French Football League Match Attendance Statistics and Percentages

Ligue 2 attendance for the opening matchday of the 2026 season showed significant variance in stadium occupancy, with USL Dunkerque recording an 80% occupancy rate and Clermont Foot drawing 4,815 spectators for their match against Stade de Reims, according to data reported by Sportune on August 10, 2026.

Ligue 2 Matchday 1 Attendance and Occupancy Rates

The first round of fixtures featured a wide range of crowd sizes and stadium fill rates. Clermont Foot recorded the highest raw attendance among the reported figures, with 4,815 fans attending the match against Stade de Reims. This figure represented a 45% occupancy rate for the venue, according to Sportune.

In contrast, other clubs saw higher percentages of their available seating filled despite lower total numbers. USL Dunkerque achieved an 80% occupancy rate with 3,961 spectators attending their fixture against GF38 (Grenoble). Pau FC also reported high stadium utilization, with 2,904 fans filling 75% of the capacity for their match against FC Annecy.

US Boulogne recorded 4,156 spectators for their game against AS Nancy, resulting in a 27% occupancy rate. The data indicates a significant gap between the total number of attendees and the percentage of the stadium used, particularly in the case of US Boulogne and Clermont Foot.

Participating Clubs in the Opening Round

The opening day of the season involved a broad array of French football entities. According to the matchday reports, the fixtures included matchups featuring FC Nantes and Red Star, as well as appearances by AS Nancy, AS Saint-Étienne (ASSE), and FC Metz.

Other clubs active during this period included DFCO Dijon, EA Guingamp, FC Sochaux, MHSC (Montpellier), Rodez AF, Stade Lavallois, and the aforementioned Clermont Foot, Stade de Reims, USL Dunkerque, and Pau FC.

Comparison of Stadium Utilization

The occupancy data reveals a disparity between the league’s larger venues and those with smaller capacities. While Clermont Foot had the highest attendance in raw numbers at 4,815, their stadium was less than half full at 45%. USL Dunkerque and Pau FC operated more efficiently in terms of capacity, with 80% and 75% occupancy respectively, despite having lower total attendance than Clermont Foot and US Boulogne.

• USL Dunkerque: 3,961 spectators (80% occupancy)
• Pau FC: 2,904 spectators (75% occupancy)
• Clermont Foot: 4,815 spectators (45% occupancy)
• US Boulogne: 4,156 spectators (27% occupancy)