Ligue 1

Ligue 1 (French First Division) (In French: Ligue 1) or League Uber Eats first class for care reasons (In French: Ligue 1 Uber Eats) is the league competition for clubs Football Professional in FranceWas established in its current format in 2002and it is considered one of the elite leagues in the world.^[1]

The French league kicks off in the month of August. and ends in the month of MayIt consists, starting from the 2023–24 season, of 18 teams, each playing 34 matches, making a total of 306 matches per season. Most of the matches are played on Saturdays and Sundays. Saturday andSundayhowever, a few matches are played during midweek evenings.

The French Ligue 1 is considered one of the least famous leagues, despite being one of the oldest leagues in the world. The season starts on August 1st and ends in May. It ranks fifth, after the English, Spanish, Italian, and German leagues.

The most successful clubs in Ligue 1

The French Ligue 1 is known as a professional football league, overseen by the French Football Federation. Below is an overview of the most successful clubs in the history of the French league.

AS Saint-ÉtienneAS Saint-Étienne is considered the most successful club in Ligue 1, having won the French league title 10 times, including four consecutive titles. They won their first title in the 1956-1957 season and then claimed it again after seven seasons.

Olympique de Marseille (OM)Olympique de Marseille is considered one of the dominant clubs in France, having won the league title 9 times, in addition to its impressive performances in various European competitions.

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG)Paris Saint-Germain is considered one of the strongest clubs in France, not only in Ligue 1 but also in the UEFA Champions League. The club has won the league title 9 times and is known for its star players such as Kylian Mbappé, Neymar, Marquinhos, and Ángel Di María.

FC NantesAlthough some may believe that FC Nantes holds a lower rank, it is considered one of the distinguished clubs, having won the French league title 8 times, with its first victory in 1964 and its most recent in 2000. However, its stature has declined with the rise of other clubs.

AS MonacoAS Monaco has won the French league title 8 times and has finished in second place for several seasons, but it has not been able to surpass Paris Saint-Germain.

Olympique Lyonnais (Lyon)Lyon won the French league for the first time in the 2001-2002 season, then dominated the league for six consecutive seasons until 2007. Its success is comparable to that of Paris Saint-Germain, as Lyon won the league title 7 times.

Champions of Ligue 1 Throughout History After Paris Saint-Germain's Title

The team was crowned Paris Saint-Germain Paris Saint-Germain clinched the Ligue 1 title for the 2023–24 season on Sunday evening, with three rounds remaining in the competition. The title was secured after AS Monaco fell to Olympique Lyon with a 3–2 defeat on Sunday night in Matchday 31.

Lyon raised their tally to 44 points, climbing to seventh place, while Monaco remained at 58 points in second place—12 points behind the Parisian giants, who continue to soar at the top of the table.

PSG’s title celebration had been delayed after their 3–3 draw with Le Havre on Saturday evening.

Paris Saint-Germain won the Ligue 1 title for the third consecutive time and the 12th in the club’s history, extending their lead as the most successful club in the competition’s history.

European Qualification

• UEFA Champions LeagueThe team that finishes in first place qualifies directly for the UEFA Champions League. As for the team that finishes in second place, it qualifies for the group stage of the UEFA Champions League.
• European LeagueThe team that finishes in third place qualifies for the UEFA Europa League, while the team that finishes in fourth place qualifies for the Europa League on the condition of winning the French Cup.

Relegation and promotion.

• Relegation.The teams that finish in the bottom three places of the league are relegated to the French Second Division (Ligue 2).
• PromotionTwo teams are promoted from Ligue 2 to Ligue 1. The team that finishes first in Ligue 2 qualifies directly, while the team that finishes second enters a playoff against the team that finishes 18th in Ligue 1.

The most prominent clubs in the league.

• Paris Saint-Germain (PSG)The team with the most titles in recent years and considered one of the most prominent clubs in French football. It was founded in 1970.
• Olympique Marseille.One of the historic clubs in France, it has won many domestic and international titles and is considered one of the strong competitors in the league.
• Olympique Lyonnais.It has won many domestic titles and was one of the major clubs in the past two decades.
• AS Monaco.They have won the French league at different times and have a strong fan base.

Popularity and financial revenue.

• The French league has a large fan base both inside and outside of France, but Paris Saint-Germain dominates the largest share of fans, thanks to having world-class stars like Lionel Messi and Neymar in recent years.
• Financial revenue.The French league, especially thanks to Paris Saint-Germain, is considered one of the wealthiest and strongest leagues in the world in terms of media rights and commercial advertising.

Titles and awards.

• Historical champions.Paris Saint-Germain is the team with the most league titles in the last ten years, while Saint-Étienne is the team with the most titles in the history of the league (10 titles).
• Prize MoneyClubs receive large financial rewards based on their league position and fanbase size, and these rewards help support clubs in investing in players and infrastructure.

Technology and refereeing.

• Video Assistant Referee (VAR)The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology was introduced in the French league starting from the 2018-2019 season to assist referees in making correct decisions during matches.