Ligue 1 Final Matchday: Everything You Need to Know About the Race for Europe and the Battle for Survival

The finish line of this 2024-2025 Ligue 1 season is in sight. The game is over regarding the title, won, six matches before the end of the championship, by Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). Marseille ( ^2nd ) and Monaco ( ^3rd ) secured their qualification for the Champions League (CL) by winning on Matchday ³³ , respectively against Le Havre (3-1) and Lyon (2-0).

However, the suspense will remain until the end of these final matches regarding the allocation of the last qualifying place for the Champions League, for the other European places, as well as for the maintenance in Ligue 1. The verdict is expected on Saturday, May 17, at the end of all the matches of the ^34th and the last day of this season, which take place simultaneously from 9 p.m.

Here are the different matches: PSG-Auxerre, Marseille-Rennes, Lens-Monaco, Nice-Brest, Lille-Reims, Strasbourg-Le Havre, Lyon-Angers, Saint-Etienne-Toulouse and Nantes-Montpellier.

Who will join PSG, Olympique de Marseille, and Monaco in the most prestigious European competition? Mathematically, four teams can claim fourth place, qualifying for the preliminary round of the Champions League: Nice ( ^4th ), Lille ( ^5th ), Strasbourg ( ^6th ), and Lyon ( ^7th ). This is an important opportunity for the clubs, both in terms of sport and finances.

The top three, with 57 points, are best placed to clinch the prize, with a slight advantage for Nice, who have secured a better goal difference (+19, compared to +15 for Lille and +13 for Strasbourg). Lyon, with 54 points and a goal difference of +17, can mathematically still believe in it. However, the Rhone team does not control its destiny: to compete in the next Champions League, it is imperative that they beat Angers – already assured of survival – and hope that Nice, Lille, and Strasbourg are beaten, which seems rather unlikely. The four teams concerned with this place are playing at home for their last match of the season.

The club that ultimately finishes ^5th will play in the Europa League in 2025-2026. The 6th ^-placed team will likely play in the Europa Conference League. A PSG victory over Reims on May 24 in the Coupe de France final could, however, change the situation. In this (quite likely) scenario, the 6th ^{-placed team} would also play in the Europa League, and the 7th ^- placed team would play in the Europa Conference League.

• Lyon - Angers
• Nice -Brest
• Lille -Reims
• Strasbourg - Le Havre

Montpellier, bottom of the league, has been relegated to Ligue 2 since the end of April. Angers ( ^13th ) has just secured its place in Ligue 1 thanks to its home victory against Strasbourg (2-1) on Matchday ^33. On the other hand, Reims ( ^14th ), Nantes ( ^15th ), Le Havre ( ^16th ) and Saint-Etienne ( ^17th ) are trembling. Three points separate these four teams. Reims and Nantes have a small lead, with 33 points each and a goal difference of -13 and -16 respectively. Le Havre and Saint-Etienne follow, with 31 and 30 points, and a worse goal difference, -32 and -37 respectively. The club that will be ranked ^17th will be relegated. The ^16th will play for its survival in the elite during a play-off, with two-legged matches, against a Ligue 2 team (Metz or Dunkirk), scheduled for Thursday 22 and Sunday 25 May (dates subject to change if Reims, finalist of the Coupe de France on 24 May, is the play-off).

• Nantes - Montpellier
• Strasbourg- Le Havre
• Lille- Reims
• Saint-Etienne - Toulouse

Ligue 2 winners FC Lorient will return to Ligue 1 in 2025-2026, just one season after their relegation. However, while we wait to see if a third club is promoted (following the play-off), all eyes will likely be on Paris FC. Absent from the French football elite since 1979, the capital's second-placed club will play in Ligue 1, six months after its acquisition by the Arnault family.

1. Paris Saint-Germain (81 points)
2. Marseille (62)
3. Monaco (61)
4. Nice (57)
5. Lille (57)
6. Strasbourg (57)
7. Lyon (54)
8. Brest (50)
9. Lens (49)
10. Auxerre (42)
11. Rennes (41)
12. Toulouse (39)
13. Angers (36)
14. Reims (33)
15. Nantes (33)
16. Le Havre (31)
17. Saint-Etienne (30)
18. Montpellier (16)