French Basketball Federation Revises Competition Formats for 2026–27 Seasons

The Ligue des Hauts‑de‑France basketball association announced a new structure for the 2026‑27 Pre‑Nationale season. Twenty‑four teams will be divided into four groups of six for the first phase (September‑December), playing home‑and‑away matches. In the second phase the clubs will be reorganised into three groups of eight, with the top two groups competing for promotion to Nationale 3 and the remaining groups fighting to avoid relegation to R2.

Separately, the French women's top division, the Boulangère Wonderligue, is considering replacing the existing play‑downs with play‑ins. Under the proposal, all but the final‑placed team could qualify for the knockout stage, giving lower‑ranked clubs a chance to reach the quarter‑finals. The federation expects a decision in the coming days, with the season slated to start at the end of September after the World Cup and run through May.