Ligue 1+ Piracy Costs League €100M Annually: LFP Media ChiefNicolas de Tavernost, the director general of LFP Media, has revealed that piracy is costing the French top-flight league's streaming service, Ligue 1+, approximately €100 million per year. The significant financial loss was disclosed during his testimony before the Commission of Culture, Education, Communication and Sport of the French Senate.
De Tavernost's appearance before the Senate commission also shed light on another critical issue: the failure to secure the broadcasting rights for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This setback was cited as a primary reason for his decision to resign from his position.
The testimony highlights the ongoing battle against illegal streaming that plagues professional football leagues worldwide. For Ligue 1, the financial impact of piracy directly undermines the revenue model of its dedicated streaming platform, Ligue 1+, which was launched to centralize and monetize broadcast rights.
The loss of the 2026 World Cup rights represents a major missed opportunity for LFP Media, which is responsible for the league's media rights distribution. The combination of substantial piracy losses and the inability to secure a premier international tournament's rights underscores the commercial challenges facing French football's governing bodies.
These developments come at a critical time for Ligue 1 as it seeks to maximize the value of its media rights in an increasingly competitive and fragmented broadcasting landscape.