France’s Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) has announced it will launch its own television channel to broadcast Ligue 1 matches from next season, following the collapse of a short-lived agreement with streaming platform DAZN.
The decision, finalised at a meeting on Tuesday involving club presidents, the LFP board and its commercial subsidiary, LFP Media, marks a significant shift in French football’s broadcasting strategy. The new platform will carry eight out of nine Ligue 1 matches per weekend, with the remaining fixture staying under the control of Qatari broadcaster beIN Sports.
The new venture comes after months of turmoil around Ligue 1’s domestic broadcast rights. The DAZN deal, struck in July 2024, promised just €400 million per year – far short of the LFP’s long-stated goal of reaching €1 billion annually across all media revenues. Frustrated by the underwhelming value and a breakdown in relations with the streaming service, clubs voted in April to terminate the agreement.
The move signals a desire to take greater control over the league’s content and financial future after years of instability in the French broadcast market.
The decision also reflects deeper financial strain within French football: Ligue 1 has continued to fall behind Europe’s top leagues in terms of media revenue. The Premier League, by comparison, recently signed a domestic rights deal worth €2.02 billion per season.
In contrast, the LFP’s previous agreement – cobbled together across DAZN, beIN and international partners – left French clubs scrambling for income.
The financial consequences are already visible. Historic club Girondins Bordeaux were relegated to the third tier earlier this season due to financial irregularities, while Olympique Lyon – one of the most successful French clubs of the 21st century – face demotion to Ligue 2, pending the outcome of an appeal launched last week.
By taking a direct-to-consumer approach, the LFP is hoping to recapture both lost revenue and lost trust. But the risks are substantial: the league must now not only produce and market its own product but also convince fans and subscribers to follow them to a brand-new platform.
A statement from the LFP read: “This ambitious project marks a turning point for all French football fans. More immersive and supported by all Ligue 1 McDonald’s clubs, the platform will broadcast the ten best matches of the season from the start of the season on August 15th, eight live matches exclusively every day from Friday to Sunday, accompanied by a major magazine available – free-to-air – on Sunday evenings.”
The new Ligue 1 channel will go live in time for the 2025–26 season. A press conference will be held by LFP on July 10 to present the new platform.
Insideworldfootball.com
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