RMC Sport reports that Canal+’s involvement in broadcasting French top-flight football, Ligue 1, will be significantly reduced. Initially hoping for a partnership with the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) to manage the new Ligue 1 channel, Canal+ will instead act solely as a distributor. This places them on the same level as other platforms such as IPTV providers, Amazon, and DAZN.
The disagreement appears to stem from Canal+’s financial demands. The reported amount sought by Canal+ exceeded the LFP’s budget. Similarly, DAZN, the previous rights holder who had offered to handle production, editorial, marketing, and communication for €110 million over two years, has also been excluded from the primary management role.
This leaves BeIN Sports as the rights holder for the Saturday 17:00 CET match. The new channel is expected to broadcast eight of the nine games played each matchday. The revised broadcasting arrangements represent a shift in the Ligue 1 broadcasting landscape.