French Cup threatened with disappearing from free-to-air television

The French Cup could lose its free-to-air exposure from next season onwards. Facing new budget restrictions, France Télévisions is no longer ruling out giving up its rights to the competition, confirmed Friday by its president Delphine Ernotte in the pages of Le Monde: “Certain competitions may not be renewed, such as the French Cup football competition for example.”

Until last season, the public broadcaster aired one match per round from the round of 32 onwards on its channels. Negotiations with the French Football Federation (FFF) had been suspended for several months, with France Télévisions citing the absence of a fixed budget framework. That framework is now set — with budget cuts as a result.

The sticking point is financial. According to L’Équipe, France Télévisions proposed halving the annual amount of its contract, reducing its contribution from 8 to 4 million euros. The FFF reportedly refused to go that low, deeming the offer insufficient.

On the Federation’s side, no final decision has yet been officially communicated by France Télévisions. The FFF continues to hope for a compromise, even if it means seeking support from public authorities to maintain a free showcase for the competition. The tone has nevertheless changed since summer: at the end of June, president Philippe Diallo was still confident, believing the situation should “be resolved in the coming days.”

Currently, beIN Sports is the only broadcaster under contract for the French Cup. The channel reportedly concluded a deal worth 9 million euros per season to broadcast the entire competition from the round of 32 onwards. If France Télévisions confirms its withdrawal, the French Cup would become an exclusively pay-per-view competition — a first in its recent history.