FRANCE
How Kylian Mbappé's departure would impact French football
The departure of the forward could influence television rights in France.
After the departure of Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos, Ligue 1 want Kylian Mbappé to remain in France, as a transfer would mean losing their greatest asset ahead of negotiations for television rights.
In September, French football’s governing body (LFP) will renegotiate the Ligue 1 rights for the next four seasons, covering the period from 2024 to 2028. Without Mbappé, whose future is still up in the air, the goal of reaching €1 billion will be a pipe dream. The major television broadcasters would not be willing to shell out such a sum without the guarantee that the best players remain in France.
After the Mediapro fiasco, Ligue 1 has tried to recover from various blows in recent years. Currently, the value of the rights amounts to €624m - a poor figure that is way behind the major European leagues, which has been one of the main obstacles to the competition’s failure to develop over the last few seasons.
Vincent Labrune, president of the LFP, acknowledged a few weeks ago in L’Équipe that the objective was to reach €1 billion in television rights and to reach €200 million (currently €73m) for international channels. Several French football leaders, including former Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas, acknowledged on Tuesday that the situation is worrying if Mbappé leaves.
With no big stars in a league that describes itself as the “Ligue des talents”, the future of French football looks perilous. The LFP reduced the number of teams to 18 last season with the aim of increasing competitiveness and also moving closer to the top four European leagues. Mbappé's departure - which is possible - would represent a gigantic aggravation three months before the renegotiation of television rights.
Macron on alert
French President Emmanuel Macron is also concerned about the situation and in a statement reported by RMC Sport explained that he will do everything in his power to keep the PSG star in Ligue 1.
Asked by a young fan wearing a PSG shirt, Macron confirmed his intentions. “Do you know if Kylian is going to stay?” he asked him. “I have no news about it, but I will try to push for him to stay,” the president replied.
His response confirms the importance of Mbappé for football in France. Mbappé's departure from PSG could see Ligue 1′s television rights collapse, one of the biggest concerns for those in charge of French football at the moment.