the competition On 28 October 2020, French President Emmanuel Macron announced a second COVID-19 lockdown, including the suspension of all amateur football, for four weeks. The following day, the FFF confirmed the suspension of senior football at all levels below Championnat National. By this point in the competition, more than 60 games had been postponed due to positive covid cases impacting one or both teams.
On 24 March 2021, the COMEX (Executive Committee) of the FFF announced end of all amateur championships below Championnat National 2, including Championnat National 3, due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation. The announcement also confirmed no promotions or relegations would take place, with the season void.
League tables The league standings are a record of the games that took place before the competition was declared void. Group A: Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Group B: Pays de la Loire
Group C: Centre-Val de Loire
Group D: Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur-Corsica
Group E: Bourgogne-Franche-Comté
Group F: Grand Est
Group H: Occitanie
Group I: Hauts-de-France
Group J: Normandy
Group K: Brittany
Group L: Île-de-France
Group M: Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Top scorers
RankPlayerClubGoals1 Mustapha SangaréRacing Club82 El Hadji Malick SeckStade Bordelais7 Belkacem Dali-AmarCôte Bleue4 Sullivan MartinetStade Bordelais6 Thomas AlvarezSaran Rodney MazikouAmilly Alain ReppertBiesheim Moustapha OuabiFabrègues Christopher FormyVitré Christian TokoHauts Lyonnais
References