▁D 2 ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁same ▁time , ▁L NR ▁and ▁the ▁French ▁Rugby ▁Federation ▁( FF R ) ▁will ▁change ▁the ▁promotion ▁process ▁from ▁F éd éra le ▁ 1 ▁to ▁Pro ▁D 2 . ▁For ▁three ▁seasons ▁( 2 0 1 7 – 1 8 ▁to ▁ 2 0 1 9 – 2 0 ), ▁only ▁one ▁team ▁will ▁be ▁promoted ▁to ▁Pro ▁D 2 ▁through ▁the ▁F éd éra le ▁ 1 ▁competition . ▁The ▁second ▁promotion ▁place ▁will ▁be ▁a ▁" w ild ▁card " ▁granted ▁by ▁L NR ▁to ▁a ▁club ▁that ▁meets ▁the ▁following ▁criteria : ▁ ▁must ▁be ▁located ▁in ▁northern ▁France ▁( with ▁the ▁div iding ▁line ▁running ▁approximately ▁from ▁La ▁Ro ch elle ▁to ▁Lyon ) ▁ ▁have ▁a ▁long - term ▁development ▁plan ▁ ▁location ▁in ▁an ▁area ▁that ▁can ▁dem ograph ically ▁and ▁econom ically ▁support ▁a ▁fully ▁professional ▁club ▁Starting ▁with ▁the ▁ 2 0 2 0 – 2 1 ▁season , ▁L NR ▁will ▁create ▁a ▁third ▁professional ▁league , ▁slot ting ▁between ▁Pro ▁D 2 ▁and ▁F éd éra le ▁ 1 ▁in ▁the ▁league ▁system . ▁ ▁Re leg ation ▁Norm ally , ▁the ▁teams ▁that ▁finish ▁in ▁ 1 5 th ▁and ▁ 1 6 th ▁places ▁in ▁the ▁table ▁are ▁re leg ated ▁to ▁F éd éra le ▁ 1 ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁season . ▁In ▁certain ▁circumstances , ▁" fin an cial ▁reasons " ▁may ▁cause ▁a ▁higher - pla ced ▁team ▁to