free Ligue 1 match on TV weekly? French parliament to vote monday
Could France soon have a free Ligue 1 match every weekend? The National Assembly is set to review a proposed law aimed at reshaping French football on Monday. Delayed several times, this legislation includes an amendment that would mandate the free broadcast of one Ligue 1 match per matchday on unencrypted television channels.
Currently, access to Ligue 1 matches requires a subscription to Ligue1+, priced from €15 per month. The platform has accumulated about one million subscribers. However, lawmakers pushing the amendment argue that the fragmentation of sports broadcasting rights across multiple paid platforms is driving fans away and fueling piracy. They propose that every time broadcast rights are sold, a portion must include a free-to-air slot for one weekly match. This, they say, would significantly boost national football visibility.
The amendment stems from a 2021 report by deputy Cédric Roussel on the television broadcasting rights of sporting events.
Opening football to a wider audience
Sports economist Pierre Rondeau highlighted the potential impact: “Two years ago, the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) estimated that 22 million French people follow Ligue 1. Of these, only one million subscribe to Ligue1+. If we make one match accessible for free, we could attract an additional one, two, or even four million viewers.”
The LFP strongly opposes the amendment, warning that free broadcasts could decrease the value of television rights, which account for over 50% of clubs’ revenue. Intensive lobbying from the LFP and broadcasters has intensified ahead of Monday’s session.
Other key measures in the proposed law include tougher anti-piracy measures, enhanced oversight of professional leagues by federations and the Ministry of Sports, regulated redistribution of audiovisual revenue, and capped executive compensation.
The bill was already approved by the Senate last year and passed by the National Assembly’s committee in May—where the free-to-air amendment was added. After Monday’s debate, it may still be amended by the joint parliamentary committee scheduled for July 21.
