Ligue 1 prepares five-season domestic rights tender

LFP Media is preparing a domestic media rights tender for the 2027–2032 period, with plans to offer the entire Ligue 1 championship in a single package following changes to French sports legislation.Chief executive Olivier Bramly presented the proposed process to the Ligue de Football Professionnel’s board on October 6, with a launch targeted for early November subject to approval and broadcasters expected to receive one month to submit offers.Discussing interest from potential partners in August, Bramly said: “That is a reality, because we are already receiving a number of expressions of interest which we are analysing.”The consultation would offer bidders two routes: acquiring exclusive broadcast rights to every Ligue 1 match or securing exclusive distribution of Ligue 1+, the league’s existing platform, for the same five-season cycle.The alternatives would test demand for both a conventional rights acquisition and a distribution arrangement that retains the league’s own broadcast product, giving LFP Media different options for its next commercial agreement.Bramly has met market participants including Canal+, RMC Sport, Amazon Prime Video and Netflix while developing the proposal, although their involvement in discussions does not establish whether they will enter the bidding process.The single-package approach follows legislation adopted in August allowing rights to be marketed together, removing the previous requirement to divide the competition into separate lots.That change enables LFP Media to offer a complete championship product, potentially increasing its appeal to platforms that want exclusive access rather than sharing coverage with competing services.The proposed tender comes after successive disruptions to French football’s domestic broadcasting arrangements, with declining rights revenue contributing to financial pressure across the professional game.LFP Media launched Ligue 1+ following the end of its agreement with DAZN, taking on greater responsibility for producing and distributing coverage while seeking to build a direct subscription business.Returning to the market would allow the league to assess whether a broadcaster or exclusive distributor can deliver a stronger financial proposition than the current arrangements, without committing in advance to either model.The timetable also reflects a reported exit clause in existing Ligue 1+ distribution contracts that can be activated in March, creating an opportunity to reconsider those partnerships before 2029.A five-season agreement would establish a longer commercial framework for clubs, although the eventual level and structure of income will depend on the offers received and the model selected.The next step is board approval for the consultation, after which prospective partners would be able to assess the full package and submit proposals for how Ligue 1 should reach domestic audiences from 2027.