Majority of Ligue 1 viewers accessing matches illegally, LFP reveals | OneFootball

The Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) has revealed that 59% of football fans in France have watched Ligue 1 through illegal means during the 2025/26 season. The data was presented on Monday at a conference organised by the Association pour la protection des programmes sportifs (APPS), comes from a study commissioned by the league’s commercial arm, LFP Media.

As of December 2025, approximately 2 million individuals were accessing Ligue 1 content via piracy, despite the league being available through official broadcasters Ligue 1+ and beIN Sports. Douglas Lowenstein, legal director at LFP Media, stated that the financial impact represents “hundreds of millions of euros” in lost revenue, adding that around 20% of French football fans refuse to pay for access to matches.In parallel, French authorities have begun taking concrete legal action against illegal streaming networks and their users. The LFP confirmed that users of illegal IPTV services have been fined in Arras, in northern France, following a procedure initiated by the league. The case was handled by the local public prosecutor, who targeted both sellers and customers of illicit subscriptions.

According to the LFP, around 20 users were identified and fined between €300 and €400, via a criminal settlement procedure. In total, 19 users and two sellers were identified, with the latter set to appear before the criminal court in April.GFFN | George Boxall