Nicolas de Tavernost urges year-end Ligue 1 rights tender for 2029-2034 | OneFootball

According to L'Équipe, outgoing LFP Media chief Nicolas de Tavernost has urged a year-end tender for Ligue 1 TV rights in 2029-2034, outlining it in a strategic note to professional football leaders.

The memo reviews his year since April 2025, from DAZN stopping Ligue 1 payments and exiting, to Canal+ and beIN Sports lawsuits, and the emergency launch of Ligue 1+ to avert a blackout.

He cites hurdles to growth, with subscribers at 1.1 million. France Under-21 rights went to YouTuber Zack Nani, not Ligue 1+. For the 2026 World Cup, Ligue 1+ bid €17 million plus €2.5 million in production to FIFA but lost to beIN Sports, whose parent is chaired by Nasser al-Khelaïfi, the PSG boss.

His roadmap proposes testing the market, while Ligue 1+ keeps exclusive rights to the nine top-flight matches from next season until 2028-2029.

If bids are not favourable, which is considered probable, direct talks could follow with Amazon, Paramount or Netflix on a seven-year exclusive deal with a significant minimum guarantee. Failing that, Ligue 1+ would still gain visibility.

Whether the LFP adopts his strategy is unclear, but next season will bring a Saturday night multiplex of four games, including one higher-profile tie.

Three evening slots are planned on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, all at 20:45. The Sunday magazine around the prime time match will be free to air, and the target is one million extra subscribers by 2029.

Source: L'Équipe