Valenciennes FC has played 20 seasons in the divisions covered here since 1993/94: 8 in Ligue 1 and 12 in Ligue 2. Its last season in the divisions covered was 2023/24, in Ligue 2. Its best finish was 10th in Ligue 1, in 2009/10. It has been promoted twice and relegated 3 times.
Valenciennes FC
last in the divisions covered in 2023/24
How high can Valenciennes FC realistically go?
Valenciennes FC was not in the divisions covered in 2025/26, so there is no current position to start from.
The story so far
Final position each seasonRinged dots are titles
How to read this chart
Every club in the divisions covered is placed on one ladder each season: the champions are 1st, and the top club of the second division comes straight after the bottom club of the first. Shaded bands are the divisions. Hover over or tap a dot for the season.
20seasons since 1993/94
8seasons in Ligue 1
0league titles
0top-four finishes
2promotions
3relegations
Against the money
About where its money would put it
Over 13 seasons, the average gap was -1.3 places, which is within what chance alone would produce. It finished above its money in 6 of 13 seasons with published figures.
€9.2mwage bill, 2022/23
30thhighest of 39 clubs with published accounts
16thfinish in Ligue 2, 2022/23
Where Valenciennes FC finishedWhere its wage bill normally finishes
Season by season
| Season | Finish | Wage bill | Wage rank | Places above its money |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 16th, Ligue 2 | €9.2m | 30th of 39 | -5.0 |
| 2021/22 | 16th, Ligue 2 | €10m | 27th of 39 | -6.8 |
| 2020/21 | 11th, Ligue 2 | €6.0m | 31st of 39 | +3.1 |
| 2019/20 | 7th, Ligue 2 | €7.1m | 30th of 39 | +3.6 |
| 2018/19 | 13th, Ligue 2 | €7.8m | 30th of 39 | -1.7 |
| 2017/18 | 13th, Ligue 2 | €7.9m | 29th of 39 | -1.6 |
| 2016/17 | 14th, Ligue 2 | €6.8m | 27th of 38 | -2.1 |
| 2015/16 | 12th, Ligue 2 | €7.6m | 28th of 38 | -2.8 |
| 2014/15 | 16th, Ligue 2 | €9.2m | 23rd of 38 | -8.8 |
| 2011/12 | 12th, Ligue 1 | €25m | 12th of 39 | +1.4 |
| 2010/11 | 12th, Ligue 1 | €26m | 13th of 37 | +0.3 |
| 2009/10 | 10th, Ligue 1 | €28m | 11th of 38 | +1.5 |
| 2008/09 | 12th, Ligue 1 | €24m | 15th of 38 | +2.3 |
How do we know?
For every season, we compare each club's wage bill with the average in the top two divisions, and work out the finish that wage bill usually brings, allowing for differences between seasons and assuming a bigger wage bill never lowers the expected finish. The gap between that and the actual finish, averaged over the seasons, is the figure above. An overall verdict needs at least eight seasons, and a signed number is given only when the gap is clearly larger than chance.
Wage bills are total payroll including social charges from the DNCG's published club accounts, checked against each report's own cost totals. Group (consolidated) accounts are left out.
On average, most of a big over-performance fades: clubs that finished at least four places above their money (on average 6.4 places) were +2.7 places the next season, so about 57% of it disappeared and the rest persisted. Some clubs beat their money season after season. It mixes good management, luck and resources the measure cannot see, so it is not a score for how well a club is run.
Clubs with a similar path
Clubs whose finishing positions over the last 15 seasons were closest to Valenciennes FC's, with recent seasons counting more.
In France
FC SochauxFrance · not in the divisions covered nowAC AjaccioFrance · not in the divisions covered nowChamois NiortaisFrance · not in the divisions covered nowDijon FCOFrance · not in the divisions covered now
Elsewhere in Europe
ReadingEngland · 12th in League One, 2025/26AD AlcorcónSpain · not in the divisions covered nowCD LugoSpain · not in the divisions covered now
Compare Valenciennes FC with another club
Sources
- Final tables to 2025/26. Positions are worked out from match results.
- Relegations include dropping out of the divisions covered.
- All figures can be downloaded on the data page. Spotted a mistake? Report it with a source.