It was two weeks of suspense, but fans at Groupama Stadium can finally breathe a sigh of relief — Lyon will compete in Ligue 1 next season!After the National Directorate for Management Control (DNCG) demoted them to a lower division at the end of June, the appeals committee overturned the initial decision this Wednesday, granting a reprieve to the French giant and allowing them to remain in the country’s top football tier for the 2025/26 season.🚨🇫🇷 Lyon statement after winning the appeal to STAY in Ligue 1… ✅”Today’s decision is the first step to restore confidence in Olympique Lyonnais. We can now focus our attention on sporting objectives, fully preparing for next season!” 🔴🔵 pic.twitter.com/xsRYtWCWN3— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) July 9, 2025 “Olympique Lyonnais welcomes today’s decision by the DNCG to keep the club in Ligue 1. OL thanks the Appeals Committee for recognizing the ambition of the club’s new leadership, which is determined to ensure sound management going forward. The new leadership, supported by the commitment of our shareholders and lenders, is extremely grateful for all the support received both inside and outside the club — from supporters, staff, players, partners, and elected officials. Today’s decision is the first step toward restoring trust in Olympique Lyon. We can now focus on our sporting goals and fully prepare for the upcoming season,” the club said in an official statement.To recap: On June 24, the Ligue 1 association officially confirmed that Lyon had been relegated to Ligue 2 due to massive debts. The club swiftly appealed the ruling but was required to inject one hundred million euros into the club and secure an additional hundred as a financial guarantee for the upcoming season in order to have any hope of remaining in the top flight.Lyon is rebellious against Textor, demand a saleA major shake-up followed within the club’s leadership. John Textor resigned as president, handing over the role to Michel Kang, who, together with CEO Michael Gerlinger, met with the DNCG appeals board in Paris. Evidently, they succeeded in convincing the committee that the club’s finances were now under control, leading to the reversal of the relegation decision.Olympique Lyon will also play in the Europa League next season — although not entirely unscathed. The DNCG has imposed restrictions on the club’s wage bill and proposed Ligue 1 transfer budget.##NAJAVA_MECA_9009565##
