As French football navigates the aftermath of the unsuccessful broadcasting agreement with British service DAZN, the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) has confirmed its intention to proceed with creating its own dedicated channel for the 2025-2026 season.
According to a report from L’Équipe, a call for tenders for the production of this new internal broadcasting operation commenced on Monday. The channel is scheduled to begin broadcasting on August 15th, coinciding with the start of the new league season.
Given the lack of a secured domestic broadcast partner for the upcoming season, the LFP is implementing a fallback strategy by operating its own channel. Nevertheless, the league remains open to collaborating with existing media companies like Canal+, beIN Sports, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, or potentially even DAZN, provided any potential agreement guarantees a minimum revenue stream.
DAZN, the broadcaster for the current season, reached an agreement with the LFP last month to terminate their Ligue 1 contract early. Their original deal was to broadcast eight of the nine weekly Ligue 1 matches for an annual cost of €375 million.
“Entering the French market, incurring losses, and then withdrawing after just one year isn`t a logical approach. We believe that within the framework of the Ligue 1 channel initiative, we can contribute significant value,” a representative from DAZN stated to L’Équipe in late April. If DAZN were to partner with the LFP`s channel, the league would waive the €100 million penalty fee associated with the contract termination.
