Ligue 1

Top-level football league in France

This article is about the French men's football league. For the French women's football league, see Première Ligue. For other uses, see Ligue 1 (disambiguation).

Not to be confused with EFL League One or Lao League 1.

Football league

Ligue 1

Organising body| Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP)
Founded|

* 1932; 93 years ago (1932) (officially)
* 2002; 23 years ago (2002) (as Ligue 1)

Country|  France (17 teams)
Other club(s) from|  Monaco (1 team)
Confederation| UEFA
Number of clubs| 18 (since 2023–24)
Level on pyramid| 1
Relegation to| Ligue 2
Domestic cup(s)|

* Coupe de France
* Trophée des Champions

International cup(s)|

* UEFA Champions League
* UEFA Europa League
* UEFA Conference League

Current champions| Paris Saint-Germain (13th title)
(2024–25)
Most championships| Paris Saint-Germain (13 titles)
Most appearances| Mickaël Landreau (618)
Top goalscorer| Delio Onnis (299)
Broadcaster(s)| List of broadcasters
Sponsor(s)| McDonald's
Website| ligue1.com
Current: 2025–26 Ligue 1

Ligue 1 (French: [liɡ œ̃]; lit. 'League 1'), officially known as Ligue 1 McDonald's for sponsorship reasons,[1][2] is a professional association football league in France and the highest level of the French football league system. Administered by the Ligue de Football Professionnel, Ligue 1 is contested by 18 clubs and operates on a system of promotion and relegation from and to Ligue 2. Seasons run from August to May. Clubs play two matches against each of the other teams in the league – one home and one away – totalling to 34 matches over the course of the season. Most games are played on Saturdays and Sundays, with a few games played during weekday evenings. Play is regularly suspended the last weekend before Christmas for two weeks before returning in the second week of January.

Ligue 1 was inaugurated on 11 September 1932 under the name National before switching to Division 1 after a year of existence. It continued to operate under that name until 2002, when it adopted its current name. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Marseille were a domineering team, winning four consecutive league titles from 1988–89 to 1991–92, and starred England international Chris Waddle and Ballon d'Or winner Jean-Pierre Papin. Later in the 1990s, foreign-based club Monaco featured Thierry Henry and David Trezeguet, who would both go on to be amongst the most dominant strikers in Europe.

In the 2000s, Lyon established a dynasty, winning 7 consecutive titles (2002–2008)—an unprecedented run in French football. From 2009–2012, four consecutive different clubs won the league: Bordeaux in 2008–09, Marseille in 2009–10, Lille In 2010–11, and Montpellier in 2011–12. During this era, Lille's Eden Hazard emerged as the league's star player.

From 2012 onwards, the Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) takeover allowed Paris Saint-Germain to sign top players like Zlatan Ibrahimović, Thiago Silva, Neymar, and Kylian Mbappé, ushering in an era of complete dominance. As of 2024, Ligue 1 is considered one of the top national leagues, ranked fifth in Europe, behind England's Premier League, Italy's Serie A, Spain's La Liga and Germany's Bundesliga.[3]

PSG are the most successful club with 13 league titles. Saint-Étienne was the first club with 10 titles. With the presence of 73 seasons in Ligue 1, Marseille holds the record for most seasons among the elite, while PSG hold the league record for longevity with 51 consecutive seasons (from 1974 to present). Nantes is the team with the longest consecutive unbeaten streak (32 matches) and the fewest number of defeats (one match) in a single season, doing so in the 1994–95 campaign. In addition, Nantes also holds the record for the longest time without losing at home with a run of 92 matches from May 1976 to April 1981.

Ahead of the 2023–24 season, the number of teams in the league was reduced to 18; four teams in the 2022–23 Ligue 1 were relegated to Ligue 2 and only two teams in Ligue 2 were promoted to Ligue 1.[4] The current champions are PSG, who won a record thirteenth title in the 2024–25 season. The league has been won on multiple occasions by Monaco, the presence of which within the league makes it a cross-border competition.[5]

## History

[edit]

### Foundation

[edit]

Professionalism in French football did not exist until July 1930, when the National Council of the French Football Federation (FFF) voted 128–20 in favour of its adoption. Prior to this, the first division of French football was contested between 1894 and 1929 through an amateur league run by the USFSA.[6]

The founders of professionalism in French football were Georges Bayrou, Emmanuel Gambardella and Gabriel Hanot. Professionalism was officially implemented on 11 September 1932.

In order to successfully create a professional football league in the country, the Federation limited the league to twenty clubs. In order to participate in the competition, clubs were subjected to three important criteria:

* The incoming club must have had positive results in the past.
* The incoming club must be able to pull in enough revenue to balance its finances.
* The incoming club must be able to successfully recruit at least eight professional players.

Many clubs disagreed with the subjective criteria, most notably Strasbourg, RC Roubaix, Amiens and Stade Français, while others like Rennes, due to fear of bankruptcy, and Lille, due to a conflict of interest, were reluctant to become professional. Lille's president, Henri Jooris, also chairman of the Ligue du Nord, feared his league would fold and proposed it become the second division of the new league. Eventually, many clubs earned professional status, though it became more difficult to convince clubs in the northern half of the country; Strasbourg, Roubaix and Amiens refused to accept the new league, while conversely Mulhouse, Excelsior AC Roubaix, Metz and Fives accepted professionalism. In southern France, clubs such as Marseille, Hyères, Montpellier, Nîmes, Cannes, Antibes and Nice were extremely supportive of the new league and accepted their professional status without argument.

### Establishment

[edit]

Division 1 champions (Pre-WWII) Season  | Winner

|

1932–33 | Olympique Lillois
1933–34 | Sète
1934–35 | Sochaux
1935–36 | Racing Club de France
1936–37 | Marseille
1937–38 | Sochaux
1938–39 | Sète

Further information:
French football champions

The league's inaugural season of the all-professional league, called National, was held in the 1932–1933 season. The 20 inaugural members of National were Antibes, CA Paris, Cannes, Club Français, Excelsior AC Roubaix, Fives, Hyères, Marseille, Metz, Mulhouse, Nice, Nîmes, Alès, Lille, Racing Club de France, Red Star Olympique, Rennes, Sochaux, Sète and Montpellier. The 20 clubs were inserted into two groups of 10 with the bottom three of each group suffering relegation to Division 2. The two winners of each group would then face each other in a final held at a neutral venue, which later turned out to the Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir.

The first final was held on 14 May 1933 and it matched the winner of Group A, Olympique Lillois, against the runner-up of Group B, Cannes. Antibes, the winner of Group B, was supposed to take part in the final but was suspected of bribery by the French Football Federation and was disqualified. In the first final, Lillois were crowned the inaugural champions following the club's 4–3 victory.

After the season, the league decided to retain the 14 clubs and not promote any sides from the second division. The league also agreed to change its name from National to simply Division 1. For the 1934–35 season, the league organised a legitimate promotion and relegation system bringing the total tally of clubs in the first division to 16. The number remained until the 1938–39 season.

Because of World War II, football was suspended by the French government and the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) although its member clubs continued playing in regional competitions. During the "war championships", as they are called, professionalism was abolished by the Vichy regime and clubs were forced to participate in regional leagues, designated as Zone Sud and Zone Nord. Due to its non-association with the two leagues, the LFP and FFF do not recognise the championships won by the clubs and thus 1939–1945 is non-existent in the two organisations' view. Following the conclusion of the war and the liberation of France, professional football returned to France. The first division increased its allotment of clubs to 18. This number remained until the 1965–66 season when the number was increased to 20. In 2002, the league changed its name from Division 1 to its current name, Ligue 1.

## Format

[edit]

* 20 clubs: 1932–1933
* 14 clubs: 1933–1934
* 16 clubs: 1934–1939
* 18 clubs: 1945–1946
* 20 clubs: 1946–1947
* 18 clubs: 1947–1958
* 20 clubs: 1958–1963
* 18 clubs: 1963–1965
* 20 clubs: 1965–1968
* 18 clubs: 1968–1970
* 20 clubs: 1970–1997
* 18 clubs: 1997–2002
* 20 clubs: 2002–2023
* 18 clubs: 2023–present

## Competition format

[edit]

There are 18 clubs in Ligue 1. During the course of a season, usually from August to May, each club plays the others twice, once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents, for a total of 34 games, though special circumstances may allow a club to host matches at other venues such as when Lille hosted Lyon at the Stade de France in 2007 and 2008. Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points, then goal difference, and then goals scored. At the end of each season, the club with the most points is crowned champion. If points are equal, the goal difference and then goals scored determine the winner. If still equal, teams are deemed to occupy the same position. If there is a tie for the championship, for relegation, or for qualification to other competitions, a play-off match at a neutral venue decides rank. For the 2015–16 season only, two teams were to be relegated and only two teams from Ligue 2 were to be promoted,[7] but this decision was overturned and three teams were relegated and three teams promoted.[8] Thus, it was the 2016–17 season which saw the return of a relegation play-off between the 16th-placed Ligue 1 team and the third-placed team in the Ligue 2 on a two-legged confrontation, with the Ligue 2 team hosting the first game.[9]

Previously, the league utilised a different promotion and relegation format. Prior to 1995, the league's format was direct relegation of the bottom two teams and a play-off between the third-last first-division team and the winner of the second-division play-offs, similar to the Dutch Eredivisie, and the German Bundesliga. The league has also experimented with a "bonus" rule. From 1973 to 1976, a rule rewarded teams scoring three or more goals in a game with one extra point, regardless of outcome, with the objective of encouraging offensive play. The experience was ultimately inconclusive. At the start of the 2006–07 season, the league introduced an Attacking Play Table to encourage the scoring of more goals in Ligue 1 and Ligue 2. The LFP, with the help of the former manager Michel Hidalgo introduced the idea to reward those teams who score the most goals. The table was similar to the previous idea, but was independent from the official league table and clubs were only rewarded with monetary bonuses.

In June 2021, the LFP voted overwhelmingly at its general assembly to contract Ligue 1 back to 18 clubs for the 2023–24 season by relegating four to, and promoting two from, Ligue 2 after the 2022–23 season.[4]

### European qualification

[edit]

As of the 2023–24 season, as determined by the UEFA coefficient, the top four teams in Ligue 1 qualify for the Champions League, with the top three proceeding directly to the group phase. The fourth-placed team enters in the third qualifying round. The fifth-placed team qualifies for the UEFA Europa League, the sixth for UEFA Conference League. The last Europa League place is determined through the country's domestic cup competition, the Coupe de France. If the cup winner qualifies for Europe through their league position, the seventh-placed team in Ligue 1 will qualify for the Conference League. If France is among the top two nations that earned the most coefficient points from a single season, an additional Champions League group phase spot will be awarded to the team in fourth place; as such the Champions League third qualifying round spot and all spots below will be pushed back one position.

## Clubs

[edit]

Main article: List of Ligue 1 clubs

A total of 74 clubs have played in Ligue 1 from its foundation in the 1932–33 season to the start of the 2025–26 season.[10] Currently, Marseille, Montpellier, Nice and Rennes are the only founding members of the league to be playing in Ligue 1. Paris Saint-Germain is the only club to have not suffered points relegation. They earned promotion to the first division for the 1974–75 season and have not faltered down since. Paris Saint-Germain was administratively relegated by the league following its split from Paris FC in 1972, but returned to the top flight two seasons later.

Internationally, the most well-known Ligue 1 clubs include Paris Saint-Germain, Marseille, Lyon, Monaco and Lille.

### Members for 2025–26

[edit]

The following 18 clubs are competing in the 2025–26 Ligue 1 season.

As of the start 2025–26 Ligue 1 season

Angers

Auxerre

Brest

Le Havre

Lens

Lille

Lyon

Marseille

Monaco

Montpellier

Nantes

Nice

PSG

Reims

Rennes

St-Étienne

Strasbourg

Toulouse

class=notpageimage|

Location of teams in 2025–26 Ligue 1

Club
| Position
in 2024–25  | First season in
top division  | Seasons in
Ligue 1  | Stadium  | Stadium Capacity  | Ligue 1
titles  | Manager

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Angers | 010L2 : 2nd | 1956–57 | 32 | Stade Raymond Kopa | 19,800 | 0 | Alexandre Dujeux
Auxerre | 010L2 : 1st | 1980–81 | 34 | Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps | 18,541 | 1 | Christophe Pélissier
Brest | 0103rd | 1979–80 | 19 | Stade Francis-Le Blé | 15,931 | 0 | Eric Roy
Le Havre | 01015th | 1938–39 | 26 | Stade Océane | 25,178 | 0 | Didier Digard
Lens | 0107th | 1937–38 | 63 | Stade Bollaert-Delelis | 38,223 | 1 | Will Still
Lille | 4th | 1945–46 | 65 | Stade Pierre-Mauroy | 50,186 | 4 | Bruno Génésio
Lyon | 0045th | 1945–46 | 67 | Parc Olympique Lyonnais | 59,186 | 7 | Pierre Sage
Marseille | 0048th | 1932–33 | 75 | Stade Vélodrome | 67,394 | 9 | Roberto De Zerbi
Monaco | 0042nd | 1953–54 | 66 | Stade Louis II | 16,360 | 8 | Adi Hütter
Montpellier | 01012th | 1932–33 | 43 | Stade de la Mosson | 32,900 | 1 | Michel Der Zakarian
Nantes | 01014th | 1963–64 | 57 | Stade de la Beaujoire | 35,322 | 8 | Antoine Kombouaré
Nice | 0105th | 1932–33 | 66 | Allianz Riviera | 36,178 | 4 | Franck Haise
Paris Saint-Germain | 0101st | 1971–72 | 52 | Parc des Princes | 47,929 | 12 | Luis Enrique
Reims | 0109th | 1945–46 | 40 | Stade Auguste-Delaune | 21,029 | 6 | Luka Elsner
Rennes | 01010th | 1932–33 | 68 | Roazhon Park | 29,778 | 0 | Julien Stéphan
Saint-Étienne | 010L2 : 3rd | 1938–39 | 70 | Stade Geoffroy-Guichard | 41,965 | 10 | Olivier Dall'Oglio
Strasbourg | 01013th | 1934–35 | 64 | Stade de la Meinau | 26,109 | 1 | Liam Rosenior
Toulouse | 01011th | 1982–83 | 35 | Stadium de Toulouse | 33,150 | 0 | Carles Martínez Novell

### Seasons in Ligue 1

[edit]

There are 75 teams that have taken part in 88 Ligue 1 championships that were played from the 1932–33 season until the 2025–26 season. The teams in bold compete in Ligue 1 currently. The teams in italics represent defunct teams. The year in parentheses represents the most recent year of participation at this level. No team has played Ligue 1 football in every season; the closest being Marseille, who has played in 76 seasons.

* 76 seasons: Marseille (2026)
* 70 seasons: Saint-Étienne (2025)
* 69 seasons: Bordeaux (2022), Rennes (2026)
* 68 seasons: Lyon (2026)
* 67 seasons: Monaco (2026), Nice (2026)
* 66 seasons: Sochaux (2014), Lille (2026)
* 65 seasons: Metz (2026), Strasbourg (2026)
* 64 seasons: Lens (2026)
* 58 seasons: Nantes (2026)
* 53 seasons: Paris Saint-Germain (2026)
* 43 seasons: Montpellier (2025)
* 40 seasons: Reims (2025)
* 39 seasons: Nîmes (2021)
* 36 seasons: Toulouse (2026)
* 35 seasons: Auxerre (2026)
* 34 seasons: Bastia (2017)
* 33 seasons: Valenciennes (2014), Angers (2026)
* 30 seasons: Racing Club (1990), Nancy (2017)
* 27 seasons: Le Havre (2026)
* 23 seasons: Sedan (2007)
* 22 seasons: Cannes (1998)
* 20 seasons: Brest (2026)
* 19 seasons: Toulouse (1937) (1967), Rouen (1985)
* 18 seasons: Caen (2019), Lorient (2026)
* 16 seasons: Sète (1954), Red Star (1975), Troyes (2023)
* 15 seasons: FC Nancy (1963), Stade Français (1967)
* 14 seasons: Ajaccio (2023)
* 13 seasons: Laval (1989), Guingamp (2019)
* 12 seasons: Toulon (1993)
* 10 seasons: Roubaix-Tourcoing (1955)
* 7 seasons: Antibes (1939), Excelsior (1939), Fives (1939), Lillois (1939)
* 6 seasons: Alès (1959), Mulhouse (1990), Le Mans (2010), Dijon (2021)
* 4 seasons: Tours (1985), Grenoble (2010), Thonon Evian (2015), Paris FC (2026)
* 3 seasons: RC Roubaix (1939), Limoges (1961), Troyes-Savinienne (1961), Angoulême (1972), Martigues (1996), Amiens (2020), Clermont (2024)
* 2 seasons: CA Paris (1934)
* 1 season: Club Français (1933), Hyères (1933), Colmar (1949), Béziers Hérault (1958), Aix (1968), Avignon (1976), Niort (1988), Gueugnon (1996), Châteauroux (1998), Istres (2005), Boulogne (2010), Arles (2011), Gazélec Ajaccio (2016)

## Finances

[edit]

Ligue 1 clubs' finances and budgets are managed by the DNCG (Direction Nationale du Contrôle de Gestion), an organisation responsible for monitoring the accounts of professional association football clubs in France.[11] It was founded in 1984 and is an administrative directorate of the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP). The mission of the DNCG is to oversee all financial operations of the 44 member clubs of the LFP, develop the resources of professional clubs, apply sanctions to those clubs breaking the rules of operation, defend the morals and interests of French football in general.[11]

Following a report by the DNCG, it was determined that the combined budget of Ligue 1 clubs was €910 million for the 2005–06 season, a 39% increase from the 2002–03 season. The prominent reason for the rise was mainly associated with the television rights deal the league regularly signs. Excluding Paris Saint-Germain, many of the top division clubs are extremely healthy with clubs such as Auxerre, Bordeaux, Lille and Lyon being referred to as "managed to perfection".[12] However, recently the DNCG has encouraged clubs to concentrate on limiting their "skyrocketing wage bills and the magnitude of their debts" after it was discovered that the LFP clubs accounts as a whole were in the red for the third consecutive season (2008–2011) with an estimated deficit of €130 million.[13][14] In 2012, the LFP announced that the clubs deficit had been cut in half from €130 million to €65 million.[15] Ligue 1 ranks fifth in terms of revenue brought in by clubs with the league bringing in £0.6 billion for the 2006–07 season trailing England, Italy, Spain and Germany.[16]

In terms of world football, clubs Lyon and Marseille are among the richest football clubs in the world and regularly feature in the Deloitte Football Money League ranking of football clubs by revenue generated from football operations. In the list compiled in the 2008–09 season, Lyon ranked 13th among clubs generating approximately €139.6 million, while Marseille were right behind them in 14th position generating €133.2 million.[17]

In 2016, just Paris Saint-Germain was in the top 30 of the Deloitte Football Money League (ranked 4). From 2017 to 2020, Paris Saint-Germain (ranked between five and seven) and Lyon (ranked between 17 and 28) were part of the top 30.

## Champions

[edit]

Main article: List of French football champions

Bold indicates clubs playing in 2025–26 Ligue 1.

Club  | Titles  | Runners-up  | Winning seasons

|
|
|

Paris Saint-Germain | 13  | 9  | 1985–86, 1993–94, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24, 2024–25
Saint-Étienne | 10  | 3  | 1956–57, 1963–64, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1973–74, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1980–81
Marseille | 9  | 13  | 1936–37, 1947–48, 1970–71, 1971–72, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92, 2009–10
Monaco | 8  | 7  | 1960–61, 1962–63, 1977–78, 1981–82, 1987–88, 1996–97, 1999–2000, 2016–17
Nantes | 8  | 7  | 1964–65, 1965–66, 1972–73, 1976–77, 1979–80, 1982–83, 1994–95, 2000–01
Lyon | 7  | 5  | 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08
Bordeaux | 6  | 9  | 1949–50, 1983–84, 1984–85, 1986–87, 1998–99, 2008–09
Reims | 6  | 3  | 1948–49, 1952–53, 1954–55, 1957–58, 1959–60, 1961–62
Lille | 4  | 6  | 1945–46, 1953–54, 2010–11, 2020–21
Nice | 4  | 3  | 1950–51, 1951–52, 1955–56, 1958–59
Sochaux | 2  | 3  | 1934–35, 1937–38
Sète | 2  | –  | 1933–34, 1938–39
Lens | 1  | 5  | 1997–98
RC Paris | 1  | 2  | 1935–36
Olympique Lillois[a] | 1  | 1  | 1932–33
Strasbourg | 1  | 1  | 1978–79
Roubaix-Tourcoing | 1  | –  | 1946–47
Auxerre | 1  | –  | 1995–96
Montpellier | 1  | –  | 2011–12
Nîmes | –  | 4  | –
Cannes | –  | 1  | –
Fives[a] | –  | 1  | –
Toulouse (1937) | –  | 1  | –
Metz | –  | 1  | –

Notes

1. ^ a b Lille founding clubs

## Records

[edit]

Main article: List of Ligue 1 records and statistics

### Appearances

[edit]

See also: List of Ligue 1 players

Rank  | Player  | Period  | Club(s)[a] | Games[18]

|
|
|
|

1  |  Mickaël Landreau | 1996–2014 | Nantes, Paris Saint-Germain, Lille, Bastia | 618
2  |  Jean-Luc Ettori | 1975–1994  | Monaco | 602
3  |  Dominique Dropsy | 1971–1989  | Valenciennes, Strasbourg, Bordeaux | 596
4  |  Dominique Baratelli | 1967–1985  | Ajaccio, Nice, Paris Saint-Germain | 593
5  |  Alain Giresse | 1970–1988  | Bordeaux, Marseille | 586
6  |  Sylvain Kastendeuch | 1982–2001  | Metz, Saint-Étienne, Toulouse | 577
7  |  Patrick Battiston | 1973–1991  | Bordeaux, Metz, Saint-Étienne, Monaco | 558
8  |  Steve Mandanda | 2007–2016
2017–present  | Marseille, Rennes | 555
9  |  Jacky Novi | 1964–1980  | Marseille, Nîmes, Paris Saint-Germain, Strasbourg | 545
10  |  Roger Marche | 1944–1962  | Reims, RC Paris | 542

Notes

1. ^ where player played Ligue 1 games.

Italics denotes players still playing professional football,
Bold denotes players still playing in Ligue 1.

### Goalscorers

[edit]

See also: List of Ligue 1 top scorers

Rank  | Player  | Period  | Club(s)[a] | Goals[19][20] | Games  | Ratio

|
|
|
|
|
|

1  |  Delio Onnis | 1972–1986 | Monaco, Reims, Tours, Toulon | 299  | 449  | 0.67
2  |  Bernard Lacombe | 1969–1987  | Lyon, Saint-Étienne, Bordeaux | 255  | 497  | 0.51
3  |  Hervé Revelli | 1965–1978  | Saint-Étienne, Nice | 216  | 389  | 0.56
4  |  Roger Courtois | 1932–1956  | Sochaux, Troyes | 210  | 288  | 0.73
5  |  Thadée Cisowski | 1947–1961  | Metz, RC Paris, Valenciennes | 206  | 286  | 0.72
6  |  Roger Piantoni | 1950–1966  | Nancy, Reims, Nice | 203  | 394  | 0.52
7  |  Kylian Mbappé | 2015–2024  | Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain | 191  | 246  | 0.78
8  |  Joseph Ujlaki | 1947–1964  | Stade Français, Sète, Nîmes, Nice, RC Paris | 190  | 438  | 0.43
9  |  Fleury Di Nallo | 1960–1975  | Lyon, Red Star | 187  | 425  | 0.44
10  |  Carlos Bianchi | 1973–1980  | Reims, Paris Saint-Germain, Strasbourg | 179  | 220  | 0.81
Gunnar Andersson | 1950–1960  | Marseille, Bordeaux | 179  | 234  | 0.76

Notes

1. ^ where player scored Ligue 1 goals

Italics denotes players still playing professional football,
Bold denotes players still playing in Ligue 1.

## Media coverage

[edit]

The LFP formerly had rights agreements with the premium channels Canal+ and BeIN Sports. The agreement with BeIN Media Group, reached on 23 June 2011, paid the LFP €510 million over four seasons.[21] Following the announcement of the agreement, it was revealed that Canal+ had acquired four television packages, while BeIN Sports acquired two packages.[22]

In 2018, Mediapro acquired three of the four major packages of LFP media rights for the 2020–21 season through to the 2023–24 season, largely replacing Canal+ in a deal valued at a record €1.15 billion. BeIN Sports maintained "lot 3", which contained two matches per-week on Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons. Mediapro was expected to establish a new channel to house these rights.[23] BeIN Sports later sub-licensed its package to Canal+.[24][25] In June 2020, Mediapro announced a partnership with TF1, under which the new channel would leverage the network's talent and resources, and be branded as Téléfoot—an extension of TF1's long-running football programme. Téléfoot presenters Grégoire Margotton and Bixente Lizarazu served as the lead broadcast team for at least 20 matches per-season.[26][27]

Seeking to renegotiate its contract due to the financial impact of COVID-19, Mediapro began withholding its rights payments to the LFP in October 2020.[28] LFP CEO Arnaud Rouger stated in October 2020 that they may have to pursue a new broadcaster if they are unable to resolve the dispute with Mediapro.[29] In December 2020, it was reported that Mediapro were preparing to wind down Téléfoot, after it agreed to compensate the LFP for the two missed rights payments.[28] In February 2021, Canal+ reached an interim agreement to acquire the rights packages held by Mediapro for the remainder of the season, and later sub-licensed Ligue 2 to BeIN; Téléfoot shut down on 8 February 2021.[24][30][31]

In June 2021, the LFP resold the broadcast rights packages for Ligue 1 to Canal+ and Amazon Prime Video for the 2021–22 season through to the 2024–25 season, with the two broadcasters paying a total of €663 million in total.[32] Canal+ held the rights to two matches per week. In August 2023, it announced a sub-licensing agreement with DAZN to stream its matches on a branded channel within the service as part of DAZN's local launch.[33] Canal+ did not plan to renew its rights after the conclusion of the 2024–25 season.

In April 2025, both the LFP and DAZN came to an agreement to end the rights broadcast deal due to a legal dispute between the two parties over unpaid rights payments.[34] L'Équipe reported that DAZN was to pay the LFP €100m to exit the agreement, as well as the remaining €140m it owed to the organisation for the final two instalments.[35]

In July 2025, the LFP announced that an in-house streaming service named Ligue 1+ would be launched on 15 August, in time for the 2025–26 season. Ligue 1+ will exclusively broadcast eight live matches per week, though BeIN will retain its allocation of one live match per week, broadcasted on Saturdays.[36]

### International broadcasters

[edit]

#### Africa

[edit]

Country  | Broadcasters

|

Sub-Saharan Africa | Canal+ Afrique

#### Americas

[edit]

Country  | Broadcasters

|

Brazil | Cazé TV
Canada | BeIN Sports
Central America | ESPN
Mexico | Caliente TV
South America | ESPN
United States | BeIN Sports

#### Asia and Oceania

[edit]

Country  | Broadcasters

|

Australia | TBD
Brunei | TBD
Cambodia | TBD
Central Asia | Setanta Sports
China | Migu
Hong Kong | TBD
Indian Subcontinent | TBD
Indonesia | TBD
Japan | DAZN
Laos | TBD
Macau | TBD
Malaysia | TBD
Maldives | ICE Sports
New Zealand | TBD
Philippines | TBD
Singapore | TBD
South Korea | Coupang
Taiwan | ELTA
Tajikistan | TV Varzish, TV Football
Thailand | TBD
Vietnam | Q.net TV

#### Europe

[edit]

Country  | Broadcasters

|

Albania | SuperSport
Andorra | TBD
Armenia | Setanta Sports Eurasia, Fast Sports
Austria | DAZN
Azerbaijan | Setanta Sports Eurasia
Belarus | Setanta Sports Eurasia
Belgium | DAZN, VOO Sport World
Bosnia and Herzegovina | Arena Sport
Bulgaria | Diema Sport
Croatia | Arena Sport TV5Monde Europe
Cyprus | Cablenet Sports
Czech Republic | Nova Sport
Denmark | Viaplay
Estonia | Setanta Sports Eurasia, Go3 Sport
Finland | Viaplay
Georgia | Setanta Sports Eurasia
Germany | DAZN
Greece | TV5Monde Europe
Hungary | TBD
Iceland | Viaplay
Ireland | Ligue 1 Pass
Italy | TBD
Kosovo | Art Sport, K Sport
Latvia | Setanta Sports Eurasia, Go3 Sport
Liechtenstein | DAZN
Lithuania | Setanta Sports Eurasia, Go3 Sport
Luxembourg | DAZN, VOO Sport World
Malta | TBD
Moldova | Setanta Sports Eurasia
Montenegro | Arena Sport
Netherlands | Viaplay TV5Monde Europe
North Macedonia | Arena Sport
Norway | Viaplay
Poland | Eleven Sports
Portugal | Sport TV
Romania | TV5Monde Europe
Russia | Okko Sport
San Marino | TBD
Serbia | Arena Sport
Slovakia | Nova Sport
Slovenia | Arena Sport
Spain | TBD
Sweden | Viaplay
Switzerland | DAZN
Turkey | beIN Sports TV5Monde Europe
Ukraine | MEGOGO
United Kingdom | Ligue 1 Pass

#### Middle East and North Africa

[edit]

Country  | Broadcasters

|

MENA | beIN Sports[37]
Israel | Sport5

## Awards

[edit]

### Trophy

[edit]

2007–2024 Ligue 1 trophy: L'Hexagoal.

The previous Ligue 1 trophy, L'Hexagoal, was developed by the Ligue de Football Professionnel and designed and created by Pablo Reinoso. The trophy has been awarded to the champion of France since the end of the 2006–07 season, replacing the previous Ligue 1 trophy that had existed for only five years. The name Hexagoal was derived from an official competition created by the LFP and French TV channel TF1 to determine a name for the new trophy. Over 9,000 proposals were sent in and, on 20 May 2007, French Football Federation member Frédéric Thiriez announced that, following an online vote, the term Hexagoal had received half of the votes. The first club to hoist the new trophy was Olympique Lyonnais who earned the honour after winning the 2007–08 season.

The current Ligue 1 trophy, which was created by Mathias Kiss, will be awarded beginning with the 2024–25 season. Announced on 17 October 2024, the yet-to-be-named trophy features a hexagonal base at the bottom and a gold-plated sphere at the top that is supported by "1"-shaped columns.[38]

### Monthly and annual

[edit]

Main articles: UNFP Player of the Month and Trophées UNFP du football

In addition to the winner's trophy and the individual winner's medal players receive, Ligue 1 also awards the monthly Player of the Month award. Following the season, the UNFP Awards are held and awards such as the Player of the Year, Manager of the Year, and Young Player of the Year from both Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 are handed out.

## Sponsorship names

[edit]

* Ligue 1 Orange (2002–2008)
* Ligue 1 Conforama (2017–2020)
* Ligue 1 Uber Eats (2020–2024)
* Ligue 1 McDonald's (2024–)

## See also

[edit]

Portals:

* Association football
* France

* Football records in France
* List of football clubs in France
* List of foreign Ligue 1 players

## Explanatory notes

[edit]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "McDonald's nouveau partenaire titre de la Ligue 1" [McDonald's new title partner of Ligue 1]. LFP (in French). 21 March 2024. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
2. ^ "Ligue 1 McDonald's : Le calendrier de la saison 2024/2025". LFP (in French). 21 June 2024. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
3. ^ "UEFA rankings for club competitions". UEFA. Union of European Football Associations. 27 October 2021. Archived from the original on 3 November 2018. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
4. ^ a b "Ligue 1: French top tier reduced to 18 teams from 2023/24 season". Sky Sports. 3 June 2021. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
5. ^ "Prince Albert II, boss Leonardo Jardim hail Monaco's Ligue 1 title". ESPN. 18 May 2017. Archived from the original on 3 August 2020. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
6. ^ "France - List of Champions". RSSSF. Retrieved 3 August 2025.
7. ^ "Ligue 1 reduces relegation spots to two". ESPN. Archived from the original on 15 October 2015. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
8. ^ "Ligue 1/Ligue 2 : Il y aura bien trois rélégations/Promotions" (in French). 3 February 2016.
9. ^ "Les décisions du 14 avril 2016" (in French). lfp.fr. 14 April 2016. Archived from the original on 18 April 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
10. ^ "Bilan des clubs". Ligue de Football Professionnel (in French). Archived from the original on 19 October 2010. Retrieved 19 March 2010.
11. ^ a b "Rules of the DNCG" (PDF) (in French). LFP. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 March 2010. Retrieved 1 January 2010.
12. ^ Lawrence, Amy (21 March 2010). "Bordeaux and Lyon bring new wave of French optimism". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 26 April 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2010.
13. ^ "Le foot français dans le rouge". France Football. 24 April 2010. Archived from the original on 27 April 2010. Retrieved 24 April 2010.
14. ^ "Ligue 1 Focus – Money, money, money…". A Different League. 21 March 2010. Archived from the original on 21 April 2010. Retrieved 28 March 2010.
15. ^ "65 millions d'euros de déficit en 2010-11 pour les clubs pros". Ouest-France (in French). 6 April 2012. Archived from the original on 9 April 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
16. ^ "PREMIER LEAGUE TOWERS OVER WORLD FOOTBALL, SAYS DELOITTE". Sport Business. 31 May 2007. Archived from the original on 7 April 2010. Retrieved 21 March 2010.
17. ^ "Real Madrid becomes the first sports team in the world to generate €400m in revenues as it tops Deloitte Football Money League". Sport Business Group. 2 March 2010. Archived from the original on 1 June 2010. Retrieved 21 March 2010.
18. ^ "France - All-Time Most Goals in Ligue 1 Zlatan Ibrahimovic Position: Forward 75 Goals 2012- Matches Played in Division/League 1". Archived from the original on 29 November 2022. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
19. ^ "France - All-Time Topscorers". Archived from the original on 8 December 2022. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
20. ^ "Top guns!". Ligue 1. 24 March 2020. Archived from the original on 23 May 2021. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
21. ^ "Al Jazeera make move into Ligue 1". ESPN. 23 June 2011. Archived from the original on 28 June 2011. Retrieved 3 April 2012.
22. ^ "La LFP choisit Al Jazeera, comme prévu" (in French). Eurosport. 26 January 2012. Archived from the original on 29 February 2012. Retrieved 3 April 2012.
23. ^ "Canal+ loses Ligue 1 football to Mediapro in major upset". Digital TV Europe. 30 May 2018. Archived from the original on 19 February 2022. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
24. ^ a b "LFP reaches stop-gap TV deal with Canal+ for rest of Ligue 1 season". SportsPro Media. 5 February 2021. Archived from the original on 5 February 2021. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
25. ^ "BeIN Sports scores exclusive Ligue 2 rights in France - SportsPro Media". SportsPro Media. 12 February 2021. Archived from the original on 13 February 2021. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
26. ^ "Mediapro and TF1 team up to launch Téléfoot channel". Digital TV Europe. 2 June 2020. Archived from the original on 11 June 2020. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
27. ^ "Ligue 1: la chaîne de Mediapro s'appellera " Téléfoot "". RMC SPORT (in French). Archived from the original on 10 June 2020. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
28. ^ a b "Ligue 1 rights picture in disarray as LFP and Mediapro agree to cancel deal". SportsPro Media. 10 December 2020. Archived from the original on 11 December 2020. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
29. ^ "LFP ready to rip up Mediapro TV rights contract". SportsPro Media. 16 October 2020. Archived from the original on 20 November 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
30. ^ "BeIN Sports scores exclusive Ligue 2 rights in France". SportsPro Media. 12 February 2021. Archived from the original on 13 February 2021. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
31. ^ "Ligue 1: Canal+ n'augmentera pas le prix pour ses abonnés, "un cadeau qu'on leur fait"". Univers Freebox (in French). 8 February 2021. Archived from the original on 11 February 2021. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
32. ^ "Amazon share in French football TV rights sparks furious Canal+ boycott". France 24. 11 June 2021. Archived from the original on 31 January 2022. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
33. ^ McCaskill, Steve (14 August 2023). "DAZN launches in France with live Ligue 1 soccer from Canal+". SportsPro. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
34. ^ "Ligue 1 to drop DAZN as broadcaster after one year". Insider Sport. Retrieved 3 August 2025.
35. ^ "DAZN veut un nouveau cadre pour la diffusion de la Ligue 1". L'Équipe. Retrieved 3 August 2025.
36. ^ "Ligue 1 finalises €14.99 price point for streaming service launch". SportsPro. Retrieved 3 August 2025.
37. ^ "beIN MEDIA GROUP extends long-term deal for Ligue 1 & Ligue 2". beinsports.com. 16 August 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
38. ^ "A new trophy for Ligue 1 McDonald's!". ligue1.com. 17 October 2024. Retrieved 24 October 2024.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ligue 1.

* Ligue1.fr (official website) (in French)
* Ligue1.com (official website) (in English)

* v
* t
* e

Original French Division 1 clubs, 1932–33

* Alès
* Antibes
* Cannes
* Club Français
* Excelsior
* Fives
* Hyères
* Marseille
* Metz
* Montpellier
* Mulhouse
* Nice
* Nîmes
* Olympique Lillois
* CA Paris
* Racing Club de France
* Red Star
* Rennes
* Sète
* Sochaux

* v
* t
* e

Ligue 1

Clubs|

| 2025–26|

* Angers
* Auxerre
* Brest
* Le Havre
* Lens
* Lille
* Lorient
* Lyon
* Marseille
* Metz
* Monaco
* Nantes
* Nice
* Paris FC
* Paris Saint-Germain
* Rennes
* Strasbourg
* Toulouse

|

Former|

* Aix-en-Provence
* Ajaccio
* Alès
* Amiens
* Angoulême
* Antibes
* Arles
* Avignon
* Bastia
* Béziers (defunct)
* Bordeaux
* Boulogne
* Caen
* Cannes
* Châteauroux
* Clermont
* Club Français (defunct)
* Colmar
* Dijon
* Évian
* Excelsior Roubaix (defunct)
* Fives (defunct)
* Gazélec Ajaccio
* Grenoble
* Gueugnon
* Guingamp
* Hyères
* Istres
* Laval
* Le Mans
* Limoges
* Martigues
* Montpellier
* Mulhouse
* AS Nancy
* FC Nancy (defunct)
* Nîmes
* Niort (defunct)
* Olympique Lillois (defunct)
* Paris-Charenton
* Racing Paris
* Racing Roubaix (defunct)
* Red Star
* Reims
* Roubaix-Tourcoing (defunct)
* Rouen
* Saint-Étienne
* Sedan
* Sète
* Sochaux
* Stade Français
* Toulon
* Toulouse (1937) (defunct)
* Tours (defunct)
* AS Troyes (defunct)
* ES Troyes AC
* Valenciennes

Organisations|

* Ligue de Football Professionnel

Competition|

* Teams
* winners
* Players
* foreign
* Winning managers
* Top scorers
* Stadiums

Statistics and awards|

* Records
* Hat-tricks
* Yearly awards
* Player of the Year
* Young Player of the Year
* Player of the Month
* Prix Marc-Vivien Foé

Finances|

* Richest clubs:
* Deloitte list
* Forbes' list

Associated competitions|

* Ligue 2
* Coupe de France
* Coupe de la Ligue (defunct)
* Trophée des Champions
* UEFA Champions League
* UEFA Europa League
* UEFA Conference League
* Anglo-Franco-Scottish Friendship Cup (defunct)

Category

* v
* t
* e

Current Ligue 1 managers

* Dujeux (Angers)
* Pélissier (Auxerre)
* Roy (Brest)
* Digard (Le Havre)
* Sage (Lens)
* Génésio (Lille)
* Pantaloni (Lorient)
* Fonseca (Lyon)
* De Zerbi (Marseille)
* Le Mignan (Metz)
* Hütter (Monaco)
* Castro (Nantes)
* Haise (Nice)
* Gilli (Paris FC)
* Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)
* Beye (Rennes)
* Rosenior (Strasbourg)
* Martínez Novell (Toulouse)

* v
* t
* e

Football in France

French Football Federation (President: Philippe Diallo (interim)) Ligue féminine de football professionnel (President: Jean-Michel Aulas)

National and regional teams|

| Metropolitan|

* Men's
* Senior
* History
* Managers
* All-time record
* At the FIFA World Cup
* B team
* Women's
* Senior
* Under-19
* Under-17
* Youth
* Olympic team
* Under-21
* Under-20
* Under-19
* Under-18
* Under-17
* Under-16

|

Overseas|

* French Guiana
* Guadeloupe
* Men's
* Women's
* Martinique
* Men's
* Women's
* Mayotte
* Men's
* Women's
* New Caledonia
* Men's
* Women's
* Réunion
* Men's
* Women's
* Saint Barthélemy
* Saint Martin
* Saint Pierre and Miquelon
* Tahiti
* Men's
* Women's
* Wallis and Futuna

Unofficial|

* Brittany
* Corsica
* Nice
* Occitania
* Provence

League system|

| Metropolitan|

* Men's
* Ligue 1
* Ligue 2
* National
* National 2
* National 3
* Régional 1
* Lower Regional
* Departmental
* Women's
* Première Ligue
* Seconde Ligue
* Division 3 Féminine
* Youth leagues
* Under-19
* Under-17

|

Overseas|

* French Guiana Régional 1
* Martinique Championnat National
* Guadeloupe Division of Honor
* New Caledonia Super Ligue
* Ligue des Antilles
* Régional 1 Mayotte
* Réunion Premier League
* Saint-Barthelemy Championships
* Saint-Martin Senior League
* Saint Pierre and Miquelon Championnat
* Tahiti Ligue 1

Domestic cups|

| Metropolitan|

* Men's
* Coupe de France
* Coupe de la Ligue
* Trophée des Champions
* Women's
* Coupe de France Féminine
* Trophée des Championnes
* Youth
* Coupe Gambardella
* Coupe Nationale

|

Overseas|

* Coupe de Calédonie
* Coupe de Guadeloupe
* Coupe de Guyane
* Coupe de la Martinique
* Coupe de Mayotte
* Coupe de la Réunion
* Coupe de l'Outre-Mer
* Tahiti Cup

Other competitions|

* Coupe Manier (1897–1911)
* Coupe des Alliés (1915–18)
* CFA (1935–1971)
* Coupe Charles Drago
* Division 3 (1971–1993)
* Division 4 (1978–1993)
* Lafarge Foot Avenir
* Montaigu Tournament
* Maurice Revello Tournament
* Challenge Espoirs

Organizations|

* UNFP
* Awards
* Player of the Month
* DNCG
* FSAF
* FCAF
* USFSA
* LFA
* CFI
* Academies
* INF Clairefontaine
* CNFE Clairefontaine
* Ploufragan
* Saint-Sébastien-sur-Loire
* INF Vichy

Lists / statistics|

* Football records in France
* Ligue 1 records and statistics
* Ligue 1 clubs
* Champions
* Second division champions
* Women's football champions
* Coupe de France winners
* Coupe de la Ligue winners
* Foreign Ligue 1 players
* Stadiums
* Clubs in international competition (men)
* Clubs in international competition (women)
* Rivalries

By city|

* Paris

* v
* t
* e

Top-level men's football leagues of Europe (UEFA)

Current|

* Albania
* Andorra
* Armenia
* Austria
* Azerbaijan
* Belarus
* Belgium
* Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Bulgaria
* Croatia
* Cyprus
* Czech Republic
* Denmark
* England
* Estonia
* Faroe Islands
* Finland
* France
* Georgia
* Germany
* Gibraltar
* Greece
* Hungary
* Iceland
* Israel
* Italy
* Kazakhstan
* Kosovo
* Latvia
* Lithuania
* Luxembourg
* Malta
* Moldova
* Montenegro
* Netherlands
* North Macedonia
* Northern Ireland
* Norway
* Poland
* Portugal
* Republic of Ireland
* Romania
* Russia
* San Marino
* Scotland
* Serbia
* Slovakia
* Slovenia
* Spain
* Sweden
* Switzerland
* Turkey
* Ukraine
* Wales

Defunct|

* Austria
* Tagblatt Pokal
* Gauliga Ostmark
* Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Bulgaria
* Republic
* State
* Czechoslovakia
* Denmark
* East Germany
* England
* Finland
* Germany
* Bezirksliga Bayern
* Gauliga
* Kreisliga Bayern
* Hessen
* Nordmain
* Odenwald
* Pfalz
* Saar
* Südmain
* Südwest
* Württemberg
* Nordkreis-Liga
* Oberliga Berlin
* Oberliga Nord
* Oberliga Süd
* Oberliga Südwest
* Oberliga West
* Südkreis-Liga
* Westkreis-Liga
* Gibraltar
* Herzeg-Bosnia
* Mandatory Palestine
* Scotland
* Premier Division
* Premier League
* Saarland
* Serbia and Montenegro
* Soviet Union
* Turkey
* Turkish Championship
* National Division
* Yugoslavia

Liechtenstein is the only UEFA member association without a national league.

* v
* t
* e

Top sport leagues in France

Leagues|

| Men's|

* American football
* Basketball
* Football
* Futsal
* Handball
* Ice hockey
* Rugby Union
* Volleyball
* Water polo

|

Women's|

* Basketball
* Football
* Handball
* Ice hockey
* Rugby Union
* Volleyball
* Water polo

Others|

| Individual|

* Athletics
* Outdoor
* Indoor
* Badminton
* Chess
* Cycling
* road race
* time trial
* Figure Skating
* Gymnastics
* Artistic
* Rhythmic

|

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