Ligue 2: Saint-Étienne Leads Season Start, Nantes' Major Stumble, Dunkerque and Rodez Off to a Strong Start

The 2026-2027 Ligue 2 season has officially kicked off, with Saint-Étienne emerging as the early leader after the first matchday. In a surprising turn of events, Nantes suffered a significant setback on their return to the second division, while Dunkerque and Rodez have made strong starts to the season.

League Standings - Matchday 1

Saint-Étienne: 3 points (+3)
Dunkerque: 3 points (+2)
Rodez: 3 points (+2)
Metz: 3 points (+1)
Annecy: 3 points (+1)

Saint-Étienne Takes the Early Lead

Saint-Étienne secured their position at the top of the table with a dominant 3-0 victory over Sochaux, thanks to three first-half goals.

Rodez's Strong Start

Rodez also began their campaign positively, defeating Laval 3-1 at home.

Nantes' Disappointing Return

In a major upset for their return to Ligue 2, Nantes lost 1-0 at home to Red Star, marking a disappointing start for the club.

Dijon Snatch a Late Equalizer

In a dramatic finish, Dijon managed to equalize against Montpellier in second-half stoppage time, with Adel Lembezat capitalizing on a defensive lapse.

Early Goals and Rodez Regains the Lead

Montpellier opened the scoring against Dijon following a defensive mix-up and an own goal. Meanwhile, Rodez reclaimed their lead against Laval with a powerful strike from Baldé.

Nantes Close to Equalizing

Nantes came close to finding an equalizer against Red Star, with Leroux's effort hitting the crossbar.

Few Goalless Matches

Only two matches, Montpellier vs. Dijon and Clermont vs. Reims, remained goalless for a significant portion of the play.

Grenoble Reduces the Deficit

In the match against Dunkerque, Diaby scored to give Grenoble a glimmer of hope.

Kalulu Hits the Post

A Pau player, Kalulu, struck the woodwork with a powerful left-footed shot.

Annecy Holds On

Annecy's goalkeeper, Escales, made a crucial save to deny Pau an equalizer, helping his team maintain their lead.

Laval Finds an Equalizer

Substitute Clavreul scored for Laval shortly after coming on, leveling the score against Rodez.

Dunkerque Pulls Away

Dunkerque extended their lead to three goals against Grenoble, with Prutsev scoring a brace.

Red Star Opens the Scoring Against Nantes

Dominant Red Star broke the deadlock against Nantes, with Cabral scoring from a pass by Elyaz Zidane.

Metz Completes the Comeback

Metz turned the game around against Guingamp, with Abuashvili scoring a quick control-and-shot combination.

Dunkerque Extends Their Lead

Prutsev scored his second goal for Dunkerque, assisted by Decherf, further extending their advantage over Grenoble.

Metz Equalizes

After missing a penalty earlier, Fall scored to bring Metz level against Guingamp.

Dunkerque Regains the Advantage

Substitute Marco Decherf scored to put Dunkerque back in front against Grenoble.

Rodez Opens the Scoring

Rodez broke the deadlock against Laval thanks to a goal from Issanchou Roubiou.

Guingamp Takes the Lead

Guingamp scored from a corner, with Demouchy heading the ball into the net against Metz.

Dunkerque Chance

Dunkerque had an opportunity from a corner, but Morel's shot was off target.

Nantes Game Resumes

The match between Nantes and Red Star was the first to resume after halftime.

Grenoble Equalizes

Grenoble leveled the score against Dunkerque after a poorly cleared corner allowed Mayela to score.

Ntamack Misses a Huge Chance for Dijon

Ntamack missed a clear opportunity to put Dijon ahead against Montpellier, firing his shot over the bar.

Annecy Responds

Despite being reduced to ten men, Annecy, who were leading, looked to counter-attack against Pau.

Fall's Unbelievable Miss

Metz's Fall missed a penalty and then hit the crossbar on the rebound, failing to score.

Saint-Étienne Extends Lead to Three

Cardona scored his second goal for Saint-Étienne, making it 3-0 against Sochaux after a perfect cross.

Saint-Étienne Doubles Their Lead

Irvin Cardona doubled Saint-Étienne's advantage with a skillful lob over the goalkeeper.

Saint-Étienne Opens the Scoring

Saint-Étienne took the lead against Sochaux, with Breum finishing well in the box.

Dunkerque Opens the Scoring

Victor Mayela opened the scoring for Dunkerque against Grenoble with a powerful shot into the top corner.

Red Card at Laval

Bane from Laval received a direct red card for a foul on an opponent.

Red Card for Annecy

Billemaz of Annecy was sent off for a direct red card after pulling back an opponent near the penalty area.

First Goal of the Season

Annecy scored the first goal of the season against Pau, with Drouhin heading in from a corner.

Huge Chance for Sochaux

Sochaux had a significant opportunity to score, but the goalkeeper Larsonneur made a superb save.

Rodez Puts on Pressure

Rodez applied pressure in their home match against Laval.

Red Star Dominates Nantes

Red Star, last season's surprise team, pushed into Nantes' half.

Big Chance for Grenoble

Grenoble had the first real chance of the match, but their shot went just wide of Dunkerque's goal.

Ligue 2 2026-2027 Season Begins!

The kickoff for the 2026-2027 Ligue 2 season has been given across all nine matches.

Kickoff in 10 Minutes

The scheduled matches for the day include:

Boulogne vs. Nancy
Dunkerque vs. Grenoble
Clermont vs. Reims
Metz vs. Guingamp
Montpellier vs. Dijon
Nantes vs. Red Star
Pau vs. Annecy
Rodez vs. Laval
Sochaux vs. Saint-Étienne

Reims, Saint-Étienne, Rodez... Numerous Outsiders

Saint-Étienne, who finished third last season and narrowly missed promotion, have also changed their coach, with Ian Cathro replacing Philippe Montanier. They begin their campaign at Sochaux, who were promoted from the National after administrative relegation and narrowly avoided bankruptcy.

Stade de Reims, disappointed with their 6th place finish last year, have undergone significant squad changes with numerous arrivals and sales, including substantial transfer revenue.

Rodez, aiming for promotion after a strong fifth-place finish last season, faces Laval, who secured their second division status through a playoff victory.

Nantes Aims for Immediate Return to Ligue 1

Nantes, after a turbulent period with multiple coaching changes, have brought back Michel Der Zakarian, who previously led them to promotion. Despite being favorites, they will need to replace key players who have departed, including goalkeeper Anthony Lopes, midfielder Rémy Cabella, and striker Matthis Abline.

"It's like a couple": For his grand return to Nantes, Michel Der Zakarian discusses his tumultuous relationship with Waldemar Kita

FC Nantes officially begins its Ligue 2 season with a home match against Red Star. Under new coach Michel Der Zakarian, the team aims for a swift return to the top flight. Der Zakarian, who has had a complex relationship with club owner Waldemar Kita, is back for his third stint with the club.

Hello Everyone

The 2026-2027 Ligue 2 season officially commences this Saturday evening with the first matchday. Nine games are scheduled, including that of FC Nantes, who were relegated after 13 years in the top flight. The Canaries start their Ligue 2 campaign against the ambitious Red Star, hoping to secure promotion in their first season back, a feat that eluded Saint-Étienne and Reims last year. Alongside Nantes, fellow relegated clubs Reims and Saint-Étienne are considered strong contenders, with these three historic clubs boasting a combined 24 French league titles.