Sochaux back in Ligue 2, three years after nearly disappearing

Sochaux finish in second place in the National league after their draw against Le Puy, on Friday (2-2).

The Lionceaux (the Lion Cubs) keep roaring. FC Sochaux-Montbéliard secured their spot in Ligue 2 on Friday, May 15, thanks to a draw against Le Puy (2-2) on the 34th and final day of the National league, three years after almost disappearing and a few weeks after the return of the car manufacturer Peugeot as a partner of this historic club. The Bonal Stadium, with closed gates (20,000 spectators), witnessed an invasion of the field. The Sochaux team finished in second place and will join the elite ranks with Dijon, the National champions.

The Doubistes (people from Doubs) have come a long way: under Chinese ownership, they were relegated to the third tier by the DNCG, the financial watchdog, in 2023 due to alarming financial conditions. Sochaux’s survival was only possible thanks to the support of around 11,000 donors, including fans, local entrepreneurs, and authorities led by Jean-Claude Plessis and Pierre Wantiez, the club’s leaders in recent prosperous years.

More recently, Peugeot, whose historical factory is next to the Bonal Stadium, made its comeback: eleven years after the end of their common history, the car group returned in March with a five-year contract. The agreement includes the presence of the brand on the players’ jerseys and gear, as well as on the youth academy’s uniforms, and sponsorship of matches and other events.

Founded in 1928 under Peugeot’s influence, FC Sochaux, which has won two French championships (1935 and 1938), two French Cups (1937, 2007), and a League Cup (2004), has spent over sixty seasons among the French football elite. FC Rouen, third in the National league, will try to join Dijon and Sochaux in a playoff against Laval, who finished 16th in Ligue 2.