Ligue 1 is counting on Senegal to revive its TV rights in West Africa

The Professional Football League (LFP) is facing a severe crisis with its domestic television rights. With a net budget of €80.5 million to be distributed among the 18 top-flight clubs for the 2025-2026 season, representing less than €4.5 million on average per club, the LFP has opted for an international offensive rather than a wait-and-see approach. Its primary testing ground is in Dakar. With nearly 65 million social media followers, approximately 90% of whom reside outside France, the league possesses a considerable asset that it is still struggling to monetize. According to La Tribune, Senegal is becoming the first testing ground for a structured African strategy.

The Senegalese supporter, a coveted target in a competitive digital market

The editorial team at Pokeriomokykla, which monitors the digital entertainment market in West Africa, has observed a simple reality: consumers have limited budgets for their digital leisure activities. A subscription to Canal+ Africa's sports package costs around 18 euros per month in Senegal, an amount that can represent a significant expense depending on each household's habits and purchasing power.

In this context, entertainment enthusiasts often compare several options before making a choice. Some favor streaming platforms or sports subscriptions, while others are interested in services like casinos that offer no-deposit bonuses, allowing them to explore a platform without any initial financial commitment. For the editorial team, this diversity of offers primarily illustrates how digital services seek to attract users' attention, each trying to find its place within their leisure budget.

A domestic rights crisis that makes international action urgent

The raw figures seem solid at first glance. LFP gross TV rights revenue for the 2025-2026 season reaches 334.6 million euros, made up of 85 million in termination compensation paid by DAZN, 78.5 million from beIN Sports for the Saturday match, 40 million from beIN for Ligue 2 and 129.1 million in international rights.

The stark reality tells a different story. After deducting the Buffet tax, contributions to players' unions, the repayment of a LFP mortgage, operating expenses, and the €54.5 million royalty owed to the CVC fund, only €80.5 million remains to be distributed. The termination of DAZN has left a gaping hole in the domestic structure, making international diversification not just desirable but essential.

The LFP (French Professional Football League) has drawn concrete conclusions from this situation. It has closed its Mexican office, deeming the gap to close with the English Premier League, the Spanish La Liga, the Italian Serie A, and the German Bundesliga too significant. The daily newspaper L'Équipe, cited by La Tribune, reports that Senegal has now inherited the mission previously assigned to Mexico City: to develop the audience and television rights for Ligue 1 in West Africa.

Canal+ as the backbone of a strengthened African presence

The partnership with Canal+ forms the operational foundation of this strategy. The group has held the rights to Ligue 1 on the African continent for several years, covering nearly 40 countries, and renewed this exclusivity in 2024 for a period of five years. This renewal secures Ligue 1's presence in the African television landscape for the long term.

The paradox is worth highlighting. Canal+ relinquished its Ligue 1 broadcasting rights in France in September 2023, withdrawing from the domestic market precisely when the LFP (French Professional Football League) was seeking to stabilize its domestic revenues. Conversely, the group consolidated its position in Africa, making the continent its priority area for expansion. The league and its main African broadcaster thus share a converging interest in the West African market, even if their trajectories in France have diverged.

The €18 monthly subscription in Senegal positions Canal+ Africa in the local premium segment. Converting social loyalty into paid subscriptions at this price will remain the central challenge of the entire strategy.

A pool of Senegalese talent and established European competition

Ligue 1 has a tangible sporting advantage to attract the Senegalese public. Several players from the country are currently making their mark in the French top flight: Antoine Mendy plays for Nice, Mory Diaw for Le Havre, Krépin Diatta and Lamine Camara for Monaco, Moussa Niakhaté for Lyon, Ibrahim Mbaye for Paris Saint-Germain, and Bamba Dieng for Lorient. This representation creates a direct connection between Senegalese fans and the league.

David Labrune, director of international media rights at the LFP (French Professional Football League), highlighted the gap between economic markets and sports audiences to justify the African focus. The logic is clear: where purchasing power is more modest, the passionate commitment to football remains intense, and the presence of national players acts as a powerful audience catalyst.

However, the competition isn't limited to digital platforms. The Spanish La Liga enjoys genuine appeal in Senegal, particularly thanks to Pape Gueye, who plays for Villarreal CF. Other European leagues are also seeking to retain the same audience. The LFP isn't breaking new ground: it's entering a competition already fierce for fan attention and budgets.

After Senegal, the LFP plans to explore another location on the African continent to further its regional development. The ambition is stated, but the roadmap remains to be defined. In a market where the Premier League, La Liga, and digital platforms of all kinds compete for every available entertainment euro, the Senegalese gamble on Ligue 1 is as much an economic necessity as it is a race against time.