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Canal+ conditions return to Ligue 1 TV rights on profitability

Maxime Saada, CEO of Canal+, does not rule out bidding in the next call for tenders for Ligue 1 TV rights, but sets a non-negotiable requirement: the operation must be profitable for the group.

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Canal+ conditions return to Ligue 1 TV rights on profitability
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Canal+ will not close the door on the next call for tenders for Ligue 1 TV rights, but its CEO Maxime Saada has drawn a red line during a financial results presentation for the group: no investment will be made without prospects of return on investment.

“We will not put money in if we think we cannot get it back. It cannot be an expense without profits,” Saada said. He clarified that the channel was approaching this matter from a position of strength: “We are in a situation where we don’t really need these rights, so we will consider them as an opportunity, then we will examine the conditions and the market situation.”

This call for tenders, open from November 3 to December 7, comes in a tense audiovisual context for French football. Since the 2025-2026 season, Ligue 1 has been broadcast on the LFP’s in-house platform, Ligue 1+, launched urgently after failed negotiations with Canal+ in June 2025. The pay-TV channel had then refused to distribute this channel, worsening a relationship already strained since Amazon Prime Video’s arrival in 2021, which had grabbed 80% of matches for the 2021-2024 period.

The revenue generated by Ligue 1+ remains insufficient to cover the financial needs of professional clubs, making this new call for tenders crucial for the championship’s economy. The possible return of Canal+, the historic broadcaster of the competition, could change the equation, but Saada was clear: commercial conditions must first convince the group before any commitment.

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