News You Can Use - FFFA D1 Edition #1
- Arnaud Dignocourt
- 21 hours ago
- 5 min read
A changing landscape ahead of the new season
As the next FFFA Division 1 season approaches, French American football is entering a period of transition. Between relegations, promotions and roster changes, the league will not look the same as it did last year. Several familiar faces are gone, while new projects are stepping into the spotlight.
New teams in, old heads out
The 2025 season highlighted a clear competitive gap at the bottom of the standings. The Cougars de Saint-Ouen-l’Aumône and the Dauphins de Nice both endured winless campaigns, each struggling to remain competitive within their respective conferences.
Saint-Ouen finished the season without a victory in the North Conference, unable to reverse a long-running decline that had already seen the club battling relegation in previous years. Nice followed a similar path in the South, ending the season 0–10 and conceding heavily on a weekly basis. Their relegation to D2 was confirmed early, underlining the growing difficulty for clubs lacking depth and continuity to survive at the elite level.
Their departure marks the end of an era for two teams that, despite their struggles, had been regular fixtures in D1 over the past decade.
Promoted clubs looking to establish themselves
Replacing them are the Météores de Fontenay-sous-Bois and the Centaures de Grenoble, both promoted after strong D2 campaigns.
Fontenay will experience D1 football for the first time in its history. The Météores have built their promotion on organizational stability and defensive consistency, but the jump to the elite division represents a significant challenge. Their priority will be survival, as newly promoted teams traditionally face steep learning curves.
Grenoble, meanwhile, return to D1 with a different profile. The Centaures are a known name in French American football and have previously competed at the highest level. Their objective will likely go beyond simple maintenance, aiming instead to re-establish themselves as a competitive mid-table team.
The end of an era in Asnières
Beyond team movements, the offseason has also been marked by the departure of one of the most recognizable figures in French D1. Brody Hahn, longtime quarterback and face of the Molosses d’Asnières, will not return for the upcoming season.
Over the past years, Hahn had become one of the league’s central figures, not only because of his production on the field, but also due to his longevity and influence. Arriving in Asnières at a time when the club was seeking stability, the American quarterback played a key role in the Molosses’ return to relevance, helping them re-establish themselves as a consistent playoff contender.
His impact went beyond statistics. Hahn was a reference point for opponents, a leader within the locker room, and one of the most identifiable players in the league, regularly featured in league communications and media coverage. In many ways, he embodied the recent identity of D1 football: experienced, physical, and built around import quarterbacks capable of elevating entire programs.
His departure leaves a significant void in Asnières. The Molosses now face a pivotal transition, both tactically and symbolically. Replacing a quarterback of Hahn’s stature is never straightforward, and the club’s next choice under center will say much about its short- and long-term ambitions.
More broadly, Hahn’s exit reflects a wider shift currently taking place in the league. As several long-standing imports move on and clubs reshape their projects, D1 is gradually turning the page on a generation that helped define its modern era.
Roster movement and new imports
As is often the case in D1, the offseason has been marked by significant player movement. Several teams have announced the arrival of new American imports, particularly at key positions such as quarterback, defensive back and wide receiver. These additions are expected to play a major role in shaping the competitive balance of the league.
At the same time, some established players have retired or moved abroad, contributing to a broader generational shift across rosters. Clubs with strong youth development programs may benefit from this transition, while others will rely heavily on imports to remain competitive.
Stability at the top
While changes are visible at the bottom of the league, the traditional contenders remain largely intact. Flash de La Courneuve, Black Panthers de Thonon-les-Bains, Blue Stars de Marseille and Iron Mask de Cannes continue to set the standard, both in terms of results and organizational structure.
Their continuity contrasts sharply with the instability seen among relegated teams, reinforcing the idea that long-term planning remains essential to success in D1.
A season of adjustment
With two new teams, multiple roster overhauls and evolving ambitions across the league, the upcoming D1 season is expected to be one of adjustment. For some clubs, it will be about confirming their status at the top; for others, simply staying afloat.
One thing is certain: the balance of power within French American football continues to evolve, and the margins for error at the elite level are becoming increasingly thin.
What about the 2026/2027 season?
Ultimately, this season also carries an undercurrent of uncertainty. The announcement of the Ligue Élite 2027 introduces the concept of a closed league, a significant break from the traditional open pyramid that has long defined French American football, and French sports by the way. Under this model, access to the top division will no longer be determined solely by sporting results, but by compliance with strict financial, structural and organizational criteria. Promotion and relegation, cornerstones of the current D1/D2 system, will be reduced or disappear altogether, replaced by long-term licenses granted to a limited number of clubs.
While the project aims to stabilize the elite level and improve visibility, it also raises legitimate questions. A closed league risks widening the gap between “included” and “excluded” clubs, potentially slowing sporting mobility and discouraging ambitious programs outside the chosen core. For the teams competing this season, performances on the field may matter less than their ability to meet off-field requirements, budget size, staffing, media exposure and infrastructure, shifting the definition of success away from purely sporting merit. As a result, the upcoming D1 season may feel less like a race for titles or survival, and more like an audition for a future that remains, for many, uncertain and unevenly accessible.
That said, there is also a measure of respect due to the Federation’s attempt to bring structure, visibility and long-term viability to the sport: expectations are high, debates are inevitable, and the reality remains that building and running a sustainable national league is an extraordinarily complex challenge, especially in a developing football market like France.
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