Seven Ligue 1 chiefs push for swift Assembly slot for governance reform | OneFootball

Seven Ligue 1 club executives have urged France’s National Assembly to fast-track a governance reform bill this spring, warning that the professional game is in crisis. According to L'Équipe, their joint appeal seeks to put the Senate-approved proposal on the Assembly’s agenda without delay.

The signatories represent Olympique Lyonnais, RC Lens, FC Metz, Olympique de Marseille, Paris FC, Le Havre AC and Stade Rennais. They argue that French professional football is currently weakened and needs urgent structural change.

The bill, led by senators Laurent Lafon and Michel Savin and passed by the Senate in June 2025, has since stalled. It proposes replacing the LFP with a clubs’ company, mirroring models in several major European leagues, to professionalise the management of broadcast rights and refresh the league’s commercial strategy.

A month earlier, four of the seven signatories, from Marseille, Lens, Rennes and Le Havre, had already sounded the alarm over worsening finances. They cite a February UEFA report showing broadcast income now accounts for 19% of Ligue 1 clubs’ total revenue, compared with 35% to 46% in other leading leagues.

They fear these vulnerabilities could lead to sporting decline. While acknowledging clubs must cut costs and adapt their models, they call for a structural reset to usher in a calmer and more ambitious era.

Source: L'Équipe