Laura Carollo
Research expert covering cinema and film
Sports streaming in France - statistics & facts
2023 is an exceptional year for sport in France. As the city of Paris prepares to host the Summer Olympics, many sports afficionados are ready to follow upcoming sports competitions, such as the French Open, the Tour de France or the European Football Championships. While only a selected few can support their favorite athletes or teams in person, many spectators will follow the festivities on linear television, but also via live streaming. What role does streaming play in France's overall consumption of sports content?
Streaming sports content is part of a general trend towards digital consumption, which is on the rise for all media. While watching live sporting events via linear television remains the preferred mode for many French people, younger consumers are increasingly turning to streaming. While many legal options are available, piracy is still common practice for a minority of consumers.
A country of sports enthusiasts
As of 2024, 68 percent of French people consumed sports content live on TV, radio, or the internet - 17 percent among them at least three times a week. Fewer respondents reported watching replays of sports events, and about 20 percent claim to follow sports news through social media or interviews. Not only are the French fond of sports, but they also follow sports content with great frequency; about 12 percent watched or listened to it every day or almost daily. Soccer remained undefeated among French sports fans, above rugby or tennis, and was also the most streamed. However, it was surpassed by tennis when it comes to illegal consumption.How French people consume sports content
With the Summer Olympics just around the corner, many spectators are planning to follow the event on television. According to a survey conducted in France in May 2024, younger respondents are more likely to follow the Olympics via TV channel apps or social media. Overall, TV sets were overwhelmingly the most popular devices to watch the Olympics, but that share drops for replays, which accounted for a higher share of smartphones and computers usage. While 77 percent of sports fans consumed sports content through live TV, about a third of them did so via streaming platforms.Streaming platforms
According to another survey carried out in 2024, about 40 percent of French consumers pay to stream sports content. The most popular streaming platform was Canal+ with 29 percent of respondents overall, five percent among them through external codes. The channel has historically stood out for its offering of sports content, which includes Ligue 1 soccer matches, as well as international tennis and rugby tournaments. In August 2023, the sports streaming service DAZN arrived in France thanks to a deal concluded with Canal+, which included the British streaming service to some of the French channel’s offers. Among sports apps, “L'Equipe” was by far the most visited with a total number of visits exceeding 100 million.Streaming sports content is part of a general trend towards digital consumption, which is on the rise for all media. While watching live sporting events via linear television remains the preferred mode for many French people, younger consumers are increasingly turning to streaming. While many legal options are available, piracy is still common practice for a minority of consumers.
