Bordeaux relegated to France’s sixth tier after financial crisis

French football giants Bordeaux have been relegated to the sixth tier following financial irregularities and mounting debt, marking another devastating chapter in the club’s decline. According to Al Jazeera, the six-time French champions failed to demonstrate the financial capacity to cover approximately €10 million required for the 2025–26 and 2026–27 financial years.

The club, formerly home to Zinedine Zidane, was sold for a symbolic €1 to US-based investment group Park Bench, which agreed to assume its outstanding debts. New president Dominique Delport said rebuilding could now begin after regional authorities approved the club’s recovery budget. Bordeaux previously lost professional status in 2024 after entering judicial restructuring.