Championnat de Ligue Féminine 2
LF 2 championship

The Ligue Féminine 2 was born in 2010 with the objective of drawing the second division of women's basketball in France closer to the standards required by clubs in the Ligue Féminine de Basket (LFB).

The first season 2010-2011 was a transition year and all 16 teams were allowed to participate without having to meet all the requirement.

Lyon BF won the regular season while Cavigal Nice became the first LF2 Champions of France.

The new structure was introduced because the French Basketball Federation was concerned about the absence of young French players in the elite division between the age of 18-22.

Once the young players finish high school and leave the Basketball Academies they disappear off the radar screen while young players from all over the world are coming to play in France.

So the changes introduced for the second division mean that the clubs must continue to develop home grown players. Hence with the exception of the CFBB all the teams must have:

1. a basketball academy or a structure in which at least one youth team participates in the French National Championship

2. a second senior team

3. for every game at least 4 French players under the age of 23 (year of birth) must be on the official score sheet.

With the influx of former LFB players and foreigners into this division in the last two seasons as well as the demands from the French Basketball Federation (FFBB) it is not possible for the second division of women's basketball in France to be considered as an amateur league anymore despite the development tag.

Although the division has lost its amateur label, a lot of the players are still amateurs. The CFBB is the only truly amateur team in the division with no player older than 18 years.

In the LF2, teams just play once a week, normally on Saturday. As a result the regular season runs from September to April.

The competition has a break for about four weeks between December and January.

In addition to league actions clubs from LF2 also play in the French Cup. It is also common to see teams from the second division playing in regional cup competitions.

At the end of the regular season, the top four teams qualify for the final four.

The winner of the regular season is rewarded with promotion to the LFB (provided it is not the CFBB) and with hosting the final four.

The winner of the final four is crowned LF2 Champion of France and also receives a ticket to the LFB.

If the regular season champion wins the final four then the runner-up is offered a place in the LFB.

The teams that finish in the bottom two places, excluding the CFBB, are relegated to the third division, the NF1.

We have have covered the second division of French basketball since the season of 2007-2008. You are able to find the relevant links on the right side of this page right up to the current season.

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