Forced relegation to the sixth division and perhaps even bankruptcy: the fall of six-time French football champions Girondins de Bordeaux continues.
Due to million-dollar pay gaps, the former club of Zinedine Zidane, Bixente Lizarazu and Johan Micouda was forced to move from the fourth league to at least the sixth. This decision was made by the appeal committee of the financial supervisory authority DNCG.
Exclusion from all domestic leagues
In particular, the Girondins were initially excluded from all national leagues. Therefore, a new beginning in the sport can only begin in the sixth grade of R1 – provided that the football association of the New Aquitaine region agrees to this. Due to financial problems, there is now even talk of liquidating the club. Now a decision on this matter must be made by the economic court.
The nationwide ban on games due to a budget deficit of nine million euros represents a low point in the club’s history. Club owner Gerard Lopez was unable to provide evidence of the funds required by DNCG to ensure the 2025/26 and 2026/27 seasons are completed on time. Hopes of a rescue from British investor Sparta Capital were recently dashed after takeover talks ended.
Bordeaux can now request arbitration from the French Olympic Committee CNOSF. The club have already chosen this route in 2022 and 2024 after administrative relegations due to financial difficulties. Although they managed to remain in Ligue 2 in 2022, two years later the former Champions League participant was forced to relegate to the fourth division national championship.
Insolvency proceedings and threaten liquidation
Just last spring, the world association FIFA imposed a transfer ban on the club for financial reasons. Now there is even a threat of insolvency proceedings. According to French media reports, a meeting is expected to be scheduled soon with the commercial court, which could decide to liquidate the club by the end of the month.
Brilliant Past: Championships and European Cup
Numerous superstars played there during Bordeaux’s heyday. World champions Zinedine Zidane, Didier Deschamps and Bixente Lizarazu, among others, played for the club. In the 1980s, German national team players such as Klaus Allofs, Manfred Kalz, Uwe Reinders and Dieter Müller also played for the Girondins. In 1996 – 30 years ago – the French lost the UEFA Cup final to Bayern Munich with a score of 0:2 and 1:3.