French Football Federation President Announces Governance Reform Timeline, Details Olympic Player Release
PARIS – French Football Federation (FFF) President Philippe Diallo announced a target for enacting sweeping governance reforms by teh first quarter of 2026, alongside updates regarding Olympic player availability and the national team’s return to the Stade de France, during a recent franceinfo: sport interview. The reforms aim to replace the current professional Football League (LFP) with a commercial company owned by the clubs, overseen by the FFF – a model Diallo describes as “necessary to modernize our football” and inspired by the English system.
The project, launched in May 2025 following a period of crisis surrounding television rights, had faced delays due to recent government instability. However, Diallo affirmed a “common desire” for reform amongst stakeholders and highlighted support from the Minister of Sports, who has prioritized the legislation. the planned reforms envision “a society of clubs with directors appointed or dismissed by the clubs,” eliminating the elected president and board of directors currently in place.Diallo noted ongoing discussions regarding the role of football families - players, coaches, and referees – within the new structure.
“I brought together all the stakeholders at the FFF a few weeks ago. We feel a common desire to make a reform, on the basis of the FFF and a society of clubs run by independent people at their heads. We have a unity of French football,” Diallo stated.
Several key issues remain to be resolved, including the scope of the FFF’s veto power, the timeline for dissolving the LFP, and the handling of the LFP’s assets. A point of contention with some clubs is the inclusion of a requirement for clubs to release players for the Olympics, which was added to the bill during its passage through the Senate in June.
Diallo expressed hope that swift passage of the law will allow ample time for implementation, targeting a rollout for the 2026-2027 season. “The sooner the law is passed, the more time we have to adopt it. The initial objective is implementation for 2026-2027,” he said.
Beyond governance, Diallo also confirmed the French national team’s return to the Stade de France and announced plans for a friendly match against Brazil. Details regarding Ligue 3 were also discussed as part of the broader restructuring efforts.
