Ligue 1 facts for kids
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| Organising body | Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) |
|---|---|
| Founded |
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| 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) |
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| International cup(s) | |
| Current champions | Paris Saint-Germain (13th title) (2024–25) |
| Most championships | Paris Saint-Germain (13 titles) |
| Most appearances | Mickaël Landreau (618) |
| Top goalscorer | Delio Onnis (299) |
| TV partners | List of broadcasters |
Ligue 1, also known as Ligue 1 McDonald's because of its sponsor, is the top professional football league in France. It is managed by the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP). Eighteen clubs compete in Ligue 1 each season. Teams can move up to Ligue 1 from Ligue 2 or be moved down to Ligue 2, which is called promotion and relegation.
The Ligue 1 season usually runs from August to May. Each team plays every other team twice, once at home and once away. This means each team plays a total of 34 matches. Most games happen on Saturdays and Sundays, with some played during the week. There is a short break around Christmas.
Ligue 1 started on 11 September 1932. It was first called National, then Division 1, and finally Ligue 1 in 2002. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Marseille was a very strong team, winning four titles in a row. Famous players like Chris Waddle and Jean-Pierre Papin played for them. Later, in the 1990s, Monaco had stars like Thierry Henry and David Trezeguet.
In the 2000s, Lyon became very successful, winning seven titles in a row from 2002 to 2008. After that, different clubs won the league each year for a while, including Bordeaux, Marseille, Lille, and Montpellier. A star player during this time was Eden Hazard from Lille.
Since 2012, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) has been very dominant. They signed top players like Zlatan Ibrahimović, Thiago Silva, Neymar, and Kylian Mbappé. As of 2024, Ligue 1 is considered one of the top five national football leagues in Europe. It is ranked fifth, behind England's Premier League, Italy's Serie A, Spain's La Liga, and Germany's Bundesliga.
PSG is the most successful club with 13 league titles. Saint-Étienne was the first club to win 10 titles. Marseille has played the most seasons in Ligue 1 (73 seasons). PSG holds the record for playing the most seasons in a row (51 seasons, from 1974 until now). Nantes holds records for the longest unbeaten streak (32 matches) and fewest defeats (one match) in a single season, which happened in 1994–95. Nantes also went 92 matches without losing at home from 1976 to 1981.
For the 2023–24 season, the number of teams in the league was changed to 18. Four teams were moved down to Ligue 2, and only two teams from Ligue 2 were moved up. PSG is the current champion, winning their record thirteenth title in the 2024–25 season. Monaco, a club from outside France, has won the league many times, making it a cross-border competition.
Contents
History of Ligue 1
How Professional Football Started
Before 1930, football in France was played by amateur teams. This means players were not paid. In July 1930, the French Football Federation (FFF) decided to allow professional football. This was a big change!
The main people who helped start professional football in France were Georges Bayrou, Emmanuel Gambardella, and Gabriel Hanot. Professional football officially began on 11 September 1932.
To create a professional league, the Federation set some rules for clubs:
- Clubs needed to have a good history of results.
- Clubs had to show they could earn enough money to pay for everything.
- Clubs had to sign at least eight professional players.
Some clubs in the north of France, like Strasbourg, were not happy with these rules. But many clubs in the south, like Marseille and Cannes, were very supportive and quickly became professional.
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, called National, took place in 1932–1933. Twenty clubs were part of it, divided into two groups. The winners of each group played in a final match.
The very first final was on 14 May 1933. Olympique Lillois won the first championship by beating Cannes 4–3. After this first season, the league changed its name from National to Division 1.
Because of World War II, professional football was stopped for a few years. Clubs played in regional leagues instead. After the war ended, professional football returned to France. The number of clubs in the top division changed over time, eventually settling at 18 or 20 teams. In 2002, Division 1 officially became 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: once at their home stadium and once at the opponent's stadium. This means each team plays 34 games in total.
Teams get three points for winning a game and one point for a draw (a tie). They get no points for losing. Teams are ranked based on their total points. If teams have the same number of points, the team with a better "goal difference" (goals scored minus goals conceded) is ranked higher. If that's still a tie, the team that scored more goals overall is ranked higher.
At the end of the season, the club with the most points wins the championship. If there's a tie for the championship, or for moving up/down divisions, a special play-off match is played to decide.
Since the 2016–17 season, there has been a play-off match for relegation. The team that finishes 16th in Ligue 1 plays against the third-placed team from 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 in Ligue 1 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
Ligue 1 teams can also qualify to play in big European competitions, like the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, and UEFA Conference League. These competitions involve the best clubs from all over Europe.
As of the 2023–24 season, the top four teams in Ligue 1 can qualify for the Champions League. The top three teams go straight into the main group stage. The fourth-placed team has to play in a qualifying round.
The fifth-placed team in Ligue 1 qualifies for the Europa League. The sixth-placed team qualifies for the Conference League. Another Europa League spot is given to the winner of France's main cup competition, the Coupe de France. If the cup winner has already qualified for Europe through their league position, then the seventh-placed team in Ligue 1 gets the Conference League spot.
Clubs in Ligue 1
Since Ligue 1 started in 1932–33, 74 different clubs have played in the league. Currently, Marseille, Montpellier, Nice, and Rennes are the only founding members of the league still playing in Ligue 1.
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) is the only club that has never been moved down from the top division due to poor performance. They joined the first division in the 1974–75 season and have stayed there ever since.
Some of the most famous Ligue 1 clubs around the world include Paris Saint-Germain, Marseille, Lyon, Monaco, and Lille.
Teams for the 2025–26 Season
The following 18 clubs are competing in the 2025–26 Ligue 1 season.
| Club |
Position in 2024–25 |
First season in top division |
Seasons in Ligue 1 |
Stadium | Stadium Capacity | Ligue 1 titles |
Manager |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angers | L2 : 2nd | 1956–57 | 32 | Stade Raymond Kopa | 19,800 | 0 | Alexandre Dujeux |
| Auxerre | L2 : 1st | 1980–81 | 34 | 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 | 26 | Stade Océane | 25,178 | 0 | Didier Digard |
| Lens | 7th | 1937–38 | 63 | Stade Bollaert-Delelis | 38,223 | 1 | Will Still |
| 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 | Roberto De Zerbi |
| 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 Der 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 | 12 | Luis Enrique |
| Reims | 9th | 1945–46 | 40 | Stade Auguste-Delaune | 21,029 | 6 | Luka Elsner |
| Rennes | 10th | 1932–33 | 68 | Roazhon Park | 29,778 | 0 | Julien Stéphan |
| Saint-Étienne | L2 : 3rd | 1938–39 | 70 | Stade Geoffroy-Guichard | 41,965 | 10 | Olivier Dall'Oglio |
| Strasbourg | 13th | 1934–35 | 64 | Stade de la Meinau | 26,109 | 1 | Liam Rosenior |
| Toulouse | 11th | 1982–83 | 35 | Stadium de Toulouse | 33,150 | 0 | Carles Martínez Novell |
How Many Seasons Teams Have Played
A total of 75 teams have played in the 88 Ligue 1 championships from the 1932–33 season until the 2025–26 season. No team has played in every single season. Marseille has played the most, with 76 seasons.
- 76 seasons: Marseille (2026)
- 70 seasons: Saint-Étienne (2025)
- 69 seasons: Bordeaux (2022), Rennes (2026)
- 68 seasons: Lyon (2026)
- 67 seasons: Monaco (2026), Nice (2026)
- 66 seasons: Sochaux (2014), Lille (2026)
- 65 seasons: Metz (2026), Strasbourg (2026)
- 64 seasons: Lens (2026)
- 58 seasons: Nantes (2026)
- 53 seasons: Paris Saint-Germain (2026)
- 43 seasons: Montpellier (2025)
- 40 seasons: Reims (2025)
- 39 seasons: Nîmes (2021)
- 36 seasons: Toulouse (2026)
- 35 seasons: Auxerre (2026)
- 34 seasons: Bastia (2017)
- 33 seasons: Valenciennes (2014), Angers (2026)
- 30 seasons: Racing Club (1990), Nancy (2017)
- 27 seasons: Le Havre (2026)
- 23 seasons: Sedan (2007)
- 22 seasons: Cannes (1998)
- 20 seasons: Brest (2026)
- 19 seasons: Toulouse (1937) (1967), Rouen (1985)
- 18 seasons: Caen (2019), Lorient (2026)
- 16 seasons: Sète (1954), Red Star (1975), Troyes (2023)
- 15 seasons: FC Nancy (1963), Stade Français (1967)
- 14 seasons: Ajaccio (2023)
- 13 seasons: Laval (1989), Guingamp (2019)
- 12 seasons: Toulon (1993)
- 10 seasons: Roubaix-Tourcoing (1955)
- 7 seasons: Antibes (1939), Excelsior (1939), Fives (1939), Lillois (1939)
- 6 seasons: Alès (1959), Mulhouse (1990), Le Mans (2010), Dijon (2021)
- 4 seasons: Tours (1985), Grenoble (2010), Thonon Evian (2015), Paris FC (2026)
- 3 seasons: RC Roubaix (1939), Limoges (1961), Troyes-Savinienne (1961), Angoulême (1972), Martigues (1996), Amiens (2020), Clermont (2024)
- 2 seasons: CA Paris (1934)
- 1 season: Club Français (1933), Hyères (1933), Colmar (1949), Béziers Hérault (1958), Aix (1968), Avignon (1976), Niort (1988), Gueugnon (1996), Châteauroux (1998), Istres (2005), Boulogne (2010), Arles (2011), Gazélec Ajaccio (2016)
Ligue 1 Champions
Bold means clubs playing in the 2025–26 Ligue 1 season.
| Club | Titles | Runners-up | Winning seasons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paris Saint-Germain | 13 | 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, 2024–25 |
| 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 Games Played
| 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 | Steve Mandanda |
2007–2016 2017–present |
Marseille, Rennes | 555 |
| 9 | Jacky Novi |
1964–1980 | Marseille, Nîmes, Paris Saint-Germain, Strasbourg | 545 |
| 10 | Roger Marche |
1944–1962 | Reims, RC Paris | 542 |
- Notes
Italics means players still playing professional football,
Bold means players still playing in Ligue 1.
Top Goalscorers
| 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 |
2015–2024 | 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 |
- Notes
Italics means players still playing professional football,
Bold means players still playing in Ligue 1.
Media Coverage
Ligue 1 matches are shown on TV and streaming services around the world. In the past, channels like Canal+ and BeIN Sports had the rights to show the games in France.
More recently, there have been changes to how Ligue 1 is broadcast. For the 2021–22 season until 2024–25, Canal+ and Amazon Prime Video shared the rights.
In July 2025, the LFP announced a new streaming service called Ligue 1+. This service will show eight live matches each week starting from 15 August 2025, for the 2025–26 season. BeIN Sports will still show one live match per week on Saturdays.
International Broadcasters
Africa
| Country | Broadcasters |
|---|---|
| Sub-Saharan Africa | Canal+ Afrique |
Americas
| Country | Broadcasters |
|---|---|
| Brazil | Cazé TV |
| Canada | BeIN Sports |
| Central America | ESPN |
| Mexico | Caliente TV |
| South America | ESPN |
| United States | BeIN Sports |
Asia and Oceania
| Country | Broadcasters |
|---|---|
| Australia | TBD |
| Brunei | TBD |
| Cambodia | TBD |
| Central Asia | Setanta Sports |
| China | Migu |
| Hong Kong | TBD |
| Indian Subcontinent | TBD |
| Indonesia | TBD |
| Japan | DAZN |
| Laos | TBD |
| Macau | TBD |
| Malaysia | TBD |
| Maldives | ICE Sports |
| New Zealand | TBD |
| Philippines | TBD |
| Singapore | TBD |
| South Korea | Coupang |
| Taiwan | ELTA |
| Tajikistan | TV Varzish, TV Football |
| Thailand | TBD |
| Vietnam | Q.net TV |
Europe
| Country | Broadcasters |
|---|---|
| Albania | SuperSport |
| Andorra | TBD |
| Armenia | Setanta Sports Eurasia, Fast Sports |
| Austria | DAZN |
| Azerbaijan | Setanta Sports Eurasia |
| Belarus | Setanta Sports Eurasia |
| Belgium | DAZN, VOO Sport World |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Arena Sport |
| Bulgaria | Diema Sport |
| Croatia | Arena Sport TV5Monde Europe |
| Cyprus | Cablenet Sports |
| Czech Republic | Nova Sport |
| Denmark | Viaplay |
| Estonia | Setanta Sports Eurasia, Go3 Sport |
| Finland | Viaplay |
| Georgia | Setanta Sports Eurasia |
| Germany | DAZN |
| Greece | TV5Monde Europe |
| Hungary | TBD |
| Iceland | Viaplay |
| Ireland | Ligue 1 Pass |
| Italy | TBD |
| Kosovo | Art Sport, K Sport |
| Latvia | Setanta Sports Eurasia, Go3 Sport |
| Liechtenstein | DAZN |
| Lithuania | Setanta Sports Eurasia, Go3 Sport |
| Luxembourg | DAZN, VOO Sport World |
| Malta | TBD |
| Moldova | Setanta Sports Eurasia |
| Montenegro | Arena Sport |
| Netherlands | Viaplay TV5Monde Europe |
| North Macedonia | Arena Sport |
| Norway | Viaplay |
| Poland | Eleven Sports |
| Portugal | Sport TV |
| Romania | TV5Monde Europe |
| Russia | Okko Sport |
| San Marino | TBD |
| Serbia | Arena Sport |
| Slovakia | Nova Sport |
| Slovenia | Arena Sport |
| Spain | TBD |
| Sweden | Viaplay |
| Switzerland | DAZN |
| Turkey | beIN Sports TV5Monde Europe |
| Ukraine | MEGOGO |
| United Kingdom | Ligue 1 Pass |
Middle East and North Africa
| Country | Broadcasters |
|---|---|
| MENA | beIN Sports |
| Israel | Sport5 |
Awards and Trophies
The Ligue 1 Trophy
The old Ligue 1 trophy was called L'Hexagoal. It was designed by Pablo Reinoso and given to the champion team from the 2006–07 season until the 2023–24 season. The name Hexagoal was chosen by fans in an online vote. The first team to win this trophy was Olympique Lyonnais in the 2007–08 season.
A brand new Ligue 1 trophy, created by Mathias Kiss, will be awarded starting with the 2024–25 season. This new trophy has a hexagonal (six-sided) base and a gold-colored sphere on top, held up by columns shaped like the number "1". Its name has not been announced yet.
Monthly and Annual Awards
Besides the main trophy, players also receive individual awards. There is a Player of the Month award given out during the season.
At the end of each season, there are special awards called the UNFP Awards. These awards recognize the best players, managers, and young players from both Ligue 1 and Ligue 2.
Sponsors of Ligue 1
Ligue 1 has had different sponsors over the years, which means the league's official name changes.
- Ligue 1 Orange (2002–2008)
- Ligue 1 Conforama (2017–2020)
- Ligue 1 Uber Eats (2020–2024)
- Ligue 1 McDonald's (2024–present)
More About French Football
- Football records in France
- List of football clubs in France
- List of foreign Ligue 1 players
See also
In Spanish: Ligue 1 para niños
