Ligue 1 (illustration) – ALLILI MOURAD / SIPA
White smoke from the side of the LFP. The professional clubs adopted during the General Assembly of the Professional Football League the transition from 20 to 18 teams in Ligue 1 and this from the 2023-2024 season.
The reform was voted almost unanimously, we learned from Jean-Pierre Caillot (Stade de Reims). The relegation mode at the end of the 2022-2023 season has also been fixed: four clubs will descend from L1 and only two will rise from L2, confirming information from the Parisian and RMC.
Reform postponed for a year
The leaders of the forty or so professional clubs in Ligue 1, Ligue 2 and National 1, as well as representatives of the “families” (players, coaches, referees, etc.), gathered by videoconference for this LFP GA, continued their work on the Another big question of the day, that of the broadcaster (s) for next season, added Jean-Pierre Caillot. But already, a consensus has emerged for the reduction of L1 from 20 to 18 clubs.
The L2 clubs and some L1 clubs were not initially in favor, but a compromise was found: the reform is postponed for a year compared to the initial plan of the “pro-18”, which counted on a reduction in the number of teams from 2022, and the relegation system leaves two chances of rise to L2 clubs. With the adoption of this reform, the L1 is preparing to join in 2023 the model of the German Bundesliga, which has 18 teams. The French first division had already counted 18 teams between 1997 and 2002.
Save space on the calendar
This reform, likely to lighten the calendar of the big French clubs aligned in European competitions and to spare players who are already in great demand, should make it possible to share the cake of Ligue 1 TV rights within a smaller number of clubs.
The expected reduction in the number of matches in L1 should also make it possible to identify dates, while UEFA is working on a reform of its Champions League by 2024, supposed to replace the group stage (6 days) with a mini-championship (10 games per club), promising more income to participants.