Bordeaux relegation to sixth tier upheld by FFF

Bordeaux's relegation to the sixth tier of French football was upheld on Thursday when the French Football Federation's special executive committee confirmed the sanction, a source close to the body told AFP.

The six-time French champions had been barred from playing in the fourth tier in the coming season because of financial irregularities. A Paris court upheld that decision last month, and the federation chose not to re-examine the case on Thursday.

"Reclassification or a review of the situation of Bordeaux was not possible under the current wording of our regulations," the source said. "The federation has therefore stuck with the decision."

The meeting followed an intervention by French sports minister Marina Ferrari, who wrote to FFF president Philippe Diallo on Wednesday urging him to reopen the case, citing the club's history and contribution to football.

The FFF said it did not want to create a legal precedent or a break in fairness with other clubs already playing.

Bordeaux were sanctioned for failing to provide the roughly 10 million euros ($11.6 million) needed for the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 financial years and to meet debt payments. The club now faces the prospect of court-ordered liquidation if its new owners withdraw, as they indicated in August that they would.

"The club is outraged," Bordeaux said on X. The club said the executive committee had not deliberated on its request, which it said was sent with supporting documents, and that no vote was held.

Bordeaux, founded in 1936, are one of France's most decorated clubs. Zinedine Zidane made his name there, and Bixente Lizarazu and Christophe Dugarry came through the club's academy before joining him in France's 1998 World Cup-winning squad.

The club were relegated to Ligue 2 in 2022 and placed in judicial restructuring in 2024, which caused them to relinquish their professional status and academy.