AC Ajaccio Secures Promotion to Regional 1 Amidst Club's Financial Rebuild
AC Ajaccio has secured promotion to the French sixth tier, Regional 1, just months after the club was placed into administration. The club confirmed its mathematical promotion following a 0-0 draw with the Gallia Lucciana reserve team, leaving them with an unassailable 14-point lead with four matches remaining in the Championnat Régional 2 season.
The promotion marks a significant first step in the club's recovery after a dramatic fall from the top flight. Just last season, AC Ajaccio was competing in Ligue 2, having been relegated from Ligue 1 in 2023. The club's collapse was precipitated by a €13.5 million debt, which forced it into administration and a subsequent liquidation in August, resulting in a five-division demotion to the seventh-tier Regional 3 league.
Led by veteran captain Andy Delort, the team has dominated the Regional 2 league this season, notching 15 wins, 3 draws, and only 2 losses. Delort, 34, has been instrumental in the club's immediate push for a return up the footballing pyramid, with reports from the French press highlighting his continued goal-scoring form. The club's promotion is a crucial first milestone in a long-term recovery plan.
The future path for the Corsican club remains arduous. The club's new structure, under the ownership of a local consortium, must navigate the financial and sporting challenges of rebuilding a professional structure from the ground up. This promotion to the sixth tier is a positive step, but the club remains a long way from the professional leagues it once graced. The focus for the season's conclusion will be on securing the league title and preparing for a more challenging campaign in Regional 1 next season, with the long-term aim of a return to professional status.
