Canal+ cannot show Young Boys Berne v Lille live, late highlights planned | OneFootball

Canal+ will not show Young Boys Berne v Lille live at 18:45 on Thursday, the Europa League tie is blocked by the Swiss club’s shirt sponsor being banned from advertising in France.

According to L'Équipe, Lille supporters will have no legal way to watch in France. Canal+ sports director Thomas Sénécal phoned club president Olivier Létang on Friday 28 November to warn the game could not be carried.

The issue is the Young Boys jersey partner, 'Plus 500', an investment company whose certain contracts are deemed very risky by the AMF. Since late 2016, such advertising has been prohibited under the French consumer code.

As a result, teams wearing that brand cannot be televised in France, including Young Boys in the Europa League and Legia Warsaw in the Europa Conference League this season. beIN Sports and Canal+ have previously withheld matches for the same reason in Serie A and the Champions League. Young Boys Berne v Lyon on 22 January at 18:45 is also affected.

Canal+ does not intend to break the law, with fines of up to €100,000 per breach. Instead, the channel plans a highlights package from 23:00 in Soir d'Europe on Canal+ after OL v Go Ahead Eagles, with the sponsor blurred in post-production, live masking is not yet technically feasible.

As rights holder of the three European competitions until 2031, Canal+ will nevertheless have to find a solution with UEFA to avoid a repeat.

Source: L'Équipe