On the brink of handing Paris FC’s helm to Antoine Arnault after two decades, Pierre Ferracci joined Rothen’s heated RMC show on Friday. He used the platform to stress that, despite his club’s sparkling Ligue 1 start, French football still faces grim economic times. Can the sport pull itself out of this slump?
Where is French football headed? Professional clubs across the nation are wrestling with a severe financial crisis. Ferracci, who is about to pass Paris FC’s leadership to Antoine Arnault, pointed to the collapse of TV rights. He told Rothen on RMC that he received “a few million euros” – a sum far below the “under 10 million” TV revenues projected for the 2025‑26 season.
“A few years ago we earned eight or nine times the Top 14 rights. This season we’re not far from the Top 14, whose deals doubled with Canal to €139.4 million, including Pro D2,” Ferracci explained. “We’ve fallen to rock bottom. The gap between sporting and economic value is widening. I hope the next tender yields better results, though I remain uneasy,” he added, urging a fairer rights distribution.
“Today, it’s women’s football that suffers.” If the current trajectory persists, funding for the women’s game could evaporate within a few seasons.
Despite LVMH’s deep pockets and Red Bull’s backing, Ferracci believes the entire French game must be lifted financially. “We need to think of Le Havre and Ligue 2 just as much as the European giants,” he argued. “At minimum we should match the economic clout of Italy, Spain and Germany. Relying solely on a brave national team and PSG won’t suffice. Without fiscal health we’ll follow Italy’s decline, cutting resources. Today it’s women’s football that suffers; tomorrow it will be youth academies. If this continues, trading revenues will shrink.” In my view, the league must adopt stricter financial controls to survive.