Fans will have to wait. On Monday evening, the National Assembly rejected an amendment that would have required one Ligue 1 match per week to be broadcast free-to-air.
The measure, which had been approved in committee weeks earlier, was meant to be part of a bill reforming professional sports. It aimed to allow a single channel to air one Ligue 1 match every weekend.
Lawmakers backing the amendment wanted to make French football more accessible. In the explanatory statement, they argued that the proliferation of broadcasters and subscription packages was alienating many supporters from domestic competitions. The goal was to create a dedicated package in future bidding rounds so that a broadcaster could show one match per matchday. Supporters of the plan also believed such exposure could help combat piracy. The proposal emerged at a time when fans now need multiple subscriptions to watch the entire championship.
The LFP opposed it
The option was not unanimously supported within professional football. Several executives and the Professional Football League feared that a free weekly match would reduce the value of broadcast rights. For clubs already facing declining television revenue in recent years, the economic question remained central. A free-to-air broadcast would have required creating a new package in bidding rounds, with no guarantee of extra revenue. The rejection of the amendment means that Ligue 1 broadcasting will not change in the short term. The Ligue 1+ platform will continue to carry all fixtures. Although the debate appears closed for now, the issue of the accessibility of French football could quickly return to the table during upcoming discussions about television rights.
