Business of Sports

French Football Woes Attract US Investors

Clubs in France are struggling after a botched media deal; Americans see an opportunity.

Marseille’s Dutch midfielder Quinten Timber during the French L1 football match Metz FC at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille, southern France on April 10.Photographer: Gabriel Bouys/AFP/Getty Images

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By Vanessa Perdomo, David Hellier, and Randall Williams

May 1, 2026 at 7:50 PM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

This week marked what could be the end of LIV Golf, with the Saudis saying they’d pull the plug following this season. Now the league is looking for new investors. This should be a good test of how strong the demand really is for sports assets.

As for what else is happening, we check in on World Cup visas, the sad state of French football and what you probably didn’t see if you tuned into the NFL Draft.