1997–98 French Division 1


The 1997–98 Division 1 was the 60th season of Division 1, the top French professional league for association football clubs, since its establishment in 1932. The season began on 2 August 1997, and concluded on 9 May 1998.
This season saw a change in the league format, with the number of teams reduced to 18 from 20, shortening the season from 38 to 34 rounds. As a result, four clubs which had been relegated at the end of the previous season were replaced by only two, Châteauroux and Toulouse, who entered as winners and runners up of the 1996–97 French Division 2. Defending champions of the 1996–97 season were Monaco.
Lens won the championship for the first time in their 92-year history, becoming the 26th club to become French football champions. Lens won their league title with 68 points, edging out second-placed Metz on goal difference, for whom this was their best result in history.

Teams

Stadia and personnel

TeamManagerStadiumCapacityPos. in 1996–97
Auxerre Guy RouxStade de l'Abbé-Deschamps
21,379
1066th
Bastia Frédéric AntonettiStade Armand Cesari
11,500
1077th
Bordeaux Guy StéphanParc Lescure
34,694
1044th
Cannes Adick KootStade Pierre-de-Coubertin
12,800
11515th
Châteauroux Victor ZvunkaStade Gaston Petit
17,072
2011st
Guingamp Francis SmereckiStade du Roudourou
18,040
11212th
Le Havre Denis TrochStade Jules Deschaseaux
16,382
11414th
Lens Daniel LeclercqStade Bollaert
41,649
11313th
Lyon Bernard LacombeStade de Gerland
42,591
1088th
Marseille Rolland CourbisStade Vélodrome
60,000
11111th
Metz Joël MullerStade Saint-Symphorien
26,700
1055th
Monaco Jean TiganaStade Louis II
18,523
1011st
Montpellier Michel MézyStade de la Mosson
32,950
11010th
Nantes Raynald DenoueixStade de la Beaujoire
38,285
1033rd
Paris Saint-Germain RicardoParc des Princes
48,527
1022nd
Rennes Guy DavidStade de la Route de Lorient
29,778
11616th
Strasbourg Jacky DuguépérouxStade de la Meinau
29,000
1099th
Toulouse Alain GiresseStadium Municipal
36,500
2022nd

Final table


Promoted from Ligue 2, who will play in Division 1 season 1998/1999