LFH Division 1 Féminine, known for sponsorship reasons as Ligue Butagaz Énergie, is the premier women's handball league in France. It is overseen by the Ligue Féminine de Handball (LFH), the governing body of French women's professional handball, under delegation from the French Handball Federation (FFHB). Founded in 1952, it is currently contested by twelve teams.
Current season, competition or edition: 2022–23 LFH Division 1 Féminine | |
 | |
| Sport | Handball |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1951 |
| No. of teams | 14 |
| Country | France |
| Confederation | EHF |
| Most recent champion(s) | Metz Handball (2022–23) |
| Most titles | Metz Handball (25 titles) |
| TV partner(s) | Moselle TV (Metz) Tébéo (Brest) |
| Streaming partner(s) | Handball TV |
| Relegation to | Division 2 (D2F) |
| Domestic cup(s) | Coupe de France |
| International cup(s) | Champions League EHF European League |
| Official website | ligue-feminine-handball.fr |
Metz Handball has dominated the championship in recent times with 25 titles between 1989 and 2023 including a 6-year winning streak, while US Ivry and Paris UC were the most successful teams in past decades with nine and five titles respectively.[1]
As of 2022:
- Brest Bretagne Handball is the french club that went the furthest in the EHF Champions League: they were finalist in 2021.
- The EHF European League has been won by only one french club: Neptunes de Nantes in 2021.
Participating teams
edit2023–24 teams
edit
| Club | City | Region of France | Rank 2022-23 |
|---|---|---|---|
| ESBF Besançon | Besançon | Bourgogne-Franche-Comté | 6th |
| Brest Bretagne Handball | Brest | Brittany | 
|
| Chambray Touraine Handball | Chambray-lès-Tours | Centre-Val de Loire | 4th |
| JDA Dijon Bourgogne Handball | Dijon | Bourgogne-Franche-Comté | 5th |
| Metz Handball | Metz | Grand Est | 
|
| Mérignac Handball | Mérignac | Nouvelle-Aquitaine | 13th |
| Neptunes de Nantes | Nantes | Pays de la Loire | 
|
| OGC Nice | Nice | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur | 8th |
| Paris 92 | Issy-les-Moulineaux | Île-de-France | 7th |
| Handball Plan-de-Cuques | Plan-de-Cuques | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur | 9th |
| Saint-Amand Handball | Saint-Amand-les-Eaux | Hauts-de-France | 11th |
| Stella Saint-Maur Handball | Saint-Maur-des-Fossés | Île-de-France |  1st VAP (Division 2)
|
| SATH (Strasbourg Achenheim Truchtersheim Handball) | Achenheim, Truchtersheim | Grand Est | 2nd VAP (Division 2)
|
| Toulon Var Métropole Handball | Toulon | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur | 12th |
Personnel and kits
edit| Club | Manager | Captain | Kit manufacturer |
|---|---|---|---|
| ESBF Besançon |  Sébastien Mizoule
|
Pauline Robert
|
Le Coq Sportif
|
| Brest Bretagne | Pablo Morel
|
 Jenny Carlson
|
Craft
|
| Chambray Touraine | Mathieu Lanfranchi
|
 Jovana Stoiljković
|
 Kappa
|
| JDA Dijon | Christophe Mazel
|
Sarah Valero Jodar
|
Erreà
|
| Metz HB | Emmanuel Mayonnade
|
Chloé Valentini
|
 Kempa
|
| Mérignac HB | Christophe Chagnard
|
Julie Dazet
|
Craft
|
| Neptunes de Nantes |  Helle Thomsen
|
Tamara Horacek
|
Craft
|
| OGC Nice | Clément Alcacer
|
 Ehsan Abdelmalek
|
Hummel
|
| Paris 92 | Yacine Messaoudi
|
Méline Nocandy
|
Le Coq Sportif
|
| Plan-de-Cuques | Angélique Spincer
|
Aurélie Goubel
|
Puma
|
| Saint-Amand HB |  Edina Borsos Szabó
|
Romane Frécon-Demouge
|
Kempa
|
| Stella Saint-Maur | Rémi Sanson
|
Pauline Plotton
|
Puma
|
| SATH |  Jan Bašný
|
Dalila Abdesselam
|
Erima
|
| Toulon | Joël da Silva
|
Manon Loquay
|
Hummel
|
- Notes :
- Bourg-de-Péage Drôme Handball got dissolved in the middle of the 2022-23 season (financial insolvency).
- HBC Celles-sur-Belle ranked 10th at the end of 2022-23 and thus earned the sports right to keep playing in Division 1. However FFHandball's financial audit board relegated the club to Division 2 administratively.
- Mérignac Handball, which ranked last (13th) and was relegated to Division 2, applied to take HBC Celles-sur-Belle's place in Division 1. Despite also suffering from financial problems, their appeal to be saved from relegation was accepted late by the federation, on Day 3 of the season.[2]
Squads of previous seasons
|
|---|
|
2022-23 Teams |
Competition format
editAll 14 teams play each other twice during the season (home and away matches – 26 competition days). At the end of the season, the best ranked team is declared "Champion de France" and is granted a spot in the EHF Champions League's group stage.[3]
The last ranked team (14th) is relegated to the lower echelon of women's handball Division 2 Féminine (D2F) and replaced by the top-ranked D2F team that possesses the VAP status.
Teams receive three points for a win, two points for a draw and one point for a loss.
European qualification
editCurrently the Champion of France is granted a spot in the EHF Champions League's group stage.[3] Runner-up is qualified for the EHF European League but is able to apply for a wildcard (upgrade) to participate in the Champions League. The winner of the Coupe de France is qualified for the EHF European League. If a qualified team declines to participate in the European League, the next best-ranked team in the league can apply to take their place. A number of the league's other top teams are eligible to participate in European competitions.
The number of teams per national federation qualified for European competitions (EHF Champions League and EHF European League) is determined by a federation's EHF coefficient and EHF rank. Each year, the EHF publishes a ranking that announces the place attribution for the following season (number of teams for each Federation in the various competitions).
For the 2023/24 season, the system changed.[4] The coefficients and ranks were not determined by the overall performance of a federation, as it used to be. The performances are separated by competitions (e.g.: good performance by french teams in the Champions League would not allocate more places for french teams in the European League). Thus, the new system includes separate rankings for the Champions League and the European League.
Place distribution for 2023/24 Women's EHF Club competitions - France's place attribution:[5]
- EHF Champions League (EHF CL): 1 place
- EHF European League (EHF EL): 3 places
The Champions League has 7 other spots open for clubs that are not national champions but have qualified for the European League (1 spot for the best seeded Federation of the EHF EL and 6 spots open for upgrades).[5] The EHF European League has 8 spots open in for upgrades.
A club needs to fulfill set technical and organizational or administrative requirements to be able to play in European competitions (finances, adequate playing hall, etc.).
List of champions
editNote - former names of clubs:
- Brest Bretagne Handball: Arvor 29
- ES Colombes: CSA Molière
- JDA Dijon Bourgogne HB: CSL Dijon & Cercle Dijon Bourgogne
- Mérignac Handball: Sport athlétique mérignacais
- Metz Handball: ASPTT Metz, HB Metz métropole
- Neptunes de Nantes: Nantes Atlantique HB
- Paris 92: Issy-les-Moulineaux & Issy Paris Hand
- Stade nantais université club: SNUC Atlantique / Stade Nantes UCA
- Toulon Métropole Var HB: Toulon Saint-Cyr Var HB
Media coverage
editFree
edit- Moselle TV (local TV channel) broadcasts a few of Metz Handball home matches.
- Tébéo (local TV channel) broadcasts a few of Brest Bretagne Handball home matches.
Pay-to-watch
edit"Handball TV": For the 2022-23 handball season, the French Federation of Handball launched its own subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service:
- It re-broadcasts the live feeds of free TV channels (that broadcast matches).
- it also broadcasts live some exclusive matches produced by the platform and TV channel BeIN Sports (since 2023-24, the channel broadcasts the biggest fixture of a match day).
- VODs (replays) of most broadcast matches.
Free TV channel Sport en France used to broadcast some matches (BeIN Sports took the official broadcaster slot since 2023-24).
Notable foreign players
edit- List of foreign players who previously played or currently play in the LFH Division 1 Féminine. Bold indicate players currently playing in the league (2023/2024).
- Algeria
- Angola
- Argentina
- Australia
Catherine Kent- Manon Livingstone
- Austria
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Brazil
Moniky Bancilon- Ana Paula Belo
- Adriana Cardoso de Castro
- Deonise Cavaleiro
- Bruna de Paula
- Fabiana Diniz
- Alexandra do Nascimento
- Elaine Gomes
- Mayara Moura
- Gabriela Moreschi
- Jacqueline Oliveira Santana
- Mayssa Pessoa
- Silvia Pinheiro
- Samira Rocha
- Cameroon
- Croatia
Maida Arslanagić- Sonja Bašić
- Mia Brkić
- Klaudija Bubalo
- Ivana Dežić
- Dragica Džono
- Kristina Elez
- Lidija Horvat
- Ivana Kapitanović
- Petra Marinović
- Ćamila Mičijević
- Ivana Lovrić
- Tena Petika
- Sara Sablić
- Cuba
- Czech Republic
Klára Černá- Lenka Černá
- Charlotte Cholevová
- Markéta Hurychová
- Kamila Kordovská
- Petra Kudláčková
- Iveta Luzumová
- Veronika Malá
- Pavla Poznarová
- Helena Ryšánková
- Barbora Raníková
- Lucie Satrapová
- Helena Štěrbová
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Denmark
Melanie Bak- Louise Burgaard
- Stine Bodholt Nielsen
- Sofia Deen
- Lotte Grigel
- Anne Mette Hansen
- Mirja Lyngsø Jensen
- Kristina Jørgensen
- Mai Kragballe Nielsen
- Ida Lagerbon
- Stine Nørklit Lønborg
- Mia Møldrup
- Nadia Offendal
- Julie Pontoppidan
- Jane Schumacher
- Sandra Toft
- Line Uno
- Ditte Vind
- Anna Wierzba
- Maria Berger Wierzba
- Fie Woller
- Egypt
- Germany
Dinah Eckerle- Katharina Filter
- Alina Grijseels
- Isabell Klein
- Annika Lott
- Ewgenija Minevskaja
- Maike Schirmer
- Luisa Schulze
- Xenia Smits
- Aimée von Pereira
- Lisa Vlug
- Hungary
Viktória Csáki- Andrea Farkas
- Ágnes Hornyák
- Szabina Mayer
- Krisztina Pigniczki
- Szimonetta Planéta
- Szabina Tápai
- Iceland
- Italy
- Ivory Coast
- Japan
- Montenegro
Jasna Boljević- Tatjana Brnović
- Nada Ćorović
- Itana Grbić
- Đurđina Jauković
- Marija Jovanović
- Đurđina Malović
- Jasna Tošković
- Milica Trifunović
- Dijana Ujkić
- Marina Vukčević
- Netherlands
Lois Abbingh- Debbie Bont
- Yvette Broch
- Merel Freriks
- Jasmina Janković
- Isabelle Jongenelen
- Jessy Kramer
- Jurswailly Luciano
- Anouk Nieuwenweg
- Charris Rozemalen
- Esther Schop
- Martine Smeets
- Laura van der Heijden
- Sanne van Olphen
- Marieke van der Wal
- Pearl van der Wissel
- Kelly Vollebregt
- Kristy Zimmerman
- North Macedonia
- Norway
Mari Finstad Bergum- Camilla Carstens
- Helene Gigstad Fauske
- Rikke Marie Granlund
- Anette Helene Hansen
- Malin Holta
- Tonje Haug Lerstad
- Tonje Løseth
- Karoline Lund
- Kristina Novak
- Hanna Bredal Oftedal
- Stine Bredal Oftedal
- Siv Heim Sæbøe
- Elise Skinnehaugen
- Emma Skinnehaugen
- Mie Sophie Sando
- Celine Sivertsen
- Silje Solberg
- Pernille Wibe
- Poland
Marta Gęga- Katarzyna Janiszewska
- Monika Kobylińska
- Aneta Łabuda
- Natalia Nosek
- Adrianna Płaczek
- Aleksandra Rosiak
- Monika Stachowska
- Karolina Siódmiak
- Ewa Urtnowska
- Paulina Uścinowicz
- Joanna Wołoszyk
- Karolina Zalewska
- Aleksandra Zych
- Portugal
Carolina Loureiro- Joana Resende
- Republic of Congo
- Romania
- Russia
- Senegal
- Serbia
Jovana Bogojević- Marija Čolić
- Lidija Cvijić
- Biljana Filipović
- Gordana Mitrović
- Kristina Liščević
- Tatjana Medved
- Svetlana Ognjenović
- Slađana Pop-Lazić
- Jelena Popović
- Dijana Radojević
- Dijana Števin
- Jovana Stoiljković
- Katarina Tomašević
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Korea
- Spain
Nely Carla Alberto- Jessica Alonso
- Alexandrina Cabral
- Carmen Campos
- Mercedes Castellanos
- Elisabet Cesáreo
- Elisabeth Chávez
- Darly de Paula
- Patricia Elorza
- Beatriz Escribano
- Beatriz Fernández
- Magdalena Fernández-Agusti
- Paula García Ávila
- Kaba Gassama
- Lara González Ortega
- Mireya González
- Marta López
- Marta Mangué
- Carmen Martín
- María Muñoz Juan
- María Núñez
- Paula Valdivia Monserrat
- Nicole Wiggins
- Sweden
Hanna Åhlén- Jenny Carlson
- Kristina Flognman
- Tina Flognman
- Hanna Fogelström
- Cecilia Grubbström
- Isabelle Gulldén
- Nathalie Hagman
- Filippa Idéhn
- Therese Islas Helgesson
- Anna Lagerquist
- Clara Monti Danielsson
- Frida Rosell
- Jessica Ryde
- Louise Sand
- Malin Sandberg
- Carin Strömberg
- Frida Tegstedt
- Ulrika Toft Hansen
- Cassandra Tollbring
- Linnea Torstenson
- Angelica Wallén
- Switzerland
- Tunisia
Haifa Abdelhak- Noura Ben Slama
- Takoua Chabchoub
- Mouna Chebbah
- Maroua Dhaouadi
- Asma Elghaoui
- Ines Khouildi
- Ouided Kilani
- Rafika Marzouk
- Rakia Rezgui
- Faten Yahiaoui
- Ukraine
EHF league ranking
editEHF League Ranking for 2022/23 season:[18]
- 1.
(1) Nemzeti Bajnokság I (157.67) - 2.
(5) 
Ligue Butagaz Énergie (118.50) - 3.
(2) 
Russian Superleague (114.50) - 4. (3) Bambusa Kvindeligaen (109.00)
- 5. (6) REMA 1000-ligaen (102.77)
- 6. (4)
Liga Națională (94.50)
See also
edit- Coupe de France
- LFH Division 2 Féminine, the lower echelon French women's league
- LNH Division 1 (Liqui Moly Starligue), the corresponding men's competition
- LNH Division 2 (ProLigue), the corresponding men's competition
- List of handball clubs in France
- Women's sports
References
edit- ^ List of champions Archived 2016-05-26 at the Wayback Machine in handseven.fr
- ^ "Mérignac, un repêchage à retardement".
- ^ a b 2011-12 results in EHF's website
- ^ "EHF improves club competitions ranking system". European Handball Federation. 27 September 2022.
- ^ a b "Place distribution for 2023/24 Women's EHF Club competitions" (PDF).
- ^ "Palmarès 1957-1958" (PDF). Centre de ressources documentaires de la FFHB]. Fédération Française de Handball. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
- ^ "Palmarès 1958-1959" (PDF). Centre de ressources documentaires de la FFHB]. Fédération française de handball. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
- ^ "Palmarès 1959-1960" (PDF). Centre de ressources documentaires de la FFHB]. Fédération française de handball. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
- ^ "Palmarès 1960-1961" (PDF). Centre de ressources documentaires de la FFHB]. Fédération française de handball. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
- ^ "Palmarès 1961-1962" (PDF). Centre de ressources documentaires de la FFHB]. Fédération française de handball. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
- ^ "Palmarès 1962-1963" (PDF). Centre de ressources documentaires de la FFHB]. Fédération française de handball. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
- ^ "Saison 1963-1964, demi-finales". March 1964. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
- ^ "Saison 1963-1964, finale". May 1964. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
- ^ "Palmarès 1970-1971 : Stella Sports bat PUC 8-6". Fédération française de handball. March 1971. pp. 1 et 9. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
- ^ "Palmarès 1971-1972 : Stade Pessacais U.C. : une saison, un titre !!". Fédération française de handball. April 1972. p. 14. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
- ^ "Ivry s'adjuge le titre féminin 1974". Fédération française de handball. June 1974. p. 10. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
- ^ "Troyes champion de France de Nationale I féminine 1978/79". Fédération française de handball. August 1979. p. 14. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
- ^ "2021/22 season ranking" (PDF). European Handball Federation. Retrieved 1 August 2022.