PSG crowned Ligue 1 champions as COVID-19 ends French football season

Paris Saint Germain (PSG) have been crowned French Ligue 1 champions after the government’s decision to cancel the remainder of the season due to the COVID-19 crisis.

Edouard Philippe, France prime minister, had on Tuesday announced that football activities will not be returning until at least September, which made it impossible for the country’s professional football to finish its domestic campaigns.

Following a vote over how the league standings should be decided during a meeting on Thursday, the French Professional Football League (LFP) confirmed that Thomas Tuchel’s men are champions for a third successive year.

🔝🏆⚡@PSG_English are the official Champions of France 2⃣0⃣2⃣0⃣!

Advertisement

🔴🔵 #CHAMPI9NSATHOMEpic.twitter.com/3WyoiW6GCx

— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) April 30, 2020

Before football activities were suspended, PSG had a 12-point lead over Marseille — with a game in hand — and also with most teams having played 28 of their 38 games.

PSG will now play Champions League football next season alongside Marseille and Rennes, who were placed second and third respectively.

While Lille, Reims, and Nice will play in the Europa League, Amiens and Toulouse, who were 19th and 20th respectively, have been relegated to Ligue 2.

Meanwhile, FC Lorient, who led Lens by one point, have been awarded the Ligue 2 title. They will be promoted to the French top-flight alongside RC Lens.

Matches in France have been suspended since the start of March because of the coronavirus pandemic, with several players signing up to cut 50% of their salaries to help their clubs through the crisis after broadcasters withheld TV rights.

Prior to the cancellation of the Ligue 1 2019/20 season, the French top-flight was targeting a mid-June return with players set to begin returning to training on May 11.