<P> There are 20 clubs in Ligue 1 . During the course of a season, usually from August to May, each club plays the others twice, once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents, for a total of 38 games, though special circumstances may allow a club to host matches at other venues such as when Lille hosted Lyon at the Stade de France in 2007 and 2008 . Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a draw . No points are awarded for a loss . Teams are ranked by total points, then goal difference, and then goals scored . At the end of each season, the club with the most points is crowned champion . If points are equal, the goal difference and then goals scored determine the winner . If still equal, teams are deemed to occupy the same position . If there is a tie for the championship, for relegation, or for qualification to other competitions, a play - off match at a neutral venue decides rank . For the 2015 / 16 season only, 2 teams were to be relegated and only 2 teams from Ligue 2 were to be promoted but this decision was overturned and 3 teams were relegated and 3 teams promoted . So it was the 2016--17 season which saw the return of a relegation play - off between the 18th - placed Ligue 1 team and the 3rd - placed team in the Ligue 2 on a two - legged confrontation, with the Ligue 2 team hosting the first game . </P> <P> Previously, the league utilized a different promotion and relegation format . Prior to 1995, the league's format was direct relegation of the bottom two teams and a play - off between the third - last first - division team and the winner of the second - division play - offs, similar to the Dutch Eredivisie, and the German Bundesliga . The league has also experimented with a "bonus" rule . From 1973 to 1976, a rule rewarded teams scoring three or more goals in a game with one extra point, regardless of outcome, with the objective of encouraging offensive play . The experience was ultimately inconclusive . At the start of the 2006--07 season, the league introduced an Attacking Play Table to encourage the scoring of more goals in Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 . The LFP, with the help of the former manager Michel Hidalgo introduced the idea to reward those teams who score the most goals . The table was similar to the previous idea, but was independent from the official league table and clubs were only rewarded with monetary bonuses . </P> <P> As of the 2017 / 18 season, as determined by the UEFA coefficient, the top three teams in Ligue 1 qualify for the Champions League, with the top two proceeding directly to the group phase . The third - placed team enters in the third qualifying round . The fourth - placed team qualifies for the UEFA Europa League . The other two Europa League places are determined through the country's two domestic cup competitions, the Coupe de France and Coupe de la Ligue . If both of the cup winners qualify for Europe through their league position, the fifth - and sixth - placed teams in Ligue 1 will qualify for the Europa League . </P> <P> A total of 76 clubs have played in Ligue 1 from its foundation in the 1932--33 season to the start of the 2011--12 season . Currently, Marseille, Montpellier, Nice, and Rennes are the only founding members of the league to be playing in Ligue 1 . Paris Saint - Germain is the only club to have not suffered points relegation . They earned promotion to the first division for the 1974--75 season and has not faltered down since . Paris Saint - Germain was administratively relegated by the league following its split from Paris FC in 1972, but returned to the top flight two seasons later . </P>

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