One of France’s most historic clubs is teetering toward a new low: Girondins Bordeaux faces relegation to the sixth division due to financial irregularities.
For years, Girondins Bordeaux has been experiencing an unprecedented decline. The six-time French champion and 1996 UEFA Cup finalist (0–2 and 1–3 against FC Bayern) has been in decline since 2022 and could now fall even further. Due to a lack of solvency, the club has been excluded from all national soccer competitions in France by the French financial regulator. In concrete terms, this means that the Bordeaux team—which most recently competed in the 4th division—must, as things stand, start over once again in the six-tier Regional 1 league.
Bordeaux was relegated from Ligue 1 in 2022 and, two years later, was demoted to the 4th division due to financial irregularities. The club—which once boasted players such as Zinedine Zidane, Christophe Dugarry, Eric Cantona, Sylvain Wiltord, Aurelien Tchouameni, and Bixente Lizarazu—played there for two years—including a stint with former Liverpool striker Andy Carroll—and nearly qualified last season for the Championnat National, which will be renamed “Ligue 3” in the future. In the end, however, they fell three points short.
A funding shortfall of nine million euros
Now, a nine-million-euro funding shortfall is causing yet another setback and the potential forced relegation to the 6th division. The club, which is currently in takeover negotiations with a British investor, has announced legal action in response.
Signs of off-field difficulties were already apparent back in April. At that time, FIFA had imposed a transfer ban lasting until summer 2027. The background to this is a financial dispute over an allegedly outstanding payment of 1.5 million euros to Sporting Gijón in connection with the 2023 transfer of Pedro Díaz, which Bordeaux is contesting before the CAS and national courts.
In general, the club has been struggling with massive debt for years. A planned takeover led by Oliver Kahn and a group of investors also ultimately fell through in June 2025.