On December 14, FC Nantes made headlines by welcoming 17,491 spectators to Stade de la Beaujoire for their 3–0 victory over Olympique de Marseille. This figure represents the sixth-highest attendance in league history, surpassing the 13,454 fans who attended the match against Paris FC earlier in the season.
A Nationwide Momentum
Nantes is far from alone. Several clubs have followed suit by opening iconic venues such as Groupama Stadium (Lyon), Stade de la Meinau (Strasbourg), and Stade Océane (Le Havre) to their women’s teams. Newly promoted RC Lens also embraced the initiative, attracting 8,657 fans to Stade Bollaert-Delelis for a special match against AS Saint-Étienne, held under the traditional Sainte-Barbe celebration.
For LFFP Managing Director Paul-Hervé Douillard, the impact goes beyond numbers:
“These matches provide a fantastic showcase for the league. They also offer better playing conditions for the athletes and significantly improve broadcast quality.”
Attendance Numbers on the Rise
Since the start of the 2025–2026 season, 33 league matches have already been played in so-called “premium stadiums,” accounting for half of the first-half fixtures. By season’s end, nearly 70 matches are expected to take place in large venues—far exceeding previous seasons.
The upward trend is reflected in the data: 137,683 spectators attended matches during the first half of the season, marking a 33% increase year-on-year and an 81% rise compared to 2023–2024. Average attendance now stands at 2,086 fans per match, nearly double what it was two years ago. As a result, the Arkema Première Ligue now outperforms Spain’s Liga F in average attendance.
Affordable Ticketing and Growing TV Audiences
Clubs have also implemented accessible and family-friendly ticketing strategies, including free child tickets with adult purchases during key matchdays. These initiatives have helped attract a broader audience and strengthen community engagement.
Broadcast figures mirror this success. Two matches per matchday are aired on Canal+, while the remaining fixtures are streamed live on the official Arkema Première Ligue YouTube channel. As a result, 733,672 viewers followed the league during the first half of the season—a 79% increase compared to the previous year.
Matches involving OL Lyonnes dominate the audience rankings, highlighting the growing appeal and competitiveness of the league.
This article was created with the assistance of AI and has been reviewed and edited by our editorial team.
