DAZN has clinched the primary DAZN Ligue 1 broadcast rights in a five-year deal worth approximately €500 million ($540 million). This last-minute agreement comes as a relief to the French football community, which faced the prospect of starting the season without a major broadcast partner.
The DAZN Ligue 1 broadcast rights deal will see the sports streaming platform air all 306 Ligue 1 matches per season through a dedicated “Ligue 1 McDonald’s experience,” likely referring to a branded streaming service. DAZN will show eight live matches each matchday, along with Champions Trophy and play-off games, and near-live highlights.
BeIN Sports, a pay-TV provider, has also secured rights to broadcast the 5 pm Saturday match for around €100 million, which will be available on DAZN after a seven-hour delay. BeIN Sports also retains rights to Ligue 2 matches.
This development follows a period of uncertainty for French football, exacerbated by the departure of star players like Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid and Lionel Messi in recent seasons. The league’s previous rights holder, Amazon, had opted not to renew its contract.
Vincent Labrune, President of the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP), expressed satisfaction with the outcome, stating, “Thanks to the unity of French football, we have reached two important agreements with DAZN and beIN Sports.“
DAZN CEO Shay Segev emphasized the company’s commitment to growing Ligue 1’s reach and value, promising an innovative approach to production, marketing, and distribution.
This deal expands DAZN’s portfolio of top-tier European soccer rights, which already includes leagues in Italy, Spain, and Germany. For French clubs, particularly those recently promoted from Ligue 2, the agreement provides crucial financial stability as the new season approaches.
The LFP described the negotiation process as “particularly rigorous and collegial,” reflecting the high stakes involved in securing a broadcast partner for one of Europe’s most prominent soccer leagues.
