French football broadcasting developments

The landscape of football broadcasting in France has seen shifts in subscription models and platform offerings. Initial reports highlighted various ways for fans to access matches, including DAZN’s coverage of LaLiga and Serie A, and combined packages with Ligue 1+ and Canal+ Sport to cover domestic and international competitions. Following these developments, the LFP announced expansions for the Ligue 1+ platform for the 2026-2027 season. The service will increase its match availability by 30%, broadcasting nearly 600 matches. New features include a Saturday night multiplex for simultaneous viewing, an expanded editorial team featuring consultants like Abou Diaby and Philippe Mexès, and the addition of immersive content and gaming features. For the 2026-2027 season, Ligue 1+ will broadcast all nine matches of each Ligue 1 matchday and has expanded its coverage to include the entirety of Ligue 3. The platform is reintroducing a Saturday night multiplex that will feature up to four simultaneous matches. To enhance the viewing experience, the service will introduce 4K HDR broadcasting for 10 high-profile matches, including fixtures involving Paris Saint-Germain, Olympique de Marseille, and Olympique Lyonnais; this Ultra HD service will be available through providers such as Orange, SFR, Amazon Prime Video, and Molotov. Despite these expansions, the service has faced technical criticism regarding production stability and image quality. In response, the platform intends to improve production conditions for multiplex matches in the coming weeks. As the 2026/2027 season begins, Ligue 1+ has confirmed it will broadcast 100% of Ligue 1 matches, including the ninth match previously held by beIN Sports, alongside the new Ligue 3 coverage. Following a first season that reached over 1.1 million subscribers, the platform is implementing price increases to boost television rights revenue. Existing subscribers will see monthly rates rise from 14.99 euros to 16.99 euros.