Disney and Skydance Consider Bids for Ligue 1 Rights

The Walt Disney Company and Skydance Corp. are considering bids for the domestic audiovisual rights of the French Professional Football League, known as Ligue 1. The league opened a tender last week for the 2027 to 2032 period, with a submission deadline of December 3.

Bidders can choose to acquire full broadcast rights or secure exclusive distribution for the league's streaming service. The auction occurs as the league faces a sharp decline in broadcast revenue, which fell from approximately 1 billion euros annually to about 180 million euros after the league launched its own streaming platform.

While the French Professional Football League has set a minimum reserve price for the rights, it has not disclosed the specific amount. If their bids are successful, both Disney and Skydance would enter the French football market for the first time.