DAZN, in the midst of a dispute with the LFP, withheld its February payment for Ligue 1 broadcasting rights. The broadcaster refused to pay the full sum at the beginning of the month, but the matter has now been resolved—for the time being.
The company decided to withhold €35 million, which was earmarked for distribution to the 18 Ligue 1 clubs, citing disagreements with the LFP. DAZN argued that the LFP had breached their contract, which was signed earlier in the season when the broadcasting rights were awarded for a five-year cycle. The broadcaster pointed to the LFP’s failure to allocate adequate resources to combat piracy, and criticized certain clubs for their lack of participation and collaboration in content creation, which DAZN believes is crucial for enhancing the quality of the product.
DAZN has expressed frustration over its current performance, with only 500,000 users subscribing to its Ligue 1 package—far below the estimated break-even point of 1.5 million. In response to the dispute, the LFP took DAZN to court, and a verdict was anticipated on Friday.
However, just before the court decision was made, DAZN settled its debt, paying the €35 million owed to the LFP. The tension has now been alleviated—for the moment. LFP president Vincent Labrune commented on the resolution, emphasizing the shared interest in DAZN’s success: “We have to look forward because we, the clubs, fans, and more broadly, lovers of French football, have a common interest in DAZN performing well and gaining more followers.”
