Ligue 1 2025/26 Guide: Everything You Need to Know About the New French Championship Season!

Ligue 1 2025/26 is about to begin! After yet another Paris Saint-Germain title, the competition is back with top-level football, stars from around the world, and plenty of opportunities for fans to add more fun with sports betting.

This season’s French Championship kicks off on August 14. Before the referee blows the first whistle and the players strike the ball for the first time, check out all the details of another great European national league in this Blaze guide!

About Ligue 1

Ligue 1’s opening match of the season takes place on Thursday, August 14, between Rennes and Olympique Marseille. The round continues until Saturday, the 16th. The competition is scheduled to run until May 16, 2026.

The French Championship follows a league format, with 18 teams playing home and away matches over 34 rounds. The champion is the team that collects the most points, crowned at the end of the season — sometimes even ahead of time.

Ligue 1 grants three spots for the Champions League. The 4th and 5th places qualify for the Europa League, while the 6th may qualify for the Conference League depending on the results of domestic cups. The 17th and 18th placed teams are relegated, while the 16th plays a playoff against the 3rd from Ligue 2.

This year, a small controversy surrounded relegation. Last November, Lyon was relegated by the National Football Authority (DNCG) due to lack of financial fair play. The club appealed and managed to stay in the first division.

Thus, the teams relegated to Ligue 2 were Montpellier, Saint-Étienne, and Reims. The promoted sides are Lorient, Paris FC, and Metz.

Angers

It’s been many decades since Angers achieved a strong finish in the French top flight. The team has become a secondary player, often mid-table or battling relegation. Could things finally turn around?

Manager

Alexandre Dujeux

Last Season

14th place

Best Finish

3rd place (1966/67)

Key Players

Angers retained most of last season’s squad, adding very few reinforcements at the start of Ligue 1. The team still counts on Ivorian goalkeeper Yahia Fofana, champion of the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations, Algerian midfielder Himad Abdelli, and French left-back Florent Hanin.

Expectations

A title for Angers is extremely unlikely, with odds of 700.0. Their real fight is at the bottom of the table, trying to avoid relegation.

Auxerre

On the verge of celebrating 120 years of history, Auxerre hopes to give their fans a season worth remembering. The team secured survival after returning from Ligue 2 as champions in 2023/24, and now they may even dream of returning to the European stage.

Manager

Christophe Pélissier

Last Season

11th place

Titles

1 (1995/96)

Key Players

Auxerre signed players on free transfers and welcomed back several from loan, with only one paid signing: Chilean defender Francisco Sierralta, bought from Watford for €3.4 million. Goalkeeper Donovan Léon enters his sixth season with the club, along with academy product and forward Lassine Sinayoko.

Expectations

Auxerre’s goal is survival. They are expected to remain a secondary figure in Ligue 1, without too many relegation fears compared to other rivals, but still far from taking home a second title.

Brest

Stade Brestois 29, or simply Brest. The team from Brittany had their best Ligue 1 campaign last season, finishing 9th, and managed to keep their core players to aim even higher.

Manager

Eric Roy

Last Season

9th place

Best Finish

9th place (2024/25)

Key Players

Brest sold more players than they signed, keeping a roster very similar to that of 2024/25. Key players such as right-back Kenny Lala, midfielder Pierre Lees-Melou, and striker Ludovic Ajorque remain with the Breton side.

Expectations

Brest is another mid-table team in Ligue 1, and the 2025/26 season shouldn’t be different. A trophy seems out of reach, with odds of 550.0.

Le Havre

Back in the amateur era of French football, Le Havre won the competition three times: 1899, 1900, and 1919. More than a century has passed, and the 153-year-old club hasn’t returned to its former glory.

Manager

Didier Digard

Last Season

15th place

Best Finish

3rd place (1950/51)

Key Players

With several free signings, Le Havre brought in some fresh names, including a relatively unknown 20-year-old: striker Lenny Lankoso, who was a backup for PSG B last season. Senegalese forward Issa Soumaré and French left-back Yanis Zouaoui are among the returning players.

Expectations

This season, Le Havre will once again fight against relegation. Their chances of winning a title or even qualifying for European competitions are extremely slim.

Lens

Lens enters the new season with a change on the sidelines. Still during preseason, the club dismissed Englishman Will Still and signed Frenchman Pierre Sage for 2025/26.

Manager

Pierre Sage

Last Season

8th place

Titles

1 (1997/98)

Key Players

Lens invested in reinforcements to improve their position and secure a continental spot. The club paid €8 million for Austrian defender Samson Baidoo from Red Bull Salzburg, permanently signed Uruguayan striker Martin Satriano from Inter Milan for €5 million, and also acquired Swedish forward Jeremy Agbonifo, who was on loan from BK Häcken, for €6.5 million — all young players.

Expectations

Lens heads into this Ligue 1 season aiming to surpass last year’s performance and grab a European competition spot. The competition, however, is tough. With odds of 150.0, they are projected as possible 6th-place finishers, which would already mean the joy of continental football.

Lille

Lille was one of the few teams in recent times to break PSG’s title streak, being crowned French champions in 2020/21. Les Dogues have remained in good positions, but they certainly wouldn’t mind feeling the thrill of shouting “champions” once again.

Manager

Bruno Génésio

Last Season

5th place

Titles

4 (1945/46, 1953/54, 2010/11, and 2020/21)

Key Players

French midfielder Benjamin André continues for another year at Lille, a team he has represented since 2019. On the incoming side, the club signed Portuguese forward Félix Correia from Gil Vicente for €7.5 million and 20-year-old Norwegian forward Marius Broholm for €6 million.

Expectations

Lille may struggle to compete for the title, with odds of 25.0 to be champions. Qualifying for the 2026/27 Champions League seems like a more realistic goal.

Lorient

Lorient won the French second division and returned to the top flight. Les Merlus reached Ligue 1 for the first time in 1998/99. Since then, they’ve fluctuated between the top two French divisions. Ideally, though, the goal is to stay in Ligue 1.

Manager

Olivier Pantaloni

Last Season

1st place in Ligue 2

Best Finish

10th place (2022/23)

Key Players

A regular starter last season, young Cameroonian midfielder Arthur Ebong stays with the team, as does his compatriot Darlin Yongwa, a left-back. On loan, Lorient will also count on Senegalese defender Abdoulaye Faye from Bayer Leverkusen.

Expectations

Projected to finish in the lower part of the table, Lorient will need to be careful not to return to Ligue 2. Their odds to win the French championship stand at 750.0.

Lyon

Financial fair play issues nearly sent Lyon to Ligue 2. The team, however, won an appeal and will compete in Ligue 1 2025/26. Thus, beyond what happens on the pitch, off-field management will be just as important this season.

Manager

Paulo Fonseca

Last Season

6th place

Titles

7 (2001/02, 2002/03, 2003/04, 2004/05, 2005/06, 2006/07, and 2007/08)

Key Players

Lyon opened its wallet for the 2025/26 season. Young English midfielder Tyler Morton arrived from Liverpool for €12 million, along with Czech midfielder Pavel Sulc from Plzen for €7.5 million. Both join despite French midfielder Corentin Tolisso continuing with the squad.

Expectations

With all the Lyon controversy, it’s hard to predict the team’s expectations. Even if they achieve a good position, they’ll need to carefully resolve their off-field issues to avoid another season of headaches.

Olympique Marseille

One of France’s biggest clubs, Olympique Marseille owes its fans success. It’s been 13 years since their last trophy, a French League Cup. Counting Ligue 1, it’s been 15 years. It’s time to get back on the winning track.

Manager

Roberto De Zerbi

Last Season

2nd place

Titles

9 (1936/37, 1947/48, 1970/71, 1971/72, 1988/89, 1989/90, 1990/91, 1991/92, and 2009/10)

Key Players

Marseille’s big bet this year is Brazilian forward Igor Paixão. The player stood out at Feyenoord in the Netherlands and was signed for €30 million. For half that amount, the club also invested in English midfielder Jonathan Rowe. French veteran Adrien Rabiot enters his second season with Marseille.

Expectations

Despite seeing rivals PSG ahead, Olympique Marseille will fight to return to the top of Ligue 1 this season. Their odds of lifting the trophy stand at 14.0.

Metz

Metz is one of the teams that earned promotion. The club finished 3rd in Ligue 2 and had to play the playoffs against Reims, who finished 16th in Ligue 1. Les Grenats came out on top and return to Ligue 1 2025/26 after spending a year stuck in the second division.

Manager

Stéphane Le Mignan

Last Season

3rd place in Ligue 2

Best Finish

Runner-up (1997/98)

Key Players

Metz lost some players between seasons, whether through sales, loans, or contract expirations. Despite promotion, their signings were limited. The club opted to keep its core squad, with Senegalese defender Sadibou Sané, Ivorian full-back Koffi Kouao, and French midfielder Benjamin Stambouli.

Expectations

As with every team coming back from a lower division, the goal must be survival. However, Metz’s journey won’t be easy. Their odds are only slightly better than Paris FC’s.

Monaco

The team from the principality was another side that managed to break PSG’s Ligue 1 dominance, back in the 2016/17 season. Given its size, Monaco enters the French Championship 2025/26 looking to challenge the Parisian giants and bring the trophy back to the microstate.

Manager

Adi Hütter

Last Season

3rd place

Titles

8 (1960/61, 1962/63, 1977/78, 1981/82, 1987/88, 1996/97, 1999/00, and 2016/17)

Key Players

Monaco’s key signing for the season is Finnish goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky from Bayer Leverkusen for €3 million. Among those remaining are young Senegalese midfielder Lamine Camara, a starter last year, and Brazilian left-back Caio Henrique, also a regular.

Expectations

Monaco is the team most likely to give PSG a headache in the title race. The principality’s side has odds of 12.0 to win Ligue 1 2025/26.

Nantes

Nantes was another team to change coaches during preseason. After a mid-table finish last season, the club comes into the new campaign with Portuguese manager Luís Castro, replacing Frenchman Antoine Kombouaré.

Manager

Luís Castro

Last Season

13th place

Titles

8 (1964/65, 1965/66, 1972/73, 1976/77, 1979/80, 1982/83, 1994/95, and 2000/01)

Key Players

Nantes sold Nigerian forward Moses Simon to Paris FC for €7 million and signed Moroccan striker Youssef El-Arabi from APOEL on a free transfer to fill the gap. Portuguese goalkeeper Anthony Lopes remains with the team, as does French midfielder Johann Lepenant, who was on loan last season and now joins permanently.

Expectations

Nantes is another supporting cast team in the French Championship. Their natural place seems to be mid-table. Returning to titles is a very distant dream, with odds of 600.0.

Nice

Constantly finishing in the upper half of the French Championship table, Nice has yet to topple other rivals for the title in the current century. It’s been 27 years since their last trophy, the French Cup.

Manager

Franck Haise

Last Season

4th place

Titles

4 (1950/51, 1951/52, 1955/56, and 1958/59)

Key Players

Nice negotiated the exits of some of their standout players from last season and had to look for replacements. For €10 million, they signed Swedish striker Isak Jansson from Rapid Wien. Franco-Senegalese goalkeeper Yehvann Diouf arrived from Rennes for €6.5 million, while Ghanaian defender Kojo Peprah Oppeng cost €2.6 million from IFK Norrköping.

Expectations

Nice will be battling for Champions League or Europa League qualification. Competing for the French title is highly unrealistic, with odds of 35.0.

Paris FC

Paris FC has just returned to the top flight and will need to put in a lot of effort not to become a yo-yo club. That’s why the team strengthened itself ahead of the Ligue 1 2025/26 journey.

Manager

Stéphane Gilli

Last Season

2nd place in Ligue 2

Best Finish

12th place (1972/73)

Key Players

To prepare for their return to the first division, Paris FC made some big signings. The most expensive was Brazilian defender Otávio Ataíde, who arrived from Porto for €17 million. Left-back Nhoa Sangui, only 19 years old, joined from Reims for €9.5 million, while Nigerian striker Moses Simon arrived from Nantes for €7 million.

Expectations

If they aren’t careful, Paris FC will finish bottom of the table and drop straight back to Ligue 2. On top of that, they are the team with the least chances of winning the trophy, with odds of 900.0.

Paris Saint-Germain

After four more consecutive French titles, PSG heads into another year full of glory. The capital club finally captured its long-awaited Champions League and reached the Club World Cup final. Why not repeat it all in another season?

Manager

Luis Enrique

Last Season

1st place

Titles

13 (1985/86, 1993/94, 2012/13, 2013/14, 2014/15, 2015/16, 2017/18, 2018/19, 2019/20, 2021/22, 2022/23, 2023/24, and 2024/25)

Key Players

PSG’s recent months prove how difficult it is to list just a few highlights, as the whole squad is packed with quality. Portuguese midfielder Vitinha and Moroccan right-back Achraf Hakimi are two standouts, while young forward Désiré Doué also deserves attention. The club also made two major signings: French goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier from Lille for €55 million and Ukrainian defender Illia Zabarnyi from Bournemouth for €68 million.

Expectations

Clear favorites for a 14th title. There’s no doubt that PSG will dominate Ligue 1 2025/26 and add yet another trophy at the Parc des Princes, with odds of 1.14.

Stade Rennais

Rennes may be a regular in France’s top division, but they still haven’t taken home their long-awaited title. Their most recent trophy was the 2018/19 French Cup.

Manager

Habib Beye

Last Season

12th place

Best Finish

3rd place (2019/20)

Key Players

Stade Rennais has a standout at each end of the pitch, with goalkeeper Brice Samba heading into his second season with the team and striker Arnaud Kalimuendo entering his fourth. The club also secured defender Lilian Brassier on a permanent deal after his loan spell.

Expectations

Rennes may once again have to settle for a supporting role in the French Championship. Their odds are far from relegation — a relief for fans — but also far from the title, at 500.0.

Strasbourg

After a few painful relegations, Strasbourg has managed to stay in the top flight of French football for several seasons now. The problem is, the club hasn’t lifted a trophy in this competition for over four decades.

Manager

Liam Rosenior

Last Season

7th place

Titles

1 (1978/79)

Key Players

To push for a continental spot, Strasbourg sought out promising young reinforcements. One is 19-year-old French midfielder Mathis Amougou, signed from Chelsea for €14.5 million. Also 19, Danish defender Lucas Hogsberg joined from Nordsjaelland for €15 million. From Alavés, 22-year-old Argentine striker Joaquín Panichelli arrived for €16.5 million.

Expectations

Conference League, Europa League, or maybe even the Champions League. It doesn’t hurt to dream, but Strasbourg will attempt to put themselves in contention for European qualification, as reclaiming 1st place sits at distant odds of 200.0.

Toulouse

Toulouse returned to Ligue 1 three years ago, and that’s where they want to stay. Les Violets won their first major domestic trophy in 2022/23, the French Cup, excluding their three second-division titles.

Manager

Carles Martínez

Last Season

10th place

Best Finish

3rd place (2006/07)

Key Players

Several players left Toulouse, but the club only brought in a few targeted reinforcements, keeping most of its base squad intact. Ivorian forward Yann Gboho, who scored five goals last season, remains, along with Venezuelan midfielder Cristian Cásseres Jr and English defender Charlie Cresswell.

Expectations

Toulouse is another supporting cast team in the French Championship 2025/26. They’re far from both the top and international spots, with 500.0 odds for 1st place.

Best Odds for Ligue 1 2025/26

You already know the teams in the French Championship 2025/26. Now, check out Blaze’s best odds for this Ligue 1 season. Remember: it’s always wise to follow team and tournament news to make better choices. These numbers can change with every round.

Who will be champion?

Paris Saint-Germain always enters as the big favorite in the French Championship, especially over the past decade. As such, the team has 1.14 odds to capture their 14th national title. The closest challengers are Monaco, at 12.0, and Olympique Marseille, at 14.0.

Who will be relegated?

At the other end of the table, the newly promoted teams are the least likely title contenders and the most at risk of relegation. Le Havre, Metz, and Paris FC will need to be careful not to fall back into Ligue 2. Angers and Lorient also enter the competition under threat of the drop.

Where to watch Ligue 1 2025/26

The broadcast rights for Ligue 1 2025/26 in Brazil belong to CazéTV, available on YouTube.

Bet on Ligue 1 2025/26 at Blaze

How about enjoying the French Championship while also placing a wager on your favorites? You can bet on the competition — always keeping Responsible Gaming in mind, both on the pitch and in betting.

Being responsible with your money when it comes to entertainment is essential to avoid losses in other areas of life. After all, betting is fun, never an investment.

With that in mind, you can already enjoy Ligue 1 2025/26 sports betting here at Blaze!

Frequently Asked Questions About Ligue 1 2025/26

When does Ligue 1 2025/26 start?

Ligue 1 2025/26 kicks off on August 14. This season’s French Championship is scheduled to end on May 16, 2026.

Who is the current Ligue 1 champion?

PSG claimed their 13th Ligue 1 title in the 2024/25 season, marking their fourth consecutive crown.

Who was promoted from Ligue 2 and who was relegated from Ligue 1 last season?

Lorient, Paris FC, and Metz were promoted from Ligue 2 to Ligue 1. On the other side, Montpellier, Saint-Étienne, and Reims were relegated to the French second division.