France's Ligue 1 is set to expand to 48 teams in 2026 as the league announces its new seasonal schedule.
The expansion will bring more teams to the top flight of French football and create new opportunities for clubs from smaller regions to compete at the highest level. The new schedule will include 38 regular-season matches per season, with four additional matches added in the playoff rounds.
The expansion will also see the introduction of a new promotion system that will see up to eight teams promoted from the second-tier Ligue 2 each year. This will provide new talent and experience to the league and help to maintain its competitive edge.
The new schedule will start in the 2026-27 season and will be implemented gradually over several years. The league has already announced plans to hold a series of trials and tests in the coming months to ensure that everything is running smoothly before the full expansion takes place.
Overall, the expansion of Ligue 1 is expected to have a positive impact on the sport in France and around the world. It will create new opportunities for clubs from smaller regions and provide fans with exciting new matches and fixtures.