Watching Sport in France

France has the most detailed free-to-air protection of any market in Europe, and one of the most fragmented football markets in the world. Both facts matter, and they pull in opposite directions: the law keeps the biggest events on free television, while the league football you would watch every week is now scattered across a separate club-owned channel and a handful of subscriptions.

Two things that changed, and one that catches people out. Ligue 1+ became the main Ligue 1 broadcaster from 2026/27, carrying all nine matches per matchday — the league now sells its own channel. And the Champions League sits exclusively with Canal+ through 2031, which is why DAZN's French storefront does not list the Champions League at all. That is the exact opposite of DAZN's German page, which does list it. Do not carry a DAZN claim across a border.

What you can watch free in France

France protects what it calls événements d'importance majeure under article L. 333-9 of the sports code, implemented by décret n° 2004-1392 of 22 December 2004 as amended by décret n° 2024-699 of 5 July 2024, which expanded the list. The mechanism is worth understanding, because it explains both what you get and where it can fail.

A pay broadcaster cannot exercise exclusivity in a way that deprives a substantial part of the public of free coverage. It has to offer the event to free channels on reasonable terms, and the free broadcast must be complete and live. The pay channel may still show it in parallel. But there is a gap: if no free channel is interested, the rights-holder may broadcast encrypted only — and that has happened, so "protected" is not the same as "guaranteed".

What is protected	In practice
France football internationals	All matches, men's and women's, friendlies included — carried on TF1
Champions League final	Men's and women's final. M6 carried the final; the pay channel airs it in parallel
World Cup and Euro	Semi-finals and finals, men's and women's
France rugby internationals	All matches including friendlies, plus the Six Nations in full
Tour de France and Paris-Roubaix	Men's and women's
Roland-Garros	Singles finals always; semi-finals when a French player is involved
Coupe de France and Top 14 finals	Both finals
French Formula 1 Grand Prix	When it is on the calendar
Olympics and Paralympics	Significant moments, with some flexibility when events clash
Basketball, handball and volleyball	Semi-finals and finals of European and World championships when France is involved

The free platforms themselves are strong: france.tv for France Télévisions, plus free tiers on TF1+ and M6+, and La chaîne L'Équipe for the Nations League.

The main services, and what they cost

Service	Carries	From	Trial
Canal+	Champions League, Europa League, Conference League and Supercup exclusively to 2031, 100% Premier League, the women's Arkema Première Ligue, Top 14 and Pro D2 rugby. Formula 1 is reported to 2029, which we have not verified	€19.99/month on a two-year commitment, or €27.99 flex. Canal+ Sport is €29.99 for the first year then €45.99	No
Ligue 1+	All nine Ligue 1 matches per matchday, plus Ligue 3	Reported at €14.99/month on 12 months, €19.99 flex, or €179.99 a year. The league does not publish this where we could read it, so treat the figures as unverified	No
DAZN France	Serie A, Coppa Italia and Supercoppa exclusively, LaLiga (shared with Disney+), Copa del Rey, Eredivisie, Jupiler Pro League, Saudi Pro League, Betclic ÉLITE basketball, Liga Endesa, LIV Golf. No Champions League	€10.99/month on 12 months, or €15.99 flex. A DAZN + Ligue 1+ bundle is advertised from €14.99/month	No
beIN Sports France	Ligue 2, the Coupe de France from the round of 32, Bundesliga, Liga Portugal, Süper Lig, Carabao Cup, FA Cup, Africa Cup of Nations 2027. It has lost Ligue 1, LaLiga and Serie A	Reported at around €15/month with no commitment — unverified	No
TF1, M6, La chaîne L'Équipe	The protected events above	Free	Not applicable

What we could not verify. Canal+'s own site could not be reached when we checked, so every Canal+ price here is second-hand and worth confirming on the site before you commit to a two-year term. We also found no current evidence that RMC Sport or Amazon Prime Video France hold any 2026/27 rights, but we are not confident enough to say they hold none.

Who shows what

Competition	Paid	Free
Ligue 1	Ligue 1+ direct, or through DAZN's bundle	None
Champions League	Canal+, exclusively, through 2031	The final, under the listed-events rules — M6 carried it
Europa and Conference League	Canal+	The final if a French club takes part
Premier League	Canal+ — all of it	None
Serie A	DAZN, exclusively	None
LaLiga	DAZN and Disney+	None
Six Nations and France rugby	Canal+ or beIN may air in parallel	Protected in full, with all France matches free-to-air

The cheapest legal routes

Only want Ligue 1? Go to Ligue 1+ directly rather than through a reseller. It is the league's own channel and carries all nine matches per matchday.
Want Italian and Spanish football too? DAZN's French service at €10.99 on 12 months is the cheapest of the paid options in France, and the Ligue 1+ bundle takes it to a reported €14.99.
The Champions League? There is no cheap route. Canal+ holds it exclusively and the only free match is the final.
Costing nothing at all: France internationals on TF1, the Six Nations, the Tour de France, the Roland-Garros finals and the Coupe de France final are all free by law.
Careful with terms. Canal+'s headline price assumes a two-year commitment, which is longer than most people expect.

Is the Champions League on DAZN in France?

No. DAZN's French storefront does not list the Champions League. Canal+ holds it exclusively through 2031. This is a good example of why DAZN has to be checked country by country — DAZN's German page lists the Champions League, its French one does not.

What is Ligue 1+ and do I need it to watch Ligue 1?

Ligue 1+ is the league's own channel and became the main Ligue 1 broadcaster from 2026/27, carrying all nine matches per matchday plus Ligue 3. DAZN also sells it as a bundle. Its reported price is €14.99 a month on a 12-month term, which we could not confirm on the league's own pages.

Which sports events must be free to air in France?

Under the 2024 decree: all France football and rugby internationals including friendlies; the semi-finals and finals of the World Cup and the Euros; the Champions League final; the Olympics and Paralympics; the Six Nations; the Tour de France and Paris-Roubaix; the Roland-Garros singles finals; and the Coupe de France and Top 14 finals.

Does "protected" mean it is always broadcast free?

Not quite. If no free channel takes up the offer, the rights-holder is allowed to broadcast encrypted only, and that has happened in the past. The protection is a duty to offer the event, not an absolute guarantee that someone shows it.

Is there a free trial on French sports streaming?

None that we could find. Canal+, beIN Sports, Ligue 1+ and DAZN France advertise no free trial on their own pages. The genuinely free route in France is the public and free-to-air coverage of protected events.

Where to go next

DAZN by country Champions League coverage Free live streams Watching sport in Spain