Ligue 1 free-to-air match amendment rejected by French parliament

Football fans in France will have to wait longer for a free-to-air match. On Monday evening, the National Assembly voted down an amendment that would have required one Ligue 1 game to be broadcast on free television each matchday.

The amendment, previously approved in committee several weeks ago, was meant to be part of a bill reforming professional sports. It aimed to allow a broadcaster to air a Ligue 1 fixture every weekend without requiring a subscription.

Lawmakers who backed the measure 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 supporters away from domestic competitions. The idea was to create a specific package in future bidding rounds so that one channel could show a portion of the league each round. Proponents also believed that greater exposure could help combat piracy. The proposal came at a time when fans must juggle multiple services to watch the entire championship.

The LFP opposed the plan

The option did not have unanimous support within professional football. Several club executives and the French Professional Football League feared that offering one free match each week would lower the value of audiovisual rights. For clubs already facing declining television revenues in recent years, the economic question remained central. A free-to-air broadcast would have required creating a new lot in the tender process, with no guarantee of additional income. The rejection of the amendment means that Ligue 1 broadcasting will not change in the short term. The Ligue 1+ platform will continue to hold all matches of the championship. Although the debate appears closed for now, the issue of accessibility in French football could quickly return to the table during upcoming discussions on television rights.