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Countdown to Kick-off: Ligue 1 2025-26 Season Preview

The image denotes that French football opens up the Ligue 1 2025-26 season with elite clubs competing ahead.

French football supporters, where are you? All of you come on to the French top league category of Ligue 1. The new season starts from there to follow up on the few changes and epic locations. Moreover, the summer transfer window is open, and several players will likely join their clubs. Dawn is sure that with newcomers to performing, the young talent will better focus on the potential of their teams. France’s premier football league, Ligue 1, 2025-26 season, with emerging star talents and fascinating play on the turf. All of you prepare for an eye treat and save your calendars; the Ligue 1 action kicks off on August 15, 2025. Worrying, I think, is Ligue 1’s electrifying ending finale on May 16, 2026. Giants like PSG, Lyon, Monaco, and Marseille will clash over newly promoted clubs like Paris and Lorient in the following 46 games. Fans look forward to thrilling derbies, and PSG secures the upper hand in the championship.

What is the historical record of Ligue 1 in French football?

The best football league is Ligue 1 because it has a rich history since 1932 as the Division Nationale. They were previously known as Division 1 and was renamed Ligue 1 in 2002. From 1950 to the 1960s, the opening title champions were Lillois, Reims, and Saint-Étienne, with Saint-Étienne securing ten titles. Later, Marseille was a standout in the 1980s and 90s, and Lyonnais had seven straight titles from 2002 to 2008. In 2011, Paris Saint-Germain dominated global attention with their star-studded lineup, using Qatar Sports Investments. Kylian Mbappe, Neymar, Lionel Messi, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic are star players who raised the league profile to fifth rank in Europe. An escalating tournament changes from a 20-club to an 18-club format on 2023-24 season. All-time top scorers Delio Onnis, Zinedine Zidane, and Ronaldinho are legends and producers of their clubs—all French football competitions with up-to-date updates and additional football news.

What are the highlights of previous champions in Ligue 1?

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) secured a 13th league title in an intense Ligue 1 2024-25 season matchup. This team has a fourth straight crown with six extra matches. Under Coach Luis Enrique, PSG remains dominant throughout the squad, dropping points in all five games and draws. PSG was beaten on April 5, 2025, with a 1-0 victory over Angers, where Desire Doue secured their team’s goal. Surprisingly, PSG had already done their extra 10 points from Matchday seven in January and was the spotlight team. This remarkable victory came in the post-Mbappe, Messi, and Neymar era. One word to say, PSG’s squad was full of youth, balance, and tactical discipline, and was rebuilt. Ousmane Dembele stands out with his 21 goals, six assists, and securing the Golden Boot for Greenwood. Enrique’s follow-up collective performances capitalize on their brilliance. Check out all games with the latest updates and in-depth information.

How will they prepare for the Ligue 1 2025-26 season and special events?

Prepare for a spine-chilling performance in the Ligue 1 2025-26 season, where football and culture collide. The country of France will have a match with 18 iconic turfs and features an eye-treat moment of truth. Cities like Paris, Lyon, and Marseille have newly added promoted clubs. This edition 2025-26 season is marked by the return of the Paris Derby from Matchday 18 to Matchday 34. An opening ceremony finishes with live music and fireworks, and the league starts on August 15, 2025. For sponsorship reasons, the Ligue 1 2025-26 season is called Ligue 1 McDonald’s and will be the 88th edition. The most pivotal Derby la Côte d’Azur faces between Nice and Monaco on October 5 and February 8, 2026. The Ligue de football professional will improve the matchday involvement with a new digital platform that offers real-time data and interactive polls. A tradition of French football in Ligue 1 has an elite club and a wonder of rivals and merging technology.

What is the opening and closing dates for the Ligue 1 2025-26 season?

The Ligue 1 2025-26 season will start on August 15, 2025, and seeing their fans’ enjoyment will be unbelievable. Unfortunately, the season ends on May 16, 2026.

Where can I watch live streaming of the Ligue 1 2025-26 season?

In the U.S., the 2025-26 season will be broadcast on beIN Sports, Fanatiz, Sling TV, and Fubo TV. You can access Fanatiz starting at $9.99/month. Also, streams all Ligue 1 and provides a 7-day free trial. FuboTV offers plans starting at $74.99/month, including a 7-day free trial with 10 real-time streams.

The Ligue 1 2025-26 season is live on LFP Media, with the Ligue 1 Pass option for UK enthusiasts. The Ligue 1 Pass subscription costs £ 9.99 monthly and provides access to all matches. Another stream, Amazon Prime Video, streams a limited three matches per game week. However, the exact matches and schedule have yet to be announced.

Experience the 2025-26 season, which you can access on DAZN DE. Germany’s broadcasting rights will remain until 2027. An alternative option is the Super Sports two-month plan, starting at €9.99 or €24.99 (cancel anytime). Super Sports streaming options annually start at €19.99 with a 12-month vow.

Don’t miss the Ligue 1 2025-26 season, which will air on DAZN. France also broadcasts Ligue 1 and other sports. Fanatiz and Vidgo are available for global viewers, expressly outside France.

DAZN Espana, the best option for Spanish fans, is the best way to grab official telecast rights for French football. For the 2025-26 season, all matchdays will be viewable with these channels using mobile apps, web browsers, smart TVs, and gaming consoles. DAZN Esencial starts at €19.99/month, and DAZN Total is based on €29.99/month.

Indian fans have a few solid options for watching the Ligue 1 McDonald’s season live on the GXR World App and Website. Multiple options are available on TV5MONDE Asie through Indian DTH and cable offers. Ligue 1 Pass is an international OTT that provides live streaming and replay access to all matches. The Ligue 1 Pass subscription costs £9.99/month or £79.99/year.

Watch the 2025-26 season live streaming options like Foxtel, Fetch TV, and Kayo Sports for Australia. Kayo Sports starts with a 7-day free trial, and monthly plans open at AU$25.

In 2025-26 season will have live streaming options on TuneIn Radio with 100% Ligue 1. This radio broadcast is a free internet radio station that is loyal to Ligue 1 coverage: TuneIn website or TuneIn mobile app (iOS & Android).

Local French stations like RMC Sport or Europe 1 may provide match commentary. However, a VPN is necessary outside France.

How is the Ligue 1 2025-26 season formatted?

Ligue 1 will make a change to enhance competitiveness and health clubs. The Ligue 1 2025-26 season structure will reduce from 20 teams to 18 teams only. The advantages of decreasing clubs are matching quality, addressing a €1.3 billion loss in revenue suffered by COVID-19, decreasing scheduling problems, and an in-depth analysis of television rights, ticket sales, and sponsorships. The French Football Federation mainly talks about identifying the league champion. Finally, propose a playoff format where the top four teams clash in a mini-tournament at the end of the regular season to determine the winner. The test of past champion PSG’s dominance is that they have won 11 of the last 13 titles in the Ligue 1 season. An even bigger goal is to make the championship race more than exciting and changeable.

Other alternatives include club size limits and salary caps to provide a Financial Fair Play-style system. This would help determine and stabilize club finances and align Ligue 1 with UEFA’s rules. The matches list balances clashes and opportunities with predominant matches like PSG vs Marseille. A Ligue 1 mid-season pause helps players refresh, while international inclusions complicate things. Each week brings new challengers, making every point majorly noteworthy. As French fans, they all witness a new travelling of passion, tactics, and core.

Teams

The upcoming Ligue 1 2025-26 edition will likely be an exhilarating season with new features—a total of eighteen teams, with several notable clubs returning to the top tier of French football. The Lorient team afterwards spent a year in the tournament of Ligue 2 to make a comeback in the Premier League. Shocking news: Paris FC is returning to they after a staggering 46-year absence, sparking their dedicated fanbase. Alternatively, newcomer Metz is back in league following a period away and further enhancing the landscape of the competition. These teams secured a stunning performance in the Ligue 2 2024-25 season for first, second, and third. Conversely, this season brings a bittersweet layer as Saint-Étienne, Montpellier, and Reims face relegation. Afterwards, they endured several seasons, marking these clubs’ end of an era. Anticipation builds up for epic matches and new rivalries, setting the stage for a thrilling year in French football.

Changes

Promoted from Ligue 2 2024-25

  • Lorient
  • Paris FC
  • Metz

Relegation to Ligue 2 2025-26

  • Montpellier
  • Saint-Étienne
  • Reims

What factors influence the need for close monitoring of the League Table?

PositionTeamQualification or relegation
1AngersQualification for the Champions League league phase
2AuxerreQualification for the Champions League league phase
3BrestQualification for the Champions League league phase
4Le HavreQualification for the Champions League third qualifying round
5LensQualification for the Europa League league phase
6LilleQualification for the Conference League play-off round
7Lorient
8Lyon
9Marseille
10Metz
11Monaco
12Nantes
13Nice
14Paris FC
15Paris Saint-Germain
16RennesQualification for the relegation play-offs
17StrasbourgRelegation to Ligue 2
18ToulouseRelegation to Ligue 2

What are the definitive rule changes for the Ligue 1 2025-26 season?

Exciting news about the 2025-26 season: it is implementing a momentous change to the form. This league aims to improve clarity around player suspension while staying in line with other European leagues. Players will automatically face a one-match suspension whenever they achieve five yellow cards. Unrelated to their total matches played. Crucial shift from the past rule required three yellow cards within ten official matches for a suspension. The Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) officially recommended this reform on June 3, 2025. Follows up on recommendations from a keen penal working group this year. Noteworthy, I think, is that this new guideline will be applied across all domestic leagues—especially Ligue 1, Ligue 2, the Coupe de France, and the Trophee des Champions competitions. Remind them to think that all card counts will reset at the end of each season. Let us hope Ligue 1 will be a fair and eye-pleasing season ahead!

What is the schedule for the exciting Ligue 1 2025-26 season?

MatchesDates
Matchday 1August 15, 2025
Matchday 2August 22, 2025
Matchday 3August 29, 2025
Matchday 4September 14, 2025
Matchday 5September 21, 2025
Matchday 6September 28, 2025
Matchday 7October 5, 2025
Matchday 8October 19, 2025
Matchday 9October 26, 2025
Matchday 10October 29, 2025
Matchday 11November 2, 2025
Matchday 12November 9, 2025
Matchday 13November 23, 2025
Matchday 14November 30, 2025
Matchday 15December 7, 2025
Matchday 16December 14, 2025
Matchday 17January 4, 2026
Matchday 18January 18, 2026
Matchday 19January 25, 2026
Matchday 20February 1, 2026
Matchday 21February 8, 2026
Matchday 22February 15, 2026
Matchday 23February 22, 2026
Matchday 24March 1, 2026
Matchday 25March 8, 2026
Matchday 26March 15, 2026
Matchday 27March 22, 2026
Matchday 28April 5, 2026
Matchday 29April 12, 2026
Matchday 30April 19, 2026
Matchday 31April 26, 2026
Matchday 32May 3, 2026
Matchday 33May 9, 2026
Matchday 34May 16, 2026

What is the prize money for the prestigious Ligue 1 2025-26 season?

In 2025-26 season prize purse is estimated to be between €560 million and €579 million. This 50% amount will be evenly distributed among all 18 clubs, warranting a fair share for each. Then, 30% of the prize pool will be allocated based on the final league standings. Fulfilling clubs for the 2025-26 season performances to bases. Finally, 20% will be determined by the clubs’ media profile and fame. Continuously promote competitive fairness while also being hopeful for commercial success within the league.

PositionEstimated Prize Money (€)
1st (Champion)€60 million
2nd (Runner-Up)€48 million
3rd€47 million
4th€40 million
5th€38 million
6th€32 million
7th€32 million
8th€30 million
9th€29 million
10th€28 million
11th€25 million
12th€25 million
13th€23 million
14th€22 million
15th€22 million
16th (Relegation Playoff)€21 million
17th (Relegated)€19 million
18th (Relegated)€19 million

Expectations

Passionate fans’ eyes glitter at Ligue 1, making every match a joyful celebration in iconic locations. They are cheering in the stands or from the comfort of home and finding innovative ways to engage supporters. A celebration of football brings fans together, and the season is all about celebrating community spirit. The European tournament presents opportunities for growth and innovation. A French football competition is one of the platina. Ligue 1 is getting ready to spark performances to attract the global crowds. All of you know fixtures are confirmed and building for a thrilling season with potential playoff drama. Fans can likely expect an exhilarating ride filled with memorable moments. The gear where you are in a fierce battle is an extraordinary young talent. Hold on to your scarf and support your favorite club. It’s more than football; it’s a flux! Your engagement is crucial to the season’s triumph, so get ready to support in the action.

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