France's highest administrative court has rejected an effort to restart the Ligue 1 season - but ruled that Amiens and Toulouse should be reprieved from relegation.
The French football league decided at the end of April to cancel the 2019-20 season with 10 rounds of matches remaining after the Government declared there would be no professional sport before September.
Lyon, who finished seventh in a final table decided by a points-per-game calculation and missed out on European qualification, joined with relegated clubs Amiens and Toulouse in launching legal action.
The court on Tuesday ruled that Ligue 1 would not recommence but Amiens and Toulouse have been spared relegation with the top-flight potentially now expanded to 22 teams for next season.
Lyon have the right to appeal the National Court's verdict, as does the French league against the instruction to expand the top-flight.
It represents an astonishing escape for Toulouse, who had won just one league point since they defeated Lille 2-1 back on October 19. That point came in a goalless draw with Amiens.
The court ruled the decision to end the season after 28 of 38 games was lawful, saying there was 'no serious doubt around the legality of this decision, which weighed up the advantages and disadvantages of an immediate stoppage of the season, when there was very great uncertainty about whether or not competitive action would be able to return in time.'
On the relegation issue, the judge 'suspends the relegation into Ligue 2 of Amiens and Toulouse… the LFP board of directors was not able to argue on sound legal footing their decision to relegate the final two clubs in the Ligue 1 table.'
Lyon's president Jean-Michel Aulas had attempted to lobby the French government to restart the season in line with other leagues across Europe.
With lockdown restrictions lifting, the decision has since been taken to play remaining French Cup matches in July and August with training back underway.
Given two teams - Lorient and Lens - the LFP will have to review the size of Ligue 1 next season, potentially increasing it from 20 to 22 teams.
France's highest administrative court on Tuesday rejected an appeal by three clubs to reverse a decision to end the Ligue 1 season early amid the COVID-19 crisis, but ruled that relegation for Amiens and Toulouse would be suspended.
The French football league's decision to end the season with 10 games remaining meant that Olympique Lyonnais failed to qualify for Europe through the Ligue 1 standings, while Amiens and Toulouse were relegated.
The decision came after the government said in April that the no professional sport would be allowed to return before September. It has since said that French cup final matches for the season can take place in July and August. Training for teams has now resumed.
'The judge validates the terms defined by the league, in particular for the classification of the Ligue 1 championship,' the State Council said in a statement.
'The judge in summary proceedings suspends relegation to Ligue 2 of Amiens and Toulouse,' it added.
Given that two teams have been promoted from Ligue 2, the State Council also ordered the LFP to review its championship for the next season. That could ultimately lead to a 22-team league for the 2020-21 campaign.