French soccer intends to create a enterprise mannequin just like the Premier League, with a club-owned entity changing the Ligue de Soccer Professionnel (LFP) as a part of plans introduced by France Soccer Federation president Philippe Diallo on Monday.
Beneath the proposal, French golf equipment and personal fairness agency CVC Capital Companions would grow to be shareholders in a newly created firm accountable for managing and advertising skilled competitions, with the FFF additionally holding a stake.
“This may be a French model of the Premier League — a club-owned firm with paid executives working the league,” Diallo advised a information convention.
The plan stems from the work of three job forces launched in early March as French soccer faces mounting challenges.
“That is an revolutionary and disruptive undertaking in comparison with the present group {of professional} soccer,” Diallo mentioned.
“It goals to put the inspiration for a rebound of our skilled golf equipment inside a extra environment friendly and clear framework, with a renewed function for the Federation.”
Diallo emphasised the necessity to simplify the present construction, which incorporates the FFF, the LFP, and its industrial arm, LFP Media.
“With the creation of LFP Media, the LFP has grow to be nearly an empty shell,” he mentioned. “This proposal would see the LFP disappear as its capabilities are absorbed by the brand new firm.”
The brand new construction can be accountable for organising and selling the home leagues, whereas the FFF would retain a key oversight function, together with veto energy over competitors format adjustments.
“This undertaking would require legislative adjustments,” Diallo added.
A invoice addressing the governance {of professional} sports activities in France is about to be reviewed by the Senate on June 10.
CVC invested €1.5 billion ($1.67 bn) in LFP Media in 2022 in alternate for a share of media revenues, and is anticipated to play a major function within the new governance mannequin.
The proposal, if enacted, would mark a significant shift in how French soccer is managed and is seen as a response to years of monetary instability and aggressive imbalance inside the league system.
