The
Championnat de France Amateur, commonly referred to as simply
CFA and formerly known as
National 2, is a
football league competition. The league serves as the fourth tier of the
French football league system behind
Ligue 1,
Ligue 2, and the
Championnat National. Contested by 64 clubs, the Championnat de France amateur operates on a system of
promotion and relegation with the Championnat National and the
Championnat de France amateur 2, the fifth division of
French football. Seasons run from August to May, with teams in four groups playing 32 games each totalling 1280 games in the season. Most games are played on Saturdays and Sundays, with a few games played during weekday evenings. Play is regularly suspended the last weekend before Christmas for two weeks before returning in the second week of January.