Lower League Teams Le Puy Foot, Hauts Lyonnais, and Istres Exit 16th Round of Coupe de France 2026

The 16th finals of the Coupe de France 2026 saw the exit of several lower-league teams despite valiant efforts against higher-tier opponents. Hauts-Lyonnais, a National 3 club, was eliminated by Ligue 1's FC Lorient, 3-1, despite an early goal by Romain Poncet. FC Lorient's Bamba Dieng scored twice, and Mamadou Koné added a third, overturning the initial lead. Both the team and supporters expressed pride in reaching this stage.

Le Puy Foot from the National league faced Stade de Reims of Ligue 2 and fought through challenging snowy conditions and a poor pitch to a goalless draw in regulation time. Unfortunately, they lost 3-0 in the subsequent penalty shootout, compounded by a missed penalty during the match, much to their regret.

Istres FC, competing in National 2, were defeated 2-0 by Laval despite spirited efforts, especially from 20-year-old forward Aymane Nassiri. The young and dynamic team showed their progress, with manager Laurent Thomas proud of the performance. Laval scored crucial goals just before and after halftime to secure the win.

These matches highlighted the competitive spirit of lower-league teams, showcasing resilience, youth, and growth against professional sides, even as the Coupe de France continued to favor higher-league clubs at this stage.