Ligue 1 free-to-air match plan rejected by french parliament

Fans will have to wait. On Monday evening, the National Assembly voted down an amendment that would have required one Ligue 1 match per round to be broadcast on free television.

The measure, approved several weeks ago in committee, was meant to be part of the proposed law reforming professional sport. It aimed to allow a channel to show a Ligue 1 game every weekend.

Deputies supporting the amendment wanted to make French football more accessible. In the explanatory statement, they argued that the growing number of broadcasters and subscription packages was pushing some fans away from domestic competitions. The idea was to create a dedicated package in future bidding rounds so that one channel could air a portion of the championship each round. Backers also believed such exposure could help combat piracy. The proposal came as supporters now need multiple subscriptions to watch the entire league.

LFP opposed the measure

Not everyone in professional football supported the plan. Several club directors and the French Professional Football League (LFP) worried that a free match every week would reduce the value of broadcasting rights. For clubs already facing a decline in TV revenue in recent years, the financial issue remained central. A free-to-air broadcast would have required creating a new package in the rights tenders, with no guarantee of additional income. The amendment’s rejection means that Ligue 1 broadcasts will stay unchanged in the short term. The Ligue 1+ platform will continue to carry all league fixtures. Although the debate seems closed for now, the question of making French football more accessible could quickly return during upcoming discussions on television rights.