ESTAC, from Troyes in the Champagne region. Long a yo-yo club between the top two divisions, they played in the UEFA Cup in the early 2000s and have continued to move between Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 in recent years.

Since 2020 they have been part of the City Football Group, sharing ownership with Manchester City and Melbourne City, and often serving as a destination for young players within that network.

Troyes won Ligue 2 with 67 points, returning to Ligue 1 after three years, with Le Mans (62) taking the other automatic place.

Stéphane Dumont is the head coach, keeping the promotion side's core together while using the CFG network to strengthen.

Opened in 1924, capacity 20,400. Small by Ligue 1 standards but tightly enclosed, and known for its atmosphere.

Troyes itself is a city of around 60,000 — among the smallest represented in the French top flight.

Patrick Beach (#1) arrives in goal — a 22-year-old Australian signed from fellow CFG club Melbourne City for a reported €1.7m on a five-year deal to 2031.

Iron Gomis joined the midfield on a free transfer from Zira FK. Left-back Yasser Larouci, a key figure in promotion, has moved on to fellow promoted side Le Mans.