French women’s professional football: "Growth in audiences, attendances and investment in 2025-26" (LFFP)

The 2025-26 season of French women’s professional football was marked by "growth in audiences, attendances and investment," the Ligue Féminine de Football Professionnel (LFFP) said on 22 May 2026, one week before the Arkema Première Ligue play-off final between OL Lyonnes and Paris FC at Groupama Stadium (near Lyon).

The women’s league highlighted several figures to illustrate this growth:
• "Salaries have increased by 15% per season since the creation of the LFFP;
• the number of full-time players has risen by 60%;
• the median club budget has increased by 25%;
• sporting and medical staff structures are being strengthened;
• 10 academies will be officially accredited from the 2026-27 season, with a projection of 12 from the following season."

"For the past three seasons, the FFF has undertaken significant work to structure French women’s professional football around several areas: club professionalisation, improvement of sporting and medical standards, development of youth training, expansion of competitions and increasing the attractiveness of the league. This strategy is now…