Ligue 1+ moves to buy World Cup rights using CVC funds after clubs’ unanimous approval | OneFootball

Ligue 1+ plans to buy 100% of the next World Cup rights, using CVC’s seed fund for upfront costs. The package would include 54 matches co-broadcast by M6.

According to L'Équipe, Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 clubs unanimously backed the plan, approving around 20 million euros, 17 million for rights plus 2.5 million for production. LFP Media chief executive Nicolas de Tavernost aims to use the tournament to grow Ligue 1+. The impact on clubs is expected to be nil, with no effect on TV revenue this season or next.

The contract has been signed, sent to FIFA, and cleared by CVC, which invested 1.5 billion euros for 13% of Ligue revenues. The seed fund was created when CVC joined LFP Media in 2022, then validated again in November 2023.

This fund, separate from a reserve for emergencies such as a broadcaster default, initially held around 25 million euros and financed the October 2022 purchase of Mon Petit Gazon. About 10 million remain to cover FIFA instalments, the first due on 15 February.

Tournament revenues are then expected to take over. An extra 200,000 subscribers are envisaged, on top of 1.2 million, with some likely to stay for Ligue 1 coverage. The move should also limit churn during a three-month break, and around 20 million euros is hoped to cover costs.

LFP Media now awaits FIFA’s final response by the end of this week or early next. beIN Sports could yet complicate matters.

Source: L'Équipe