Soccer-Olympique Lyonnais to remain in Ligue 1 after appeal


  • Football
  • Wednesday, 09 Jul 2025

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Women's Champions League - Semi Final - Second Leg - Olympique Lyonnais v Arsenal - Groupama Stadium, Lyon, France - April 27, 2025 General view outside the stadium REUTERS/Manon Cruz/File Photo

(Reuters) -Olympique Lyonnais' relegation to Ligue 2 was overturned by the appeals committee of the DNCG, French football's financial watchdog, on Wednesday.

The committee has imposed a framework for the wage bill and transfer fees in the club's proposed 2025/2026 Ligue 1 budget.

"Olympique Lyonnais welcomes today's decision by the DNCG to keep the club in Ligue 1," Lyon said in a statement.

"Olympique Lyonnais would like to thank the appeals committee for recognising the ambition of the club's new management team, which is determined to ensure that the club is managed seriously in the future."

Lyon, who were crowned French champions seven times from 2002 to 2008, qualified for next season's Europa League following a sixth-placed finish in Ligue 1.

The club was demoted by the DNCG in November due to the poor state of their finances.

The decision was confirmed in June after a meeting between U.S. businessman and club owner John Textor and the DNCG.

Eagle Football Group, the holding company behind Lyon, reported a net loss of 117 million euros ($137.09 million) for the first half of the financial year ending December 31st.

The group's net debt had reached as high as 540.7 million euros by the end of 2024.

Women's football mogul Michele Kang, who owns Lyon's women's team OL Lyonnes, has been appointed president of Olympique Lyonnais, replacing Textor.

($1 = 0.8535 euros)

(Reporting by Tristan Veyet in Gdansk; Editing by David Goodman and Ken Ferris)

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