The 2019–20 Championnat National season was the 27th season since the establishment of the Championnat National, and the 22nd in its current format, which serves as the third division of the French football league system.[1] The season was suspended indefinitely on 12 March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[2]
On 28 April 2020, the French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced that there would be no sporting events, even behind closed doors, before September 2020, thus in effect ending the season. [3] On 11 May the executive committee of the FFF announced that the top two teams (Pau FC and USL Dunkerque) would be promoted to Ligue 2, but that no promotion playoff would take place, and no champion would be declared.[4][5]
Due to the premature cancellation of the season before completion, special rules were put in place by the FFF Executive Committed to rank clubs, superseding the normal competition rules.[7]
1. Points per game completed
2. Number of points gained in head-to-head matches (only where all scheduled matches between all tied teams have completed)
3. Goal difference in head-to-head matches (only where all scheduled matches between all tied teams have completed)
4. Number of away games completed, as a percentage of overall number of games completed
5. Goal difference per game completed
6. Goals scored per game completed
7. Fair play
8. Better classification, based on completion of the first set of round robin games (only if all clubs have completed at least one game against all other clubs)
Source: FFF.fr Rules for classification: see Special rule changes section (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated Notes:
^Originally, the 3rd-placed Championnat National team would play in promotion-relegation play-offs at the end of the season with a team from Ligue 2 to decide whether they would be promoted to Ligue 2 for the 2020–21 season, but the play-offs were cancelled and the 3rd-placed team remained in the Championnat National.
^ abRed Star and Bourg-Péronnas completed both their head-to-head games (Bourg-Péronnas 1–4 Red Star, Red Star 1–1 Bourg-Péronnas). Criteria 2 (Number of points gained in head-to-head matches (only where all scheduled matches between all tied teams have completed)) applies: Red Star 4, Bourg-Péronnas 1.
^ abCréteil and Laval did not complete both their head-to-head games. Both completed 12 of 17 away games. Criteria 5 (Goal difference per game completed) applies: Créteil 0.24, Laval 0.08.
^ abLe Puy and Béziers did not complete both their head-to-head games. Both completed 13 of 17 away games. Criteria 5 (Goal difference per game completed) applies: Le Puy -0.52, Béziers -0.68.
^On 2 August 2019, Gazélec Ajaccio refused to play their first game of the season at Red Star in protest at decisions taken by the DNCG.[8] On 7 August 2019, the FFF confirmed the forfeit, awarding a 3–0 victory to Red Star and deducting a penalty point from Gazélec Ajaccio.[9]
