LIGUE 1 - Monaco-Lyon fixture likely to be played in Shanghai

According to L'Équipe, the LFP is considering staging the Monaco-Lyon match in Shanghai next February, pending FIFA consent.

The latest proposal, as the Ligue 1 administration explore for fresh ways to sell the league following last year's broadcasting rights fiasco, is to play a match in China, namely the match that would have been played on Matchday 23 at Monaco's Stade-Louis II.

With Ligue 1 rights being undersold abroad – €73 million annually vs €710 million for Spanish football and €1.4 billion for English football – it is anticipated that the match, which will take place before European cup or international obligations, will have a good impact.

Despite this, FIFA would have to approve the idea. Although the Trophée des Champions can be held anywhere, league matches appear to be a different story : La Liga sought unsuccessfully in 2019 to persuade FIFA to hold a Villarreal-Atlético Madrid match in Miami. Last year, another attempt was made for Girona-Barcelona, but it was again rejected.