Ligue 1 is considering a radical proposal to overhaul how the French champions are decided at the end of the season, according to reports in France.
The French top flight has struggled to attract viewership over recent seasons in part due to the dominance of Parisian giants Paris Saint-Germain, and is currently mired in breakdown of relations with their current domestic streaming partner DAZN.
DAZN currently hold the streaming rights for the league in a deal worth £337million per year which is due to last until 2029.
But in the thick of the current season, the broadcaster sought to renegotiate terms, with ensuing discussions fraying the partnership – and a further legal dispute between the two parties anticipated.
The French domestic league was ranked the fifth most profitable league in Europe in Deloitte’s 2022-23 review of football finances, bringing in roughly £2.1billion in revenue compared to the Premier League’s vastly superior £6.2bn.
Amid the crisis, the French Football Federation (FFF) have presented a new plan which will seek to revolutionise their national product – with dramatic changes to the league tipped as a concrete blueprint emerges.
The French top flight will undergo wholesale changes as part of a national football revolution
Ligue 1 could face radical innovations as the league shakes itself loose of PSG’s dominance
FFF president Philippe Diallo revealed that three working groups have been discussing where potential changes could be made, with former coach and scout Damien Comolli leading one focused on Ligue 1.
As per L’Equipe, one of the innovations discussed involved reshaping how the Ligue 1 trophy is awarded, with the top four clubs at the end of the regular season competing in a play-off tournament.
The idea is believed to have sprung from the consistent dominance of this year’s champions PSG and how to shake up the pack of trophy holders.
Reports in the French outlet suggested that the proposal has been viewed not unfavourably by some stakeholders, including some players.
But the post-season tournament could add fuel to the fire that contemporary campaigns are over-scheduled.
Other changes mapped out in Diallo’s launch of the project on Monday includes a cap on the number of players in a club’s squad, and the potential to look at salary caps in a bid to create a Financial Fair Play-style set of regulations in French football.
