France’s New Professional Sport Act: Key Changes for 2026

Promulgated on 3 August 2026, Act No. 2026-725 on the organisation, management and financing of professional sport marks a major overhaul of the French Sports Code (Code du sport).

The reform seeks in particular to secure the sector’s economic sustainability by safeguarding certain sources of club revenue (notably income from broadcasting rights), and to strengthen institutional oversight of governance, shareholding and sports agents.

Sports agents: professional card and the end of the lawyer/agent dual practice

The regulation of intermediary activities undergoes its most significant tightening since the 2000 Act:

• Creation of a professional card: The agent’s licence is replaced by a professional card issued, suspended or withdrawn by the delegated federations (fédérations délégataires). Retaining it requires completing mandatory continuing training.
• Strict ban on combining lawyer and agent roles: Article L. 222-9 of the Sports Code establishes the absolute incompatibility between practising as a lawyer and working as a sports agent, confirming the case law of the Court of Cassation (Cour de cassation) of 29 March 2023. A lawyer wishing to become an agent must first apply to be removed from the Bar roll (omission).
• Regulation of agency firms (effective 1 January 2028): As already applies to certain regulated professions (architects, lawyers, pharmacists, etc.), the majority of the capital and voting rights of agency firms must be held by holders of the professional card. An agent may be employed by only one intermediation structure.
• Regulation of scouts and business introducers:
  • Scouts: Confined to prospecting and administrative support, with remuneration indexed to that received by the agent, for a maximum period of three years.
  • Business introducers: Prohibited from receiving any remuneration whatsoever unless they themselves hold the professional card (involvement limited to the first placement).
• Rules on mandates and remuneration:
  • Duration: Capped at a maximum of 3 years.
  • Ceiling: The remuneration limit remains set at 10% of the contract value (federations retaining the option to set a lower rate).
  • Protection of minors: An absolute prohibition on any fee or commission in connection with the transfer or signing of a minor player. This prohibition continues to apply even if the player reaches the age of majority during performance of the contract.
  • Conflicts of interest: Agents belonging to the same firm are prohibited from representing parties with opposing interests in the same transaction.
• Tougher criminal penalties: Unlawful practice (operating without a card, breaching the rules on minors, or a lawyer acting as an agent without being removed from the Bar roll) is now punishable by 5 years’ imprisonment and a €375,000 fine (which may be increased to twice the sums unduly received). Criminal record checks are subject to an automated annual review.

Clubs and investors: an expanded salary cap, shareholding and TV rights

Parliament is strengthening the tools for financial control and regulation in order to ensure fair competition and the economic sustainability of these organisations.

• Expansion of the salary cap: Article L. 131-16, 3° of the Sports Code now includes, in the calculation of the payroll cap, all “benefits of any kind paid or guaranteed to athletes by each sports association or company, or by any person economically or legally linked to it, directly or indirectly, in connection with the signing, performance or termination of the employment contract”. The evident aim of this addition is to clarify the treatment of sums or benefits in kind paid to an athlete by entities linked to the employing club, in particular its partners and suppliers. The competitiveness of France’s domestic competitions will depend heavily on how this provision is applied.
• Regulation of shareholding changes and multi-club ownership: Rather than a blanket ban on multi-club ownership (which was considered at one point), the Act broadens the powers of the financial control bodies (DNCG, DNACG, etc.). They must now approve, in advance, any proposed acquisition, disposal or change of shareholding.
• Distribution of TV rights: The gap between the highest and lowest broadcasting share distributed to clubs may not exceed a ratio of 1 to 3. In addition, club and league executives are barred from receiving any personal benefit connected with broadcasting transactions.
• Commercial companies:
  • Clubs and federations may set up one or two commercial companies dedicated to commercial operations (making it possible, in particular, to separate the women’s sector from the men’s). Setting up such structures will come at the expense of certain prerogatives currently held by the leagues (notably the marketing of broadcasting rights).
  • A forthcoming decree will set the payroll threshold above which a sports association must convert into a commercial company.

Federations and leagues: rebalancing of powers and financial oversight

• Power of reversal and withdrawal of sub-delegation: A federation may overturn any decision by a league that conflicts with its statutes or with the general interest of the sport. It may also withdraw the public-service sub-delegation in the event of a serious failing (subject to the Sports Minister’s agreement).
• Greater representation of amateur sport: Representatives of professional sport may not hold more than 25% of the voting rights in federations’ general meetings.
• Financial oversight by the Court of Auditors: The Court of Auditors (Cour des comptes) is now empowered to audit the management of federations, leagues and their commercial companies.
• Cap on executives’ remuneration:
  • Federation officers: Remuneration limited to three times the social security ceiling (i.e. €144,000).
  • Federation employees: Capped at the level of the remuneration of the chair of the board of a state-owned industrial and commercial establishment (EPIC) €450,000, save for a ministerial exemption.

Piracy, sports betting and supporters: the cross-cutting measures

• Strengthened fight against piracy: ARCOM (the French audiovisual and digital regulator) now holds the power to block illegal streaming/IPTV sites in real time during live broadcasts. New criminal penalties punish the supply of piracy tools (3 years’ imprisonment and a €300,000 fine).
• Sports betting: The National Gaming Authority (Autorité nationale des jeux, ANJ) is empowered to cap the level of financial losses permitted for bettors aged 18 to 25.
• Dialogue with supporters & women’s sport: Mandatory creation of standing dialogue committees including accredited supporters’ associations, and enshrinement of the principle of financial solidarity to fund the structuring of autonomous women’s leagues.

Securing your practices before the Act takes effect

The reform is still unfolding: several implementing decrees are awaited and its provisions will come into force in stages, a timetable that calls for close attention. Given the scale of the text, professional sport stakeholders (clubs, agents and executives) would be well advised to audit their contractual and statutory practices without delay. DELCADE’s Sports Law team supports them at every stage.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Act of 3 August 2026 change for sports agents?

The agent’s licence is replaced by a professional card issued by the delegated federations, the retention of which requires continuing training. The Act also regulates agency firms, scouts and business introducers, caps mandates at three years and remuneration at 10% of the contract value, and increases criminal penalties.

Can a lawyer still practise as a sports agent?

No. The Act establishes the absolute incompatibility between practising as a lawyer and working as a sports agent, confirming the case law of the Court of Cassation of 29 March 2023. A lawyer wishing to become an agent must first apply to be removed from the Bar roll.

What is the salary cap expanded by the Act?

The payroll cap now includes all benefits of any kind paid or guaranteed to athletes, including by persons economically or legally linked to the club (partners, suppliers). The aim is to neutralise the indirect forms of remuneration that had until now escaped the calculation.

Is multi-club ownership banned?

No, the blanket ban considered at one point was not adopted. Instead, the Act strengthens the powers of the control bodies (DNCG, DNACG), which must approve in advance any proposed acquisition, disposal or change of shareholding.

How does the Act strengthen the fight against sports piracy?

ARCOM has the power to block illegal streaming and IPTV sites in real time during live broadcasts. The supply of piracy tools is also subject to criminal penalties.

When do these new rules take effect?

Implementation is gradual and dependent on the publication of several decrees. Some deadlines are already set, such as the rules on the capital of agency firms on 1 January 2028. Those concerned therefore have every interest in auditing their practices without delay.