The World’s Most Unique Cup Returns: Your Guide to the 7th Round of the Coupe de France
The most magical and unpredictable cup competition in football returns this Friday! The Coupe de France, famous for pitting amateur Davids against professional Goliaths, enters its 7th Round. This is where the competition truly heats up, and the dreams of tiny clubs get their ultimate test.
Here’s everything you need to know about the competition as we head into this weekend’s fixtures.
What is the 7th Round?
After six grueling preliminary rounds featuring thousands of amateur and semi-pro clubs from across mainland France and its overseas territories, the 7th Round marks a major milestone: the entry of the professional Ligue 2 clubs.
This weekend, the 18 clubs from France’s second tier join the qualified lower-league teams. But what makes the Coupe de France truly special is its global scale. It is the only cup competition in the world to be played across four different continents:
- Europe (Mainland France)
- Oceania (New Caledonia, French Polynesia)
- Africa (Réunion, Mayotte)
- America (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and more)
This mix of professional quality, amateur passion, and global logistics makes it a cup without comparison in European football.
Key Matchups to Watch
While many eyes are on the “Petit Poucet” (Little Thumb) teams from the 9th tier, the most fascinating story of this round involves an incredible journey:
- AS Magenta (New Caledonia) vs. FC Mulhouse (N3): This match perfectly captures the spirit of the cup. FC Mulhouse, from France’s 5th division, is undertaking a 36,000-kilometer (approx. 22,000-mile) round trip to New Caledonia in Oceania to face the local champions, AS Magenta.
- US Auby (D1) vs. Amiens (L2): A classic “David vs. Goliath” tie, as a 9th-tier club hosts a fully professional Ligue 2 side.
- AS Cannes (N2) vs. Annecy (L2): A glamour tie for the former top-flight club Cannes, who now play in the 4th tier.
The Logistics of a Global Cup
That massive journey for FC Mulhouse raises a key question: who pays?
The French Football Federation (FFF) costs the entire trip for the traveling team in these scenarios. This policy ensures that clubs are not bankrupted by their own success.
The rules change, however, as the competition progresses. When the Ligue 1 giants enter in the Round of 64 (in December), any overseas (“Outre-Mer”) teams still in the competition must travel to mainland France for their matches, with the FFF again footing the bill.
Only once in history has a top-division French team traveled to an overseas territory for a match: in 1989, Nantes flew to French Guiana to play Geldar Kourou. History is also against the traveling teams; to date, no overseas club has ever advanced past the Round of 32.
The Path Forward: Future Stages
So, what happens after this weekend? Here is the road map to the final at the legendary Stade de France.
- 8th Round (Weekend of November 29, 2025): The winners of the 7th Round matches advance to face each other.
- Round of 64 (Weekend of December 20, 2025): This is the big one. The 18 clubs from Ligue 1, including giants like Paris Saint-Germain, enter the competition.
- Round of 32: January 10, 2026
- Round of 16: February 4, 2026
- Quarter-finals: March 4, 2026
- Semi-finals: April 22, 2026
- Final: May 23, 2026 (at the Stade de France, Saint-Denis)
The 7th Round is the true start of the “Federal Phase,” bringing all corners of French football together. Get ready for a weekend of passion, upsets, and pure football magic.
