Ligue 1
French Ligue 1, also known as simply Ligue 1, is the top professional football league in France. It consists of 20 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Ligue 2, the second-tier league in French football. Ligue 1 was founded in 1932 and has since become one of the most popular and competitive football leagues in Europe.
The league is known for its technical and tactical style of play, which is often attributed to the influence of French football legends such as Michel Platini and Zinedine Zidane. Ligue 1 is also home to some of the world’s most famous football clubs, including Paris Saint-Germain, Olympique de Marseille, and AS Monaco.
Facts about Ligue 1
- Ligue 1 is the top professional football league in France, and it has been in existence since 1932.
- The league comprises 20 teams, and each team plays 38 matches over the course of a season.
- The team with the most Ligue 1 titles is Saint-Étienne, with 10 championships to their name.
- Paris Saint-Germain is the current dominant force in Ligue 1, having won the league title 10 times since 2013.
- The league has produced some of the most talented footballers in the world, including Zinedine Zidane, Thierry Henry, and Kylian Mbappé.
- The French football league system operates on a promotion and relegation system, with the bottom three teams in Ligue 1 being relegated to Ligue 2, and the top two teams in Ligue 2 being promoted to Ligue 1.
- The league has a strong reputation for producing talented young players, and many of the world’s top football clubs regularly scout Ligue 1 for new talent.
- The current Ligue 1 season runs from August to May, with a winter break in December and January.
- The league is broadcast in more than 190 countries around the world, making it one of the most widely watched football leagues on the planet.
- The league is governed by the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP), which also oversees the organization of the Coupe de France and the Coupe de la Ligue, the two major domestic cup competitions in French football.
Ligue 1 holders
On 23 April 2022, Paris Saint-Germain secured their 10th Ligue 1 title in record-equalling fashion, with four matches to spare in the 2021/22 season. The title was confirmed following a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Lens at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris. PSG had taken the lead through a Mauro Icardi goal, but a second-half equalizer from Lens’ Jonathan Clauss made for a tense finish. Nonetheless, the draw was enough to secure the title for PSG, who had dominated the league throughout the season. The achievement saw PSG equal the record of 10 Ligue 1 titles held by Saint-Étienne, cementing their status as one of the dominant forces in French football.
