The Ligue 1 23/24 season was the 86th France’s top-flight football league campaign, running from 11 August 2023 to 19 May 2024. This edition was unique due to the restructuring of the league from 20 to 18 teams, resulting in 306 matches, and produced a mix of compelling narratives — a title chase, European aspirations, relegation struggles, and standout individual performances. Overall, over 820 goals were registered across the season, underscoring an entertaining run of fixtures.
Ligue 1 2023/24 Season Overview
The Ligue 1 2023/24 followed the familiar home-and-away round-robin format. With 18 teams, each club played 34 matches — fewer than in the era of 20 teams, but still a full test of depth and consistency. Points were awarded as usual: 3 for a win, 1 for a draw, and none for a loss.
European Qualification Rules
In line with UEF A regulations for the 2023/24 campaign:
- UEFA Champions League: The top four clubs from the final standings qualify — first three directly into the group stage, fourth to qualifying rounds.
- UEFA Europa League: Spots typically go to the next best-placed clubs outside Champions League qualification.
- UEFA Conference League: Teams finishing just below the Europa League slots may qualify.
These placements can also be influenced by domestic cup results (e.g., Coupe de France winners), though league position remains the primary route.
Relegation Format
Unlike formats that used relegation play-offs in earlier seasons, the 2023/24 campaign placed emphasis on clear table outcomes:
- Bottom clubs in the france Ligue 1 table 2023/24 were automatically relegated to Ligue 2.
- Tiebreakers, when points were equal, were resolved first by goal difference and then head-to-head record.
Domestic Cup Competitions
In addition to the league:
- The Coupe de France, open to professional and amateur clubs, ran concurrently throughout the season, culminating in a final at Stade de France — a fixture that can affect European spots.
- The Trophée des Champions (France’s version of a Super Cup) precedes the league season and features the Ligue 1 champion versus Coupe de France winner.
Final Ligue 1 Standings Breakdown 23/24
Below is the France League 1 table 2023/24 at season’s end:
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Paris Saint-Germain | 34 | 22 | 10 | 2 | 81 | 33 | +48 | 76 |
| 2 | Monaco | 34 | 20 | 7 | 7 | 68 | 42 | +26 | 67 |
| 3 | Brest | 34 | 17 | 10 | 7 | 53 | 34 | +19 | 61 |
| 4 | Lille | 34 | 16 | 11 | 7 | 52 | 34 | +18 | 59 |
| 5 | Nice | 34 | 15 | 10 | 9 | 40 | 29 | +11 | 55 |
| … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … |
| 16 | Metz | 34 | 8 | 5 | 21 | 35 | 58 | -23 | 29 |
| 17 | Lorient | 34 | 7 | 8 | 19 | 43 | 66 | -23 | 29 |
| 18 | Clermont | 34 | 5 | 10 | 19 | 26 | 60 | -34 | 25 |
Legend: GF = Goals For — GA = Goals Against — GD = Goal Difference.
This final tableau showcases traditional powerhouses holding their positions while clubs at the bottom faced the harsh consequences of inconsistency.
Understanding the Table
- Championship race: PSG finished well clear of rivals, securing their position with relative comfort.
- European battles: Mid-table clubs such as Nice were pushing for continental qualification.
- Relegation fight: Metz, Lorient, and Clermont occupied the drop zone — with Clermont unable to escape the bottom position.
Ligue 1 Champion 2023/24
Champions: Paris Saint-Germain
For the Ligue 1 23/24 season, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) once again stood above all other competitors, cementing their status as the dominant force in French football by finishing comfortably first in the league with 76 points. PSG’s performance was marked by consistency, resilience, and tactical intelligence throughout the campaign, allowing them to secure the championship with matches to spare. According to the official season overview, PSG secured the Ligue 1 title on 28 April 2024, three games before the end of the season, after Monaco’s defeat to Lyon eliminated any mathematical chance of a comeback from their closest rival.
This triumph marked the club’s twelfth Ligue 1 championship overall — and notably their tenth in the past twelve seasons, a record in the modern era of French football. PSG’s success underlines not only the strength of their squad but also organizational stability at the highest levels of club football.
Key Achievements & Context
- Early Title Security: PSG’s ability to secure the championship before the final matchdays reflected their consistency across the season. They built a points buffer early and sustained it through the closing stages, demonstrating focus and control even when rivals briefly threatened.
- Record Continuation: This title added to PSG’s decades-long string of success since the club’s takeover by Qatar Sports Investments in 2011, which brought significant investment and raised expectations domestically and in Europe.
- All-Competition Success: Beyond Ligue 1, the 2023–24 Paris Saint-Germain FC season was notable for success in multiple competitions — including victory in the Coupe de France and the Trophée des Champions, while also reaching the UEFA Champions League semi-finals
PSG’s campaign wasn’t merely about points; it was about building a successful identity under manager Luis Enrique, blending experienced stars and emerging talents in a way that maintained peak competitiveness.
European Qualification Results – Ligue 1 23/24
From the Ligue 1 23/24 final standings, clubs earned access to UEFA’s continental competitions based on their league positions. The distribution of European places reflected both strong league performance and evolving UEFA qualification rules that season.
UEFA Champions League Qualification
The top four teams in the France Ligue 1 table 2023/24 secured spots in the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League, Europe’s premier club competition:
- Paris Saint-Germain
- Monaco
- Brest
- Lille
Under the updated UEFA format, the top three from Ligue 1 qualified directly for the Champions League group stage, while the fourth-placed club entered at the qualifying stage. This change expanded access compared with previous seasons when only three French teams typically qualified.
- Paris Saint-Germain, as champions, entered the group stage after topping the league, continuing their regular presence in Europe’s elite competition.
- Monaco and Brest also secured group stage berths.
- Lille, finishing fourth, clinched a spot in the Champions League qualifying rounds—an important achievement reflecting improvement from previous seasons.
This increased access to the Champions League offered significant prestige and financial benefit for French clubs — including match-day revenue, broadcast shares, and elevated international exposure.
UEFA Europa League Qualification
The UEFA Europa League places were allocated to the clubs finishing immediately below the Champions League positions:
- Nice
- Lyon
Both clubs qualified for the 2024/25 Europa League, granting them entry to one of UEFA’s major knockout tournaments. Qualification for this competition is highly valuable — Europa League participation provides European match experience and prize money, as well as opportunities to increase club profiles on the continental stage.
It’s noteworthy that, because PSG won the Coupe de France in 2023/24 and also qualified for the Champions League by league position, the Europa League berth tied to the cup winner was passed down the table — which helped Lyon secure their spot.
UEFA Europa Conference League Qualification
- Lens secured qualification for the UEFA Europa Conference League — Europe’s tertiary club competition.
Earning a Conference League place was a milestone for Lens. Participation in this tournament exposes clubs to international competition and helps develop squad experience against diverse tactical styles and quality levels — important stepping stones for teams building toward sustained European competition.
Relegation Zone Results
At the end of the Ligue 1 23/24 season, three teams dropped out of the French top flight and were relegated to Ligue 2 based on their final league positions and tiebreakers.
- Clermont Foot finished 18th with 25 points and were automatically relegated.
- FC Lorient finished 17th with 29 points and were also relegated.
- FC Metz finished 16th with 29 points and entered the relegation play-off, but lost to Saint-Étienne over two legs, confirming their drop to Ligue 2 as well.
- Clinton’s 25 points put them comfortably at the bottom, several points behind the teams above them.
- Both Metz and Lorient finished with 29 points, but Lorient had a slightly worse record and finished below Metz based on head-to-head and goal difference criteria.
- Compared with prior seasons, the relegation battle was unusually tight — Metz and Lorient were separated only by specific tiebreak rules, showing how narrow margins can decide a club’s fate in Ligue 1.
- Clermont’s relegation was confirmed after a defeat late in the season — they were unable to climb out of the bottom despite efforts in home fixtures.
- Metz’s season climaxed with a dramatic relegation play-off against AS Saint-Étienne: after a narrow defeat in the first leg and a draw in the second, Metz lost on aggregate, sending them down.
- Lorient’s fate was sealed despite a strong final-day performance — they finished level on points with Metz but could not overcome the tiebreak criteria and thus could not avoid the drop. Reports note that Lorient’s impressive final-day win was not enough to save their Ligue 1 status.
Team Statistics Summary
Looking deeper into the Ligue 1 2023/24 stats, several team performance highlights stood out:
- Most Goals Scored: PSG led the league with 81 goals, demonstrating exceptional offensive output.
- Most Wins: PSG again led with 22 victories.
- Best Goal Difference: PSG’s +48 margin was the best in the league.
According to post-season goalkeeper statistics:
- Most Clean Sheets: Marcin Bułka (Nice) — 17 clean sheets across 34 matches.
- Top Defensive Goalkeepers:
- Lucas Chevalier (Lille) — 15 clean sheets.
- Brice Samba (Lens) — 14 clean sheets.
This mix of offensive powerhouses and defensive stalwarts highlighted a league where balance between goals and solidity mattered.
- Most Yellow Cards: Facundo Medina (Lens), Pierre Lees-Melou (Brest), and Denis Zakaria (Monaco) each picked up 11 bookings.
- Most Red Cards: Clermont’s Maximiliano Caufriez received 2 red cards — the joint highest.
Discipline trends often influence key matches late in the season, particularly in relegation or European qualification battles.
Ligue 1 Players Stats 2023/24
Here’s a detailed summary of the top player performances in Ligue 1 during the 2023/24 season, based on official awards and statistics from the campaign:
Kylian Mbappé (Paris Saint-Germain) was the leading goalscorer in Ligue 1 23/24, finishing the season with 27 goals in league play. His clinical finishing helped PSG secure the title and kept him at the top of the scoring charts ahead of other prolific forwards.
At the UNFP Ligue 1 Awards for the 2023/24 season, Lucas Chevalier (Lille) was recognized as Ligue 1’s best goalkeeper. Chevalier stood out for his shot-stopping, clean sheets, and leadership at the back, earning the accolade ahead of other strong contenders.
Although official defender-of-the-season awards are not always individually listed in the UNFP Trophies, several defenders were included in the Ligue 1 Team of the Season, with Marquinhos (PSG) earning recognition in the backline for his consistency, tactical intelligence, and leadership. PSG defenders featured prominently in seasonal honors.
Among midfielders, Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain) was widely regarded as one of the best performers in Ligue 1 2023/24 due to his influence in PSG’s title charge, contributing in both build-up play and creative output. He was frequently nominated for awards and featured in the league’s best formations compiled by experts.
While Mbappé was the statistical top scorer, Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain) was officially named Ligue 1 Player of the Season by the UNFP Awards. Dembélé’s overall attacking play, including goals and assists in the domestic campaign, earned him the highest individual honor.
At the UNFP Awards ceremony for the 2023/24 season, Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain) was named Coach of the Year. His tactical leadership guided PSG to the Ligue 1 title and helped shape a dominant campaign.
The UNFP Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year award for the 2023/24 season was given to Désiré Doué (Paris Saint-Germain), recognizing him as the best player aged 23 or under. His performances were considered standout among emerging talents in France’s top flight.
The symbolic Team of the Season for Ligue 1 23/24 featured an all-star XI with Brice Samba (Lens) in goal, defenders such as Marquinhos and Achraf Hakimi (PSG), midfield creators like Vitinha (PSG), and a forward line including Kylian Mbappé (PSG), Alexandre Lacazette (Lyon) and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Marseille) — reflecting the top performers across the campaign.
Individual & Team Highlights
The 2023–24 Ligue 1 stats season was marked by several standout narratives:
Historic Performances
- Mbappé’s dominance: Leading the scoring charts yet again with 27 goals.
- Breakthrough talents: The emergence of players like Dembélé and Jonathan David showed a blend of experience and youth.
Discipline & Drama
- Discipline — including card accumulation — played a pivotal role in mid-season turnover for clubs fighting to keep pace.
Record Fixtures
According to Spanish sources, some notable seasonal firsts included:
- Fastest goal — scored in the opening minute.
- High-scoring matches — bursts of collective goals showcasing attacking football.
FAQs
Each club played 34 matches, totaling 306 fixtures.
Kylian Mbappé led the scoring charts with 27 goals.
Champions PSG, Monaco, Brest, and Lille all qualified.
Ousmane Dembélé recorded the most assists during the season.
Final table position and tiebreakers (goal difference, head-to-head) decided relegation.
