France: Ligue 1, DAZN break deal
April 16, 2025
Football clubs in France’s Ligue 1 have voted in favour of breaking their domestic TV deal with sports streaming platform DAZN at the end of the current season. DAZN rejected a proposal from the league, and the decision now leaves the clubs once again facing an uncertain future.
The DAZN deal was only agreed in July 2024, just days ahead of the current season starting, with the streamer replacing previous rights holders Canal+ and Amazon. DAZN has been showing eight out of nine Ligue 1 matches per week (with beIN Sports showing the other), in a deal valued at €500 million annually.
During a meeting held by The Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP), Ligue 1’s board of directors agreed to end the contract at the end of the current campaign following intervention by a mediator, who recommended a compromise that would have seen DAZN pay the full amount it owes for this season, €140 million, and up to €125 million as a settlement fee.
In a statement, the LFP said: “LFP Media acknowledges the failure of the mediation process initiated in early March 2025. The contract between the parties remains in effect, and LFP Media expects its partner to fully fulfil all of its obligations under this agreement.”
DAZN withheld part of its monthly payment to LFP earlier this year, and also initiated legal action, seeking compensation pertaining to alleged contract breaches. The streaming platform cited the LFP’s lack of support in fighting piracy, and marketing the league.
In its own statement, DAZN said: “After four months of discussions – including six weeks of mediation – initiated in good faith by DAZN and involving several proposals, the mediation unfortunately did not succeed in sufficiently bridging the gap between the parties. It has therefore not been possible – at this stage – to reach an agreement for an amicable resolution of the situation.”
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