Ligue 1 facts for kids
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| Organising body | Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1930 (officially) 2002 (as Ligue 1) |
| Country |  France (17 teams) |
| Other club(s) from |  Monaco (1 team) |
| Confederation | UEFA |
| Number of teams | 18 (since 2023–24) |
| Level on pyramid | 1 |
| Relegation to | Ligue 2 |
| Domestic cup(s) | Coupe de France Trophée des Champions |
| International cup(s) |
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| Current champions | Paris Saint-Germain (12th title) (2023–24) |
| Most championships | Paris Saint-Germain (12 titles) |
| Most appearances | Mickaël Landreau (618) |
| Top goalscorer | Delio Onnis (299) |
| TV partners | List of broadcasters |
Ligue 1 is France's top professional football league for men's clubs. It is also known as Ligue 1 Uber Eats because of its main sponsor. This league is the highest level of French football.
The Ligue de Football Professionnel manages Ligue 1. Currently, 18 clubs compete in the league. Teams can move up to Ligue 1 from Ligue 2 or be moved down to Ligue 2 based on their performance. This is called promotion and relegation.
A season usually runs from August to May. Each club plays every other team twice. They play one game at home and one away. This means each team plays 34 matches in total. Most games happen on Saturdays and Sundays. There are also some games during weekday evenings. The league usually takes a break for two weeks around Christmas.
Ligue 1 is one of the top football leagues in Europe. It is ranked fifth, after England's Premier League, Spain's La Liga, Italy's Serie A, and Germany's Bundesliga.
Ligue 1 started on 11 September 1932. It was first called National, then Division 1. In 2002, it changed to its current name, Ligue 1. Paris Saint-Germain is the most successful club. They have won 12 league titles. Lyon holds the record for winning the most titles in a row. They won seven times between 2002 and 2008.
Saint-Étienne was the first club to win ten titles. Marseille has played the most seasons in Ligue 1, with 75 seasons. Paris Saint-Germain has been in the league for 50 seasons in a row, from 1974 until now. Nantes holds the record for the longest time without losing a match. They went 32 matches unbeaten in the 1994–95 season. Nantes also holds the record for not losing at home for 92 matches. This streak lasted from May 1976 to April 1981.
The current champions are Paris Saint-Germain. They won their twelfth title in the 2023–24 season. The league has also been won by Monaco. Monaco is a club from another country, making Ligue 1 a cross-border competition.
Before the 2023–24 season, the number of teams in the league was changed to 18. Four teams from the 2022–23 Ligue 1 were moved down to Ligue 2. Only two teams from Ligue 2 were moved up to Ligue 1.
Contents
History of Ligue 1
How it Started
Professional football in France began in July 1930. The French Football Federation voted to allow professional players. Georges Bayrou, Emmanuel Gambardella, and Gabriel Hanot helped start professional football in France. It officially began in 1932.
To create a professional league, the Federation set rules for clubs. Only 20 clubs could join. Clubs had to meet three main rules:
- They needed to have good results in past games.
- They had to show they could earn enough money to be financially stable.
- They had to be able to hire at least eight professional players.
Some clubs, like Strasbourg and RC Roubaix, did not agree with these rules. Others, like Rennes, were worried about going bankrupt. But many clubs in southern France, such as Marseille and Cannes, strongly supported the new league.
The First Seasons
| Season | Winner |
|---|---|
| 1932–33 | Olympique Lillois |
| 1933–34 | Sète |
| 1934–35 | Sochaux |
| 1935–36 | Racing Club de France |
| 1936–37 | Marseille |
| 1937–38 | Sochaux |
| 1938–39 | Sète |
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Further information:
French football champions |
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The first professional league season was in 1932–1933. It was called National. Twenty clubs joined this first season. They were divided into two groups of ten. The bottom three teams from each group were moved down to Division 2.
The winners of each group played in a final match. This match was held at a neutral place. In the first final, Olympique Lillois won against Cannes with a score of 4–3. After this season, the league decided to keep 14 clubs. They did not promote any teams from the second division. The league also changed its name from National to Division 1.
For the 1934–35 season, the league started a proper system for promotion and relegation. This brought the total number of clubs in the first division to 16. This number stayed the same until the 1938–39 season.
During World War II, professional football was stopped by the French government. Clubs played in regional competitions instead. After the war, professional football returned to France. The first division increased to 18 clubs. In 2002, the league changed its name from Division 1 to Ligue 1.
How the Competition Works
There are 18 clubs in Ligue 1. A season usually runs from August to May. Each club plays every other club twice. One game is at their home stadium, and the other is at their opponent's stadium. This makes a total of 34 games.
Teams get three points for a win and one point for a draw. They get no points for a loss. Teams are ranked by their total points. If points are equal, the team with a better goal difference (goals scored minus goals conceded) ranks higher. If still tied, the team that scored more goals ranks higher. If everything is still equal, the teams share the same position. If there's a tie for the championship or for moving up/down, a special play-off game decides the winner.
Since the 2016–17 season, there is a play-off match. This is between the 18th-placed Ligue 1 team and the third-placed team in Ligue 2. The winner gets to play in Ligue 1 the next season.
In June 2021, the league decided to reduce the number of clubs to 18 for the 2023–24 season. This meant four teams were moved down to Ligue 2, and only two teams were moved up.
Qualifying for European Competitions
Based on UEFA coefficient rankings, the top teams in Ligue 1 can qualify for European competitions.
- The top three teams go directly to the group stage of the UEFA Champions League.
- The fourth-placed team enters the Champions League in an earlier qualifying round.
- The fifth-placed team qualifies for the UEFA Europa League.
- The sixth-placed team qualifies for the UEFA Conference League.
- Another Europa League spot is given to the winner of the Coupe de France (France's main cup competition). If the cup winner already qualified for Europe through their league position, the seventh-placed team in Ligue 1 gets the Conference League spot.
Clubs in Ligue 1
Since Ligue 1 started in 1932, 74 different clubs have played in it. Some of the original founding members, like Marseille, Montpellier, Nice, and Rennes, are still playing in Ligue 1 today.
Paris Saint-Germain is the only club that has never been moved down from the top division due to poor performance. They joined in the 1974–75 season and have stayed there ever since.
Well-known Ligue 1 clubs around the world include Marseille, Lyon, Monaco, and Lille.
Teams for 2024–25 Season
The following 18 clubs are playing in the 2024–25 Ligue 1 season.
| Club |
Position in 2023–24 |
First season in top division |
Seasons in Ligue 1 |
Stadium | Stadium Capacity | Ligue 1 titles |
Manager |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angers | L2 : 2nd | 1956–57 | 34 | Stade Raymond Kopa | 18,752 | 0 | Alexandre Dujeux |
| Auxerre | L2 : 1st | 1980–81 | 32 | Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps | 18,541 | 1 | Christophe Pélissier |
| Brest | 3rd | 1979–80 | 19 | Stade Francis-Le Blé | 15,931 | 0 | Eric Roy |
| Le Havre | 15th | 1938–39 | 25 | Stade Océane | 25,178 | 0 | Luka Elsner |
| Lens | 7th | 1937–38 | 63 | Stade Bollaert-Delelis | 38,223 | 1 | Vacant |
| Lille | 4th | 1945–46 | 65 | Stade Pierre-Mauroy | 50,186 | 4 | Bruno Génésio |
| Lyon | 5th | 1945–46 | 67 | Parc Olympique Lyonnais | 59,186 | 7 | Pierre Sage |
| Marseille | 8th | 1932–33 | 75 | Stade Vélodrome | 67,394 | 9 | Vacant |
| Monaco | 2nd | 1953–54 | 66 | Stade Louis II | 16,360 | 8 | Adi Hütter |
| Montpellier | 12th | 1932–33 | 43 | Stade de la Mosson | 32,900 | 1 | Michel Del Zakarian |
| Nantes | 14th | 1963–64 | 57 | Stade de la Beaujoire | 35,322 | 8 | Antoine Kombouaré |
| Nice | 5th | 1932–33 | 66 | Allianz Riviera | 36,178 | 4 | Franck Haise |
| Paris Saint-Germain | 1st | 1971–72 | 52 | Parc des Princes | 47,929 | 11 | Luis Enrique |
| Reims | 9th | 1945–46 | 40 | Stade Auguste-Delaune | 21,029 | 6 | Samba Diawara |
| Rennes | 10th | 1932–33 | 68 | Roazhon Park | 29,778 | 0 | Julien Stéphan |
| Strasbourg | 13th | 1934–35 | 64 | Stade de la Meinau | 26,109 | 1 | Patrick Vieira |
| Saint-Étienne | L2 : 3rd | 1938–39 | 70 | Stade Geoffroy-Guichard | 41,965 | 10 | Olivier Dall'Oglio |
| Toulouse | 11th | 1982–83 | 35 | Stadium de Toulouse | 33,150 | 0 | Carles Martínez Novell |
Club Finances
The DNCG helps manage the money for Ligue 1 clubs. This group makes sure that professional football clubs in France follow financial rules. It was created in 1984 and is part of the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP).
The DNCG checks the financial records of all 44 professional clubs. They help clubs grow their money and make sure they don't break financial rules. They also work to protect the overall health of French football.
In 2005–06, all Ligue 1 clubs together had a budget of €910 million. This was a big increase from a few years before. This growth was mainly due to deals for television rights. Many top clubs, like Auxerre and Lyon, were very good at managing their money.
However, the DNCG has also told clubs to be careful. They want clubs to control their spending on player wages and reduce their debts. In 2012, the LFP announced that the clubs' overall debt had been cut in half. Ligue 1 is the fifth-highest league in Europe for money earned by clubs.
Some clubs, like Lyon and Marseille, are among the richest football clubs in the world. They often appear on lists of top-earning clubs. More recently, Paris Saint-Germain has also become one of the top clubs in terms of money earned.
Ligue 1 Champions by Club
Bold means the club is playing in the 2024–25 Ligue 1 season.
| Club | Titles Won | Second Place | Winning Seasons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paris Saint-Germain | 12 | 9 | 1985–86, 1993–94, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24 |
| Saint-Étienne | 10 | 3 | 1956–57, 1963–64, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1973–74, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1980–81 |
| Marseille | 9 | 13 | 1936–37, 1947–48, 1970–71, 1971–72, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92, 2009–10 |
| Monaco | 8 | 7 | 1960–61, 1962–63, 1977–78, 1981–82, 1987–88, 1996–97, 1999–2000, 2016–17 |
| Nantes | 8 | 7 | 1964–65, 1965–66, 1972–73, 1976–77, 1979–80, 1982–83, 1994–95, 2000–01 |
| Lyon | 7 | 5 | 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08 |
| Bordeaux | 6 | 9 | 1949–50, 1983–84, 1984–85, 1986–87, 1998–99, 2008–09 |
| Reims | 6 | 3 | 1948–49, 1952–53, 1954–55, 1957–58, 1959–60, 1961–62 |
| Lille | 4 | 6 | 1945–46, 1953–54, 2010–11, 2020–21 |
| Nice | 4 | 3 | 1950–51, 1951–52, 1955–56, 1958–59 |
| Sochaux | 2 | 3 | 1934–35, 1937–38 |
| Sète | 2 | – | 1933–34, 1938–39 |
| Lens | 1 | 5 | 1997–98 |
| RC Paris | 1 | 2 | 1935–36 |
| Olympique Lillois | 1 | 1 | 1932–33 |
| Strasbourg | 1 | 1 | 1978–79 |
| Roubaix-Tourcoing | 1 | – | 1946–47 |
| Auxerre | 1 | – | 1995–96 |
| Montpellier | 1 | – | 2011–12 |
| Nîmes | – | 4 | – |
| Cannes | – | 1 | – |
| Fives | – | 1 | – |
| Toulouse (1937) | – | 1 | – |
| Metz | – | 1 | – |
Ligue 1 Records
Most Appearances
Here are the players who have played the most games in Ligue 1.
| Rank | Player | Period | Club(s) | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Mickaël Landreau |
1996–2014 | Nantes, Paris Saint-Germain, Lille, Bastia | 618 |
| 2 | Jean-Luc Ettori |
1975–1994 | Monaco | 602 |
| 3 | Dominique Dropsy |
1971–1989 | Valenciennes, Strasbourg, Bordeaux | 596 |
| 4 | Dominique Baratelli |
1967–1985 | Ajaccio, Nice, Paris Saint-Germain | 593 |
| 5 | Alain Giresse |
1970–1988 | Bordeaux, Marseille | 586 |
| 6 | Sylvain Kastendeuch |
1982–2001 | Metz, Saint-Étienne, Toulouse | 577 |
| 7 | Patrick Battiston |
1973–1991 | Bordeaux, Metz, Saint-Étienne, Monaco | 558 |
| 8 | Jacky Novi |
1964–1980 | Marseille, Nîmes, Paris Saint-Germain, Strasbourg | 545 |
| 9 | Roger Marche |
1944–1962 | Reims, RC Paris | 542 |
| 10 | Steve Mandanda |
2007–present | Marseille, Rennes | 536 |
Top Goalscorers
These players have scored the most goals in Ligue 1 history.
| Rank | Player | Period | Club(s) | Goals | Games | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Delio Onnis |
1972–1986 | Monaco, Reims, Tours, Toulon | 299 | 449 | 0.67 |
| 2 | Bernard Lacombe |
1969–1987 | Lyon, Saint-Étienne, Bordeaux | 255 | 497 | 0.51 |
| 3 | Hervé Revelli |
1965–1978 | Saint-Étienne, Nice | 216 | 389 | 0.56 |
| 4 | Roger Courtois |
1932–1956 | Sochaux, Troyes | 210 | 288 | 0.73 |
| 5 | Thadée Cisowski |
1947–1961 | Metz, RC Paris, Valenciennes | 206 | 286 | 0.72 |
| 6 | Roger Piantoni |
1950–1966 | Nancy, Reims, Nice | 203 | 394 | 0.52 |
| 7 | Kylian Mbappé |
2015– | Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain | 191 | 246 | 0.78 |
| 8 | Joseph Ujlaki |
1947–1964 | Stade Français, Sète, Nîmes, Nice, RC Paris | 190 | 438 | 0.43 |
| 9 | Fleury Di Nallo |
1960–1975 | Lyon, Red Star | 187 | 425 | 0.44 |
| 10 | Carlos Bianchi |
1973–1980 | Reims, Paris Saint-Germain, Strasbourg | 179 | 220 | 0.81 |
 Gunnar Andersson |
1950–1960 | Marseille, Bordeaux | 179 | 234 | 0.76 |
Where to Watch Ligue 1
In France, you can watch Ligue 1 matches on Canal+ and Amazon Prime.
In the past, the Ligue de Football Professionnel had deals with Canal+ and beIN Sports. These channels showed the games. In 2018, a company called Mediapro bought many of the rights to show Ligue 1 games. They planned to start a new channel for this. However, Mediapro later had financial problems and stopped showing the games.
In 2021, Canal+ and Amazon Prime bought the rights to broadcast Ligue 1.
Awards and Trophies
The Ligue 1 Trophy
The trophy given to the Ligue 1 champion is called L'Hexagoal. It was designed by Pablo Reinoso. This trophy has been awarded since the end of the 2006–07 season. It replaced an older trophy.
The name Hexagoal was chosen through a competition. People sent in over 9,000 ideas. In May 2007, it was announced that Hexagoal won an online vote. The first club to lift this new trophy was Olympique Lyonnais. They won it after the 2007–08 season.
Monthly and Yearly Awards
Besides the main trophy, players also get individual awards. There is a Player of the Month award given out each month.
At the end of the season, there are the UNFP Awards. Here, awards are given for the Player of the Year, Manager of the Year, and Young Player of the Year. These awards are for both Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 players and managers.
Sponsorship Names
Ligue 1 has had different names because of its sponsors:
- Ligue 1 Orange (2002–2008)
- Ligue 1 Conforama (2017–2020)
- Ligue 1 Uber Eats (2020–2024)
- Ligue 1 McDonald's (2024–)
See also
In Spanish: Ligue 1 para niños
- Football records in France
- List of football clubs in France
- List of foreign Ligue 1 players
