Spanish football fans will soon have unprecedented access to France's top-flight league. DAZN has secured a multi-year agreement with LFP Media to broadcast every single Ligue 1 match in Spain, beginning with the highly anticipated Lens vs. Paris Saint-Germain fixture on May 13 at 21:00 local time.
This landmark deal represents a significant return for Ligue 1 to the Spanish market. It marks the first time since the 2017-2018 season that the entire French championship will be fully available to viewers in Spain. The coverage will be comprehensive, with at least two matches per matchday featuring commentary in Spanish, enhancing the viewing experience for local audiences.
DAZN already holds a strong position in the Spanish sports broadcasting landscape. The platform currently streams a portion of Spain's own La Liga (five matches per matchday), alongside the English Premier League, Italian Serie A, German Bundesliga, Formula 1, and MotoGP. The addition of Ligue 1 further solidifies its portfolio of top-tier European football and motorsport content.
The agreement is a major commercial success for LFP Media, the commercial arm of the French Professional Football League. The company highlighted that this deal is part of a broader strategy that has significantly increased the international revenue for Ligue 1. According to LFP Media, the current season's international rights revenue stands at 137 million euros, a substantial 80% increase compared to the era when beIN Media Group handled the commercialization.
This development comes after some internal criticism within the LFP. Nasser al-Khelaïfi, president of both Paris Saint-Germain and beIN Media Group, had recently questioned LFP Media's efforts in selling international rights. LFP Media responded by pointing to the Spanish market as a case study of their improved performance, noting that a previous distributor under beIN's management had failed to secure a broadcaster for Ligue 1 in Spain and eventually ceased operations.
The new partnership with DAZN ensures stability and broad reach for French football in Spain for the next three years. With this agreement, Ligue 1 is now distributed in 216 territories worldwide through 51 international partners, showcasing the growing global appeal of the French championship.
Based on reporting from Foot - actualités, mercato, info & vidéo en continu.
