Wednesday 20 May 2020 20:48, UK
France's Professional Football League [LFP] has agreed on a 22-team second division for next season, meaning no team will be relegated after play was stopped because of the pandemic.
The LFP board of directors reached the decision by an electronic vote, allowing Le Mans and Orlans to stay in Ligue 2 while Pau and Dunkerque are promoted from the third tier.
The top leagues in French football normally have 20 teams.
The French government decided in April that the domestic soccer and rugby leagues were to be cancelled because of the coronavirus.
Paris Saint-Germain were declared Ligue 1 champions, while Amiens and Toulouse were relegated to the second tier.
Amiens has taken legal action against that decision and is also pushing for a 22-team top flight next season.
Amiens were 19th in the 20-team Ligue 1 table, four points behind 18-placed Nimes, with 10 games left to play when the campaign was suspended in March.
