Let me tell you something that’s shaking up the soccer world right now. French football is making big moves, and they’re taking pages right out of the English Premier League’s playbook to do it.
The French Football Federation just dropped a bombshell announcement – they’re completely changing how their professional leagues operate. Why? Because they want what the Premier League has: serious money, global attention, and star power that keeps fans coming back for more.
I’ve covered sports long enough to know when a league is going for a game-changer, and this is it. France’s top soccer officials aren’t being shy about their intentions. They’re openly saying, “We want what England has built.” And who can blame them?
The Premier League rakes in a staggering $12 billion in TV rights alone over three years. That’s the kind of cash that lets teams like Manchester City and Liverpool attract the Haalands and Salahs of the world. Meanwhile, French clubs have been watching their homegrown stars like Kylian Mbappé pack their bags for richer leagues.
Vincent Labrune, who heads the French Professional League (LFP), put it bluntly when speaking to lawmakers recently: “We’re creating a commercial company to follow the Premier League model.” This isn’t just tweaking the system – it’s rebuilding the foundation of French football.
Here’s the game plan: The LFP is forming a commercial entity that will handle broadcasting rights, sponsorships, and merchandise. Sound familiar? It should. It’s exactly how the Premier League revolutionized football finances back in 1992 when they broke away from England’s Football League.
The French aren’t just hoping this works – they’re banking on it. Their current TV deals bring in about $775 million yearly. That’s pocket change compared to what Premier League teams enjoy.
This restructuring comes at a crucial time. French football has been through the wringer these past few years. The COVID pandemic hit their finances hard, and then came the disaster with Mediapro. If you missed that drama, the Spanish broadcaster promised big money for TV rights but then couldn’t pay up, leaving French clubs scrambling for cash.
“We were on the brink of bankruptcy,” Labrune admitted. That’s not hyperbole – it was that serious.
What makes this move so interesting is how openly France is admitting they’re copying England’s homework. Usually in sports, leagues try to pretend they’re blazing their own trail, but the French are keeping it real. They’ve studied what works, and they’re not too proud to adopt it.
The new commercial company will be majority-owned by the league, with private investors getting a 13% stake for now. Those investors are bringing €1.5 billion (about $1.6 billion) to the table – money that French clubs desperately need after those financial body blows.
CVC Capital Partners is the big player here. They’re putting up most of that investment cash, and they know sports business. They’ve already got their fingers in pies from Formula 1 to rugby’s Six Nations.
But here’s where it gets really interesting for fans: What will this mean on the field? The Premier League isn’t just wealthy – it’s wildly competitive. Last season saw teams like Aston Villa and Brighton throwing punches with the traditional powerhouses. French football has been Paris Saint-Germain and everybody else for too long.
Could this cash injection create a more balanced league? PSG has dominated Ligue 1, winning nine of the last eleven titles. That kind of predictability doesn’t make for must-see TV.
The timing feels right for this shake-up. French football has serious talent and passionate fans. Their national team has been among the world’s best for years. The missing piece has been the financial muscle to keep their stars at home and attract others from abroad.
Philippe Diallo, president of the French Football Federation, isn
