France's leading women's football clubs launch their campaigns on Saturday for the first Coupe LFFP, a tournament that will see teams from the top two divisions battle it out.
The competition will feature the 12 clubs from the top-flight Arkema Première Ligue and the 12 from the second-tier Seconde Ligue.
It starts a week after the outfits played their opening games of the league season, and will culminate in a final in Côte d'Ivoire next March.
"We wanted to increase the number of matches for clubs not playing in Europe by offering more competitive matches throughout the season," said a spokesperson for the Women's Professional Football League (LFFP), which is organising the tournament.
"It will also provide the platform for new players to emerge by giving them an additional competitive framework in which to prove themselves."
Teams will be divided into five regional groups and play round-robin matches from this weekend until January. The winner of the each pool will advance to the quarter-finals.
At that stage, the three French sides involved in the 2025/26 Champions League – OL Lyonnes, Paris FC and Paris Saint-Germain – will enter the competition.
Opportunity to test skills
"It's simply a great opportunity to compete against Première Ligue teams," said Jose da Silva, president of Seconde Ligue Toulouse Football Club.
"It's interesting because we have a squad of 20 to 27 players, which will allow us to rotate and give our youngest players a chance to play.
"Knowing that Toulouse's DNA is all about training for both boys and girls, it's a way for us to get as many players out onto the field as possible so that they can gain experience."
Toulouse kick off their Group C campaign at Seconde Ligue counterparts Rodez AF. They will also play Montpellier and Olympic de Marseille from the top flight.
Toulouse striker Louna Lapassouse said she was relishing the chance to test her skills against Première Ligue squads.
"We've been able to play our game against teams that have been above us and that has allowed us to beat those teams at times," said the 23-year-old. "So we have to stay true to ourselves and play our game.
"As the Coupe LFFP is brand new, we don't really know yet what it's going to be like but we're very competitive so obviously when we join a competition like this we want to do something in it.
"We're going to enjoy playing all these big matches and we're certainly going to give it our all."
Da Silva, who has been the Toulouse supremo for nearly 10 years, hailed the decision to carve up the teams into regional pools.
"It's certainly going to create some buzz," he beamed. "There's Marseille, who we played when they were in the second division last season. They've been promoted and have reinforced their squad, and we have Montpellier, which is our neighbour.
"It's always interesting to compete against a neighbour like that which has been in the top flight for many years and are well established there, so there'll be a battle for regional domination.
"I'm certain people are going to come along to watch these games."
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Tournament rules
Under the rules of the competition, the winner of a match in 90 minutes earns three points and the loser zero points.
If a match were to finish in a draw, a penalty shootout ensues to determine the winner, who claims two points while the loser receives one point.
"This is an opportunity for us to build confidence in our game," said Saint-Etienne coach Sébastien Joseph on the eve of his team's Group B clash against Nice.
Saint-Etienne, who lost their first match of the Première Ligue season to Nantes, will also play second-tier Grenoble Foot 38 and Thonon Évian in the Coupe LFFP.
"We want to finish top of the group," added Joseph. "We've prepared well and we mustn't start doubting everything just because we lost the first game of the Première League season.
"We were up against a Nantes team that has been working on a project for three years and at this point is a bit further along the road than we are."
Team to beat
Following this weekend's ties, further pool matches are scheduled for 11 October, 15 November, 10 December and 7 January.
The quarter-finals and semis will be in February and the final will be played on 14 March in Abidjan.
OL Lyonnes will be favourites to lift the inaugural trophy. The club has won 18 of the last 19 top-flight championships.
"It's true that Lyon, PSG and Paris FC are way ahead of the pack at the moment," said Da Silva. "And they will be expected to be there in the semis and final. But in a one-off match, anything can happen.
"It's clear that on paper, it may seem unbalanced. But you know, a cup match is a cup match and if it goes to penalties ... everything is possible."
