Anyone who watched Paris Saint-Germain lift the Champions League trophy for the second successive season in May could be forgiven for thinking French football is in rude health.
Luis Enrique's exciting young squad featured players from across the world but also several who would go on to represent Les Bleus at World Cup 2026, including Ousmane Dembele, Bradley Barcola, Desire Doue and Warren Zaire-Emery.
However, you don't need to scratch far beneath the surface to realise that PSG's success masks a sobering truth in Ligue 1 - one that is becoming increasingly clear this summer.
Why summer transfer window is shining a light on French clubs' struggles
The issues stem from a string of problematic TV rights deals, which began when Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 terminated their four-year contract with Mediapro - reportedly worth €3.25bn (around £2.78bn) - after half a season in December 2020 when the company failed to pay the league for two consecutive months.
There was then an embarrassing episode with streaming giant DAZN, who ended their five-year deal with the competition after just one season in May 2025, with a lack of subscribers cited as among the reasons.
Ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, the league launched Ligue 1+, an in-house streaming service that shows live matches. However, as French football expert Tom Williams explains in FourFourTwo's 2026/27 season preview, this is putting clubs at a huge financial disadvantage compared to their counterparts in the other top European leagues.
He writes: “In the ongoing absence of a TV rights agreement with a major broadcaster, Ligue 1 clubs remain dependent on the meagre income received from the division’s in-house channel Ligue 1+.
“In May, a L’Equipe report suggested the total TV revenue for 2026/27, to be shared between 18 clubs, would be a paltry €184.1m (around £160m).
“In such straitened times, even the traditional heavyweights must sell to keep their heads above water. Lyon have ceded breakout star Afonso Moreira to Bayer Leverkusen – the Portuguese won’t be the last to leave France for bigger offers.”
The minimal TV revenue looks even worse when compared to the Premier League's record-breaking £6.75bn domestic TV rights deal, which covers the four seasons from 2025 to 2029. That equates to roughly £1.7bn per campaign - more than 10 times the amount that L’Equipe claimed Ligue 1 clubs will earn in 2026/27.
As Williams points out, it means several clubs have no choice but to sell their stars, many of whom are young players with potential to develop.
Moreira is not the only 21-year-old to leave Ligue 1 this summer, with Rennes centre back Jeremy Jacquet joining Liverpool in a £60m deal.
Premier League side Newcastle United have also taken advantage of French clubs' vulnerable position, signing central midfielder Aladji Bamba from Monaco and Ewan Jaouen from Stade de Reims, both of whom are aged 20. Meanwhile, Marseille sold 24-year-old former Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood to Turkish side Fenerbahce for €45m (£38.4m).
PSG remain the richest club in the league by a considerable distance and benefit financially from competing in the Champions League, but they don't receive the same level of domestic TV income as their rivals across the continent.
Indeed, the European champions are yet to make a first-team signing this summer, while they have sold Goncalo Ramos and Lee Kang-in to AC Milan and Atletico Madrid respectively for almost £100m combined.
Those are just some of the players leaving France for better offers - and as Williams warns, they won't be the last this summer.
