RC Calais

RC Calais
Full nameRacing Club Calais
Founded14 June 2023 (2023-06-14)
GroundStade de l'Épopée
Capacity12,432
PresidentNicolas Bouloy[1]
LeagueRégional 1
2024–25National 3 Group E, 13th of 14 (Relegated)

Racing Club Calais is a football club based in Calais, France. It was founded in 2023 from a merger of Grand Calais Pascal FC and Calais FC Hauts-de-France. As of the 2025–26 season, it competes in the Régional 1, the sixth tier of French football.

History

In 2017, Calais RUFC ceased operations due to financial issues.[2] Among the successor clubs in the city were Calais FC Hauts-de-France and Grand Calais Pascal FC.[3] In 2023, the two clubs merged to create a new club called Racing Club Calais.[4] The first team would start in the Régional 1, the sixth tier of French football, where Grand Calais Pascal FC had been playing prior to the merger.[5][6]

On 18 November 2023, in the seventh round of the 2023–24 Coupe de France, Calais secured a 2–1 victory over ESC Longueau thanks to stoppage time goals from Claudio Beauvue and Axel Prohouly, setting up a match against Ligue 2 side Caen in the following round.[7] In the match on 9 December, Calais took the lead in the eleventh minute thanks to a goal from Redwan Aboukassem, but were unable to hold the result, with Caen scoring four goals in the second half, including three after the 80th minute, to win 4–1.[8] At the end of the 2023–24 Régional 1 season, Calais finished first in Group C, advancing to the promotion play-offs against the other group winners. They went on to defeat both Béthune and Arras in penalty shoot-outs to secure Championnat National 3 football.[9]

Players

As of 19 November 2023

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
GK  FRA Théo Comyn
GK  FRA Nicolas Level
DF  FRA Sean Belvalette
DF  FRA Julien Bertoux
DF  FRA Florian Cosyn
DF  FRA Robin Denquin
DF  FRA Alexandre Gobert
DF  FRA Théo Loridan
DF  FRA Hugo Mille
DF  FRA Tristan Schille
DF  FRA François Theron
No. Pos. Nation Player
DF  FRA Medhy John Varane
MF  FRA Redwan Aboukassem
MF  FRA Thibault Demassieux
MF  FRA Erwan Le Sech
MF  FRA Luca Pélissier
MF  FRA Axel Prohouly
MF  FRA Ibrahima Touré
FW  FRA Claudio Beauvue
FW  GUI Daouda Camara
FW  FRA Robin Knockaert

References

  1. ^ "Racing Club de Calais" (in French). French Football Federation. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  2. ^ "When Fourth-tier Calais Came Within Inches of Winning the Coupe De France". Breaking The Lines. Retrieved 2023-11-19.
  3. ^ Carnel (CLP), Simon (2023-05-19). "Football: fusion à Calais, "nous arrivons au bout de quelque chose" estime Dany Dezègue". La Voix du Nord (in French). Retrieved 2023-11-19.
  4. ^ "Football : le Racing Club Calais est né". radio6.fr (in French). Retrieved 2023-11-19.
  5. ^ "Le Racing Club de Calais nait de la fusion des équipes calaisiennes - France Bleu". ici, par France Bleu et France 3 (in French). 2023-06-14. Retrieved 2023-11-19.
  6. ^ Liron, Sylvain (2023-11-17). "Coupe (7e tour) : après trois mois d'existence, comment va le RC Calais ?". La Voix du Nord (in French). Retrieved 2023-11-19.
  7. ^ Sougey, Frédéric (2023-11-19). "La fin de match folle de Calais pour s'offrir Caen au 8ème tour !". Foot Amateur (in French). Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  8. ^ Ponsot, Ariel (9 December 2023). "Coupe de France. Le SM Caen renverse Calais en fin de match et se qualifie pour les 32es de finale". Ouest-France (in French). Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  9. ^ Bouchacourt, Jérome (2024-06-23). "Le Racing Club de Calais est promu en National 3 !". Foot Amateur (in French). Retrieved 2024-06-26.