Ligue 1
Ligue 1 is the top-tier professional football championship operated by France’s LFP, serving clubs, international fans, broadcasters, and sponsors through competitions, streaming, mobile, fantasy-sports, gaming, and related media-rights commercialization services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1944
- HeadquartersParis, France
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Ligue 1 does
Ligue 1 is France’s top-tier professional football championship and is operated by the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP), a private non-profit association established in 1944. LFP also manages Ligue 2 and serves the professional clubs participating in the two competitions. Its operating structure includes two wholly owned commercial subsidiaries: Filiale LFP 1 handles broadcasting-rights commercialization, while Filiale LFP 2 manages Ligue 1+ audiovisual operations.
The LFP’s digital product portfolio centers on Ligue 1+, a direct-to-consumer streaming service offering live and on-demand Ligue 1 content, including eight of nine weekly matches live, replays, highlights, and more than 100 original programs. The platform is distributed through web, iOS, Android, major smart-TV systems, Apple TV, and PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series consoles; it supports up to two simultaneous streams, live restart, digital rights management, and personalized favorite-club and player settings. My Ligue, Fantasy L1, Mon Petit Prono, and Mon Petit Gazon extend the product surface into news, alerts, fantasy sports, and prediction games.
Commercialization combines consumer subscriptions, individual-match pay-per-view, international broadcast-rights licensing, sponsorship and naming rights, and advertising. Ligue 1+ is offered to residents of the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, and Italy at £9.99 per month or £79.99 per season, while Amazon Prime Video offers selected UK matches for £2.49 each. Distribution also includes beIN SPORTS and other international broadcasters, with geographic restrictions arising from content rights, local broadcast rules, and the absence of VPN support.
Ligue 1 firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ligue 1
- Legal name
- Ligue de Football Professionnel
- Website
- https://ligue1.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1944
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Ligue 1 is the top-tier professional football championship operated by France’s LFP, serving clubs, international fans, broadcasters, and sponsors through competitions, streaming, mobile, fantasy-sports, gaming, and related media-rights commercialization services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ligue 1 industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sports Broadcasting and Media
- NAICS
- Spectator Sports (71121)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Association Football (Soccer) Leagues (MPAKAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Sports Streaming Platforms (MPAKAOAA), League/Team-Owned Digital Broadcast Networks (MPAKAOAC), Fantasy Contests, Leagues & Tournament Organizers (MPAEAHAF), International Sports Broadcasters & Rights Networks (MPABAJAE)
Keywords
Where Ligue 1 is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Paris
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Ligue 1 business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Ligue 1+ Subscription Revenue: Monthly and seasonal subscription fees for streaming access to live matches, replays, and exclusive content. Seasonal Pass at £79.99 with full season commitment; Monthly Pass at £9.99/month with no commitment.
- Pay-Per-View Matches: Individual matches available for £2.49 each through Amazon Prime Video, offering flexible access without requiring full subscription.
- Broadcasting Rights: Sale of broadcasting rights to international broadcasters including beIN SPORTS and other regional partners for live match coverage in territories outside France.
- Sponsorship and Naming Rights: Naming rights partnerships with title sponsors: McDonald's for Ligue 1 and BKT for Ligue 2. Additional partnerships with Essilor (major partner), Decathlon, La Poste, and PointP (official partners).
- Advertising Revenue: FILIALE LFP 2 may insert advertising and promotional elements before or during live and replay content viewing, including advertising banners.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Seasonal commitment subscription with full live and replay access |
| Subscription | Monthly | Monthly subscription with no commitment |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Individual match pay-per-view |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
Ligue 1 product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ligue 1 (Ligue de Football Professionnel) organizes and operates France's top-tier professional football championship (Ligue 1 McDonald's) and second-tier league (Ligue 2 BKT). It sells direct-to-consumer streaming access to 8 out of 9 weekly Ligue 1 matches via the Ligue 1+ subscription platform, and licenses broadcasting rights internationally. Supporting digital products include the Fantasy L1 fantasy football game, Mon Petit Prono and Mon Petit Gazon prediction games, and the My Ligue mobile app for news and match updates.
Product overview
Ligue 1 (Ligue de Football Professionnel) operates a portfolio of football competitions and digital services. The core products are Ligue 1 McDonald's (top-tier league) and Ligue 2 BKT (second-tier league). The Ligue 1+ platform serves as the digital streaming subscription service for live and on-demand match access. Supporting products include the My Ligue mobile app, the Fantasy L1 fantasy football game, and gaming prediction services Mon Petit Prono (MPP) and Mon Petit Gazon (MPG). The ecosystem is connected through user accounts that allow personalization of favorite clubs and cross-product access.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- My Ligue: Official mobile application for Ligue 1 news, updates, and match coverage.
- Mon Petit Prono (MPP)
- Mon Petit Gazon (MPG)
- Fantasy L1
Products and services
- Ligue 1 McDonald's France's top-tier professional football league featuring 18 clubs. The competition is the primary product under the Ligue 1 McDonald's brand, organized annually by LFP.
- Ligue 2 BKT France's second-tier professional football league, operating under the Ligue 2 BKT brand. Serves as the developmental division below Ligue 1 McDonald's, featuring 20 clubs.
- Ligue 1+ Digital subscription streaming service offering live and on-demand access to 8 out of 9 Ligue 1 McDonald's weekly matches, replays, highlights, and exclusive original programming. Available in UK, Ireland, and Italy with Season Pass (£79.99) and Monthly Pass (£9.99) options.
- Fantasy L1 Official fantasy football game allowing users to act as virtual coaches, selecting players from Ligue 1 McDonald's clubs to build fantasy teams and compete based on real-match performance.
- My Ligue App Official mobile application for Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 available on iOS and Android. Provides news, match updates, standings, and notifications for all clubs in the competitions.
- Mon Petit Prono (MPP) Gaming prediction service allowing users to make football predictions and compete based on accuracy of their forecasts for Ligue 1 and other football competitions.
- Mon Petit Gazon (MPG) Fantasy football league service acquired by LFP in July 2023, allowing users to create and manage virtual football teams using real player statistics.
Quantifiable outcome
- 100+ original programs available in content library
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Ligue 1
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Ligue 1 technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature5 records
Ligue 1 partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and major.
- Amazon Prime VideocoreAmazon launched live pay-per-view soccer service on Prime Video featuring Ligue 1 as its first partner. Matches priced at £2.49 each in the UK, expanding Amazon's sports aggregation strategy without requiring Prime subscription.
- McDonald'sflagshipTitle sponsor of Ligue 1 McDonald's. McDonald's branding prominently featured in league name, official website, and all official communications. Major naming rights partnership providing significant sponsorship revenue.
- BKTflagshipTitle sponsor of Ligue 2 BKT. BKT (tire manufacturer) branding in league name for second-tier competition.
- EssilormajorMajor partner of Ligue 1 McDonald's with logo presence on official channels.
- DecathloncoreOfficial partner of Ligue 1 McDonald's, providing sports equipment and apparel partnership.
- La PostecoreOfficial partner of Ligue 1 McDonald's, French postal service with logo presence.
- PointPcoreOfficial partner of Ligue 1 McDonald's, building materials retailer.
- beIN SPORTSflagshipOfficial broadcaster of Ligue 1 McDonald's. Distributes live match coverage to subscribers in various territories worldwide.
- Ligue 1+ (LFP's own platform)flagshipOfficial broadcaster and streaming platform for Ligue 1 McDonald's content. Direct-to-consumer subscription service at plus.ligue1.com.
- Dice Technology Limited (Endeavor Streaming)coreTechnology partner hosting the Ligue 1+ streaming platform (plus.ligue1.com). Provides video streaming infrastructure and digital rights management.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Ligue 1 competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Premier League: England's top-tier professional football league and the global benchmark for soccer league commercialization. Operates a similar model combining broadcasting rights sales, DTC streaming (via Premier League Productions and third-party platforms), title sponsors, and an extensive digital ecosystem — making it the closest structural and operational peer to Ligue 1.
- Serie A: Italy's top-tier professional football league. Operates broadcasting-rights commercialization, international distribution, and digital products comparable to Ligue 1+; both leagues sit in the second tier of European football commercial value and compete for international broadcast dollars.
- DAZN: Global sports streaming platform and a former Ligue 1 broadcasting partner. Operates a directly comparable DTC sports subscription model and competes with Ligue 1+ for sports-streaming subscribers across European markets.
- Bundesliga: Germany's top-tier professional football league, operated by the DFL. Combines international broadcasting rights, DTC products, sponsorships (e.g., title sponsor history), and fan-engagement platforms — a structurally analogous model to Ligue 1 across European soccer league economics.
- Major League Soccer (MLS): North America's top-tier professional soccer league. Comparable to Ligue 1 as a professional football league operator, with a notable strategic parallel: MLS's landmark DTC streaming deal with Apple TV mirrors Ligue 1's investment in its own Ligue 1+ platform.
- La Liga: Spain's top-tier professional football league featuring clubs like Real Madrid and FC Barcelona. Operates a comparable broadcasting-rights and DTC model, including LaLigaTV, plus sponsor stack and international expansion — directly comparable to Ligue 1's structure and revenue mix.
Broad incumbents
- UEFA: The governing body of European football, organizer of UEFA Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League. A broader incumbent that overlaps with Ligue 1 in broadcasting rights sales, sponsorship sales, and pan-European fan engagement, while operating at a higher competitive tier.
- ESPN+: Disney-owned DTC sports streaming service. Operates a subscription streaming model for live sports with multi-device support and content tiers; comparable to Ligue 1+ as a sports OTT subscription product and competitor for sports-streaming consumer spend.
Others
- beIN SPORTS: Flagship international broadcaster partner for Ligue 1, distributing matches in MENA and other territories. Both a distribution partner and a competitor in regional sports content aggregation; comparable as an OTT sports broadcaster with overlapping rights portfolios.
- Amazon Prime Video Sports: Amazon's live and on-demand sports offering, which became a Ligue 1 PPV distribution partner in February 2025. Functions as both a channel partner (driving reach and PPV revenue) and a broader incumbent aggregating sports rights against Ligue 1+.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Ligue 1 social profiles
Digital presenceLigue 1 compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Ligue 1 financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ligue 1 leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Ligue 1 subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Ligue 1 funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ligue 1 M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ligue 1
What does Ligue 1 do?
Ligue 1 (Ligue de Football Professionnel) organizes and operates France's top-tier professional football championship (Ligue 1 McDonald's) and second-tier league (Ligue 2 BKT). It sells direct-to-consumer streaming access to 8 out of 9 weekly Ligue 1 matches via the Ligue 1+ subscription platform, and licenses broadcasting rights internationally. Supporting digital products include the Fantasy L1 fantasy football game, Mon Petit Prono and Mon Petit Gazon prediction games, and the My Ligue mobile app for news and match updates.
Is Ligue 1 a public or private company?
Ligue 1 is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Ligue 1 founded?
Ligue 1 was founded in 1944.
Where is Ligue 1 based?
Ligue 1 is headquartered in Paris, France, in the Europe region.
How does Ligue 1 make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Ligue 1+ Subscription Revenue is the primary driver. The others are pay-Per-View Matches, broadcasting Rights, sponsorship and Naming Rights and advertising Revenue.
Who are Ligue 1's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Premier League, Serie A, DAZN, Bundesliga, Major League Soccer (MLS) and La Liga. Broad incumbents are UEFA and ESPN+. Others are beIN SPORTS and Amazon Prime Video Sports.
Does Ligue 1 have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ligue 1.
What industry is Ligue 1 in?
Ligue 1's product category is Sports Broadcasting and Media. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAKAAAA, Association Football (Soccer) Leagues, with a secondary code of MPAKAOAA, Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Sports Streaming Platforms. Its NAICS code is 71121 and its SIC code is 7900.