Ligue 1 is in a financial and governance crisis, but the war in the Middle East is delaying reform efforts
French professional football faces an urgent economic and governance crisis, according to French Senators Laurent Lafon and Michel Savin.
In an op-ed published in Le Monde on 10 March, the pair called for the National Assembly to schedule debate on the bill on the organisation, management, and financing of professional sport.
The legislation passed the Senate in June 2025 with cross-party support, but it has yet to reach the lower chamber.
The Lafon and Savin warned that delays are adding to financial pressures on clubs. Investment fund CVC Capital Partners recently reported a decline in the value of its investment, while UEFA data, they note, “confirms the existing financial imbalance among Ligue 1 clubs.”
Broadcast rights, which play a significant part in revenue for all clubs, are also under severe strain.
The op-ed stated nearly one in five French viewers watch sport illegally, with football accounting for roughly half of that piracy. The pair wrote current anti-piracy measures remain “insufficient compared with other European countries,” and argued “every month of delay worsens financial pressures and weakens the economic model.”
In addition to piracy, the league has suffered huge losses since deciding to launch its own direct-to-consumer platform following disagreements with broadcasters.
However, the Senators have stressed it is not just about revenue. The op-ed mentioned the resignation of Nicolas de Tavernost, Head of LFP Media since April 2025, alongside troubled relationships within the league and with broadcasters.
According to Lafon and Savin, the bill adopted by the Senate is the only way to give the sector a second wind. “There is an urgent need to reform professional football,” they wrote, stressing the sector risks “a structural decline” unless action is taken.
The bill proposes measures to improve federations’ public service role, regulate league governance, address conflicts of interest, cap certain salaries and equip authorities with tools to combat broadcast piracy in real time.
“Professional sport, particularly football, cannot afford for its situation to continue deteriorating,” read the op-ed.
Ligue 1 clubs and stakeholders back reform
The call for immediate action is gaining support across French professional football, with Seven Ligue 1 clubs – OM, Lens, Le Havre, Rennes, Paris FC, Lyon, and Metz – backing the reform and urging the government to put the bill on the agenda.
At meetings in Matignon Palace on 9 March, club executives warned delays could worsen financial problems, reduce competitiveness and limit investment in players and stadiums.
The bill proposes creating club corporations, similar to those in English football, to modernise operations and increase financial transparency.
In England, a similar focus on governance is underway via the Independent Football Regulator (IFR), which is set to publish a new “State of the Game” report reviewing football finances, player wages, and club ownership.
Despite strong public support from clubs and renewed pressure on the government, the conflict in the Middle East remains at the top of the agenda, understandably drawing attention away from domestic issues like football governance reform.
