Top 5 reasons Ligue 1 should go back to 20 clubs 
The move to an 18-team Ligue 1 was never meant to slip by unnoticed. The idea was simple enough: ease the fixture load, sharpen the contests and bring the French top flight closer to the standard set by Europe’s biggest leagues. On paper, it all made sense.
In practice, the argument has never really been settled. Some see it as a necessary step for the modern game, while others reckon Ligue 1 has simply lost depth, exposure and variety. A return to 20 clubs is still floated regularly whenever the league’s future is up for discussion.
Between financial balance, minutes for young players and the overall shape of the competition, the same points keep coming back. Here are the main reasons why the case for 20 teams keeps gaining traction.
5. Keep more clubs in the top flight
Ligue 1 is built on a network of historic clubs spread across the country. Cutting the division to 18 teams has made access to the top flight that bit tighter, with two fewer spots and an even more crowded race in Ligue 2.
Every season now leaves a few notable names on the outside, sometimes clubs that have been part of the French game for decades. In 2026-2027, several familiar sides are already missing after falling short at the key moments in the promotion race. Others, despite long top-flight pedigrees, are stuck in limbo, unable to force their way back in.
In that context, a 20-club league would keep more cities, fanbases and stories at the top level, while also strengthening the sporting link between divisions.
4. More matches, more money
The switch from 20 to 18 clubs removed 72 matches across a full Ligue 1 season. That means four fewer games for every team and a month less competition. Fewer matches also means less ticket income, fewer broadcast hours and fewer commercial chances for clubs.
At a time when French football is constantly chasing better financial footing, adding back those four matchdays could bring in a useful chunk of revenue across the whole system.
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3. Make it easier for young talents to break through
France remains one of the biggest production lines for talent in world football. Every year, dozens of youngsters from academy systems are looking for first-team minutes at the highest level. With two extra clubs in the top flight, the number of available places rises naturally. Coaches have bigger squads to manage and more young players can get a taste of Ligue 1 before taking the next step in their careers.
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With the French professional pyramid also shifting, and talk of a Ligue 3 aimed at giving the lower tiers a clearer structure, the issue of game time in Ligue 1 matters even more. That has long been one of French football’s real strengths.
2. Ease the pain of relegation
In an 18-team league, every place matters more and one bad season carries heavier consequences. The scrap to stay up turns into a survival race with financial stakes attached.
With 20 teams, the pressure is still there, but clubs have a bit more breathing room. The danger of historic institutions sliding quickly into financial trouble is also reduced. For a league trying to steady itself, that carries real weight.
1. Bring back the traditional French format
For more than 20 years, Ligue 1 was played by 20 clubs. That format shaped some of the division’s biggest modern eras, from Olympique Lyonnais’ title run to the European adventures of Paris Saint-Germain, Olympique de Marseille and AS Monaco.
For plenty of supporters, 20 teams is the sweet spot: competitive, spread across the country and worth following every week. It brings more big fixtures, more chances for ambitious clubs and a truer picture of French football.
La saison prochaine en Ligue 1 :
Pas Nantes
Pas Saint Étienne
Pas Bordeaux
Pas Montpellier
Pas Sochaux
Pas ReimsIt has turned into a junk league, with half the teams offering zero buzz… no wonder TV rights are next to worthless.
— SnakiLL (@MisterSnaKiLL) May 29, 2026
That is why the idea of taking Ligue 1 back to 20 clubs remains one of the reforms most often raised whenever the league’s future is debated.
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Photo credit: Ibrahim Ezzat/NurPhoto
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