Toulouse secure ninth place as Nantes sanctions finalized

The French Football League (LFP) has officially closed the case on the abandoned Ligue 1 clash between FC Nantes and Toulouse FC, which ended in a 0-0 draw at the 22-minute mark. The match will not be replayed, and Toulouse FC’s ninth-place finish stands as their highest since new investors took over the club.

The decision to retain the scoreline rather than award Toulouse a 3-0 technical victory was unexpected, as many anticipated a more severe penalty for the pitch invasions that forced the abandonment.

Sanctions handed down to FC Nantes

The match was halted after supporters stormed the pitch, hurling pyrotechnics onto the field in protest against the club’s relegation. The LFP imposed a one-match closed-door sanction for Nantes, along with a two-match ban for the Loire stand, from which the intruders emerged. While the club escapes sporting penalties like point deductions, the sanctions remain a blow to supporters who will miss the first home game of the Ligue 2 season.

For Toulouse FC, the outcome ensures they finish ninth with 45 points, matching Lorient but overtaking them on goal difference. Though this position falls short of European competition spots, it marks a continuation of the club’s steady improvement under recent management.

The LFP’s ruling cited the match report, stating: “After reviewing the investigation report, the Committee definitively confirms the score recorded on the field at the time of the definitive abandonment (0-0).”