--- title: "Ligue 1 2026/27: format, relegation play-off and how to follow | KickFlow" description: "Ligue 1 2026/27 explained: 18 clubs and 34 matchdays, the barrage where 16th faces the Ligue 2 play-off winner, the only big-five league that does not use head-to-head at all, European places and how to follow it live on iPhone." canonical: https://kickflow.app.br/en/guides/ligue-1-2026-27-guide language: en updated: 2026-08-07 --- [KickFlow](https://kickflow.app.br/en/) · [Guides](https://kickflow.app.br/en/guides/) # Ligue 1 2026/27: format, relegation play-off and how to follow Updated 7 August 2026 Ligue 1 has the simplest tiebreaker rules in Europe, for a curious reason: head-to-head simply is not used. This guide covers the 18-club format, the barrage that gives 16th a second chance, the European places and how to follow every matchday live. ## The format: 18 clubs since the reform France plays with **18 clubs** across 34 matchdays and 306 matches. This is the fourth consecutive season in that shape, following the reform adopted in 2023/24 that cut the league from 20 teams to 18. As in Germany, that is four fewer fixtures per club than England, Spain and Italy. ## The barrage: a second chance for 16th **Seventeenth and eighteenth go down automatically** to Ligue 2. **Sixteenth does not**: it plays the *barrage*, a two-legged tie against the winner of the Ligue 2 play-offs. **How this differs from Germany:** in the Bundesliga, 16th faces the third-placed second-tier club directly. In France the opponent emerges from a *preliminary play-off* among the Ligue 2 clubs that finished third to fifth. So the side arriving at the barrage has already won at least one knockout tie and comes in on form. The first leg is at the Ligue 2 club, the return at the Ligue 1 club. ## The simplest tiebreakers in Europe Here is the French peculiarity. Where the other four big leagues list head-to-head somewhere in the order, **Ligue 1 does not use it at all**. The order is: 1. **Goal difference.** 1. **Goals scored.** 1. **A play-off at a neutral venue**, if the position decides the title, relegation or a European place. Otherwise, a draw. It is the purest goal-difference model of the big five: what you did against one specific rival never counts, only what you did against the league as a whole. *How each of the big five leagues treats head-to-head.* | League | Where head-to-head sits | Clubs | | --- | --- | --- | | Ligue 1 | Not used | 18 | | Premier League | 3rd criterion | 20 | | Bundesliga | 3rd criterion | 18 | | La Liga | 1st criterion | 20 | | Serie A | 1st criterion | 20 | For comparison, Brazil uses a fourth model entirely: number of wins first, head-to-head only fourth. The [Brazilian Série A table guide](https://kickflow.app.br/en/guides/brazilian-serie-a-table-in-english) sets out all seven criteria. ## European places In Ligue 1 the **top six qualify for European competition**, split between the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League. The exact split depends on France's UEFA coefficient and on the domestic cup winner: a cup winner already qualified through the table pushes its place down the standings. This season's two European Performance Spots, UEFA's bonus extra place, went to England and Spain. A strong continental campaign from French clubs this year is what could earn France an extra place next season. ## How to follow it on iPhone Ligue 1 spreads fixtures from Friday to Sunday across several kick-off slots, and the broadcast schedule moves week to week. 1. Open the competition switcher and pick Ligue 1. 1. Follow the clubs you care about. 1. Turn on goal and kick-off alerts, with times converted to your own time zone. 1. Use Live Activities to keep the score on your Lock Screen. The alerts walkthrough is in the [goal notifications guide](https://kickflow.app.br/en/guides/football-goal-notifications-iphone). Follow Ligue 1 live, free. [Download KickFlow on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/id6778988090?pt=128388279&ct=seo&mt=8) ## Frequently asked questions ### How many teams are in Ligue 1? 18 clubs, 34 matchdays, since the 2023/24 reform cut the league from 20. ### How does the barrage work? 16th plays two legs against the winner of the Ligue 2 play-offs, contested by the clubs finishing third to fifth. The return is at the Ligue 1 club. ### Does head-to-head break ties? No. Ligue 1 is the only big-five league that does not use it at all. ### How many positions qualify for Europe? The top six, split between the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League. ### How many Champions League places? It depends on France's coefficient. The two extra European Performance Spots this season went to England and Spain. Read next: [Bundesliga 2026/27](https://kickflow.app.br/en/guides/bundesliga-2026-27-guide) and [Premier League 2026/27](https://kickflow.app.br/en/guides/premier-league-2026-27-guide).