August 7 – Corsican club AC Ajaccio, who played in Ligue 1 as recently as 2023, will be relegated to the third tier of French football after the club decided not to appeal to the French National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSF).
Last month, the DNCG, French football’s financial watchdog, relegated Ajaccio from Ligue 2 after the club failed to provide a €15million bank guarantee and proof of liquidity. Ajaccio had until Wednesday to appeal the decision to CNOSF but have ultimately chosen not to pursue the option.
Founded in 1910, the club will now have to present a detailed budget to play in the Championaat National, the third tier of the French football pyramid, and maintain their professional status.
But there are fears the club’s crisis could deepen. The club is owned by Ajaccio Imperial Corse Investissement, chaired by Corsican politician Alain Orsoni, who has insisted a sale to lawyer Arnau Baqué Roig is close. As a temporary solution, Orsoni says he promised to invest €2.5million in the club and act as guarantor with the Bank of Scotland for up to €15m. “We were almost certain of getting approval since we fulfilled what was requested of us!” he claimed. “But the commission considered that this was not enough.”
Local media says the €2.5m has still not been deposited and has questioned the legitimacy of the €15m guarantee, while the DNCG is expected to make a decision on Ajaccio’s Championaat National participation soon.
With Ajaccio relegated, Boulogne-sur-Mer have been promoted to Ligue 2.
Contact the writer of this story Samindra Kunti at moc.l1754566252labto1754566252ofdlr1754566252owedi1754566252sni@i1754566252tnuk.1754566252ardni1754566252maS1754566252