Seven Ligue 1 clubs urge swift vote on French football governance reform

A group of seven Ligue 1 club presidents have called on the French government to accelerate a long-delayed reform of professional football governance, pushing lawmakers to schedule a bill for debate in the National Assembly “from this spring.”In a joint op-ed published across regional newspapers, the executives from Olympique Lyonnais, RC Lens, FC Metz, Olympique de Marseille, Paris FC, Le Havre AC and Stade Rennais said: “Le football professionnel est aujourd’hui fragilisé.”The clubs want parliament to move quickly on legislation approved by the Senate in June 2025, arguing the current model has left French football structurally exposed as broadcast income falls and costs remain high.The bill, backed by senators Laurent Lafon and Michel Savin, would replace the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) association model with a club-owned company, a structure the signatories say is needed to modernise decision-making and professionalise commercial execution.The presidents said the change is “indispensable” to improve how domestic media rights are managed and to reshape the league’s overall strategy with audiences and broadcasters, as France prepares for the next cycle of rights sales.They also pointed to a steep decline in the role of broadcast income in Ligue 1 club finances, writing that audiovisual rights now represent 19% of total revenues, compared with 35% to 46% in other major European leagues, citing a UEFA report published in February.The signatories warned that, without structural change, the sport faces a “risk of declassement” on the pitch as financial pressure erodes competitiveness and reinforces a widening gap with rival leagues.The clubs acknowledged they carry their own responsibility to curb costs, saying teams must reduce spending and adapt their business models, while arguing governance reform is required to reset incentives and improve long-term commercial planning.The push adds to the pressure on French football’s leadership as Ligue 1 seeks a more stable distribution model and a clearer negotiating posture with media partners amid continued scrutiny of losses, debt and cash flow across the division.