# Regional football, handball, and rugby season updates > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/regional-football-and-handball-pre-season-matches > Updated: 2026-08-12T21:16:38.000Z. Sources: 16. Developments: 2. Regional sports teams continue their seasonal transitions across football, handball, and rugby. In Ligue 2 football, AS Saint-Étienne (ASSE) has maintained a perfect record and remains at the top of the division following a 3-1 victory over Clermont. In contrast, FC Nantes has struggled with a difficult start, suffering two consecutive losses that have left them at the bottom of the table. Coach Michel Der Zakarian has noted concerns regarding “defensive errors and technical inconsistencies” within the squad. Handball remains a point of strength for Metz Handball, who recorded a dominant 48-29 victory over Borussia Dortmund in a friendly match. This performance underscores the team’s offensive capabilities as they manage roster changes following the departure of Sarah Bouktit. In rugby, Rugby Olympique Agathois (ROA) has inaugurated a renovated clubhouse to mark the start of their season. Other regional clubs, including USAP, Nîmes Olympique, and SAS Épinal, are currently conducting final training sessions and friendly matches to prepare for upcoming competitive fixtures. ## Timeline ### 2026-08-12: French sports clubs navigate season starts and preseason tests French sports updates: FC Nantes struggles at the bottom of Ligue 2, while AS Saint-Étienne leads the division. Metz Handball secures a dominant win over Dortmund in preseason testing. 14 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/olympique-als-and-metz-handball-secure-pre-season-victories ### 2026-08-08: Regional sports update: Chaumont FC and Dijon MH secure pre-season victories Chaumont FC defeated Montier-en-Der 8-0 in a football friendly, while Dijon MH secured a 31-30 comeback victory against Besançon in handball pre-season preparation. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/regional-sports-update-chaumont-fc-and-dijon-mh-secure-pre-season-victories --- Cite as: Regional football, handball, and rugby season updates. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/regional-football-and-handball-pre-season-matches