LFP says 2 million in France pirate Ligue 1 broadcasts
The article reports that piracy of Ligue 1 football matches in France has reached a significant scale, with around 2 million people watching games illegally.
According to data presented by the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP), piracy is widespread among dedicated football fans. Out of about 9.9 million committed fans in France, roughly 35% regularly consume pirated football content.
Among those who pirate content, 59% specifically watch Ligue 1 illegally, making it the most pirated football competition in the country.
Overall, this means that about 20% of all football fans in France are pirating Ligue 1 matches, despite the availability of legal options such as Ligue 1+ and beIN Sports.
The financial impact is substantial, with the LFP estimating that piracy is costing the league hundreds of millions of euros in lost revenue, as many fans choose not to pay for official broadcasts.
Authorities have started taking enforcement action, including fines for users of illegal streaming services, signaling a tougher stance against piracy.
Overall, the situation highlights a major challenge for the sports broadcasting industry, where high prices and easy access to illegal streams are driving widespread piracy.
