A record-breaking era begins for the French premier football division
In short: The 2024–25 Ligue 1 season marked a historic shift for French football. Not only did Paris Saint-Germain extend their dominance with a record thirteenth title, but the league also entered a new commercial era through a first-of-its-kind sponsorship agreement with McDonald's.
The 2024–25 campaign, officially known as Ligue 1 McDonald's, was the 87th edition of France's top football division. The season commenced on 16 August 2024 and reached its conclusion on 17 May 2025. A standout narrative was the absolute dominance of Paris Saint-Germain, who entered the season as three-time defending champions. They eventually secured a record-extending thirteenth title on 5 April 2025, achieving the feat with six matches remaining after a 1–0 victory over Angers.
The league's composition saw significant movement as eighteen teams competed. Returning to the top flight were Auxerre and Angers, following their first and second-place finishes in the 2023–24 Ligue 2. Saint-Étienne also rejoined the division after a two-year absence, having won a play-off against Metz. These three teams replaced Metz, Lorient, and Clermont, who were relegated to Ligue 2 after being in the top flight for one, four, and three years respectively.
The season's competitive tension extended into the relegation play-offs. Following the regular season, Reims, who finished 16th, faced Metz, the winner of the Ligue 2 semi-final, in a two-legged series on 21 and 29 May 2025. Metz ultimately secured promotion to Ligue 1 with a 4–2 aggregate victory, resulting in Reims' relegation to the second tier. The season's scoring milestones were set by Lee Kang-in of Paris Saint-Germain, who scored the first goal on 16 August 2024, and Abdoulaye Touré of Le Havre, who scored the final goal on 17 May 2025.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: 2024–25 Ligue 1
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