
The Ligue 1 season commences next week in France and Monaco between the top clubs in the region. New clubs in the mix Paris FC and Metz hope to cement their position in the top flight, while others hope for rare glory. PSG are expected to run away with the trophy in 2025/26, but Monaco and Marseille linger in the wings. Continue reading for expert Ligue 1 predictions and explore stats and tips to bet on the Ligue 1 2025/26 season.
- Ligue 1 McDonald’s
- 2025-26 domestic season
- 18 clubs play 34 matches each
- Double round-robin format
- BeIN Sports, Fubo
Ligue 1 Predictions: Who do Sportsbooks Favor?
PSG are prohibitive favorites to win Ligue 1 for the fifth consecutive time. The defending champions are (-700) to take the title. The next-closest contenders are Monaco (+1200) and Marseille (+1400). Lille, Lyon and Nice represent the third tier of trophy hopefuls, but they are all (+2500) or longer to win Ligue 1.
Ligue 1 PSG -1000 -700 -750 Monaco +1200 +1100 +1100 Marseille +1400 +1200 +1200 Lille +2500 +2200 +2200 Lyon +3300 +2800 Nice +3300 +3300 +3300
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PSG Set For Ligue 1 Dominance in 2025/26
What could have been considered by some to be the best club season in history was spoiled over the summer. PSG’s shocking 3-0 defeat to Chelsea in the Club World Cup final ruined what was a nearly unprecedented run of form in knockout tournaments. The loss was a reminder that even PSG “could bleed,” but it did little to suggest the French giants were vulnerable in their own domestic league. No French club has been more successful than PSG since their entrance to the sport in 1970.
Bookmakers see Ligue 1 as a wash. Paris Saint-Germain are as high as (-1000) to win the title on some sportsbooks, and the season has not even started. It’s true there is little competition for the Parisians after they secured last year’s title without losing a game and with six games to spare. The club added three more trophies before the year’s end. The victory marked their fourth consecutive triumph in Ligue 1 and their seventh in the last eight years.
Is there anyone who can catch the reigning champions? I think it’s difficult to believe so. The financial gap is so wide between any other club in Ligue 1 that any sort of early points deficit would be countered quickly by PSG. The only argument I can see is that PSG may struggle to field strong rotations weekly if they continue to have success deep into other tournaments.
Is Monaco the “Best of the Rest?”
So removing PSG from the picture, which club is best poised to claim runners-up? Last year, Marseille had a strong run with 65 points, outdoing preseason expectations significantly. The new term should see Marseille in the mix again, but my eyes land on Monaco. The only non-French club in the division, Monaco picked up controversial striker Paul Pogba during the offseason.
The 32-year-old French international has been granted a second chance after returning from a two-year doping ban. Marseille demonstrated interest yet ultimately decided against taking the risk. Pogba has never played professionally in France, ruling out the idea of any sort of homecoming. Perhaps Pogba could be the spark Monaco needs to leapfrog Marseille.
My projections have Monaco earning 75 points in 2025/26, the best mark of any other club not named PSG. The next closest team is Nice with 68 points, foreshadowing my next Ligue 1 prediction. Most sportsbooks offer the “Winner Without PSG” market for Ligue 1, which cashes bets of teams competing as if PSG was not on the table. I think my numbers indicate plenty of value compared to the current number of (+225).
Ligue 1 Predictions: Can Nice Improve Upon Top 4 Finish Next Season?
While Monaco and Marseille fight amongst themselves, there is a dark horse candidate who I believe could sneak into the upper ranks of Ligue 1 in 2025/26. Last year’s fourth-placed side, Nice will be hungry for a top-3 position this term. Not only does that represent improvement, but a top-3 finish in Ligue 1 qualifies clubs for the group stage of the Champions League. Brest notably took advantage of their time in the top European competition with a shocking run to the knockout rounds last year. Could Nice be next?
Now set for their second season under Franck Haise, management has seen several transfer windows to gain the players they seek. Winger Isak Jansson was their most expensive signing this offseason. The club parted ways with defender Jean-Clair Todibo on a $46 million deal, however, leaving Jonathan Clauss to pick up the slack in his stead.
Les Aiglons were just a point away from Monaco last year and do not face some of the same financial pressures as their contemporaries like Lyon. While a top-3 finish hasn’t happened for Nice since 2017, there have been some close calls. I think the current line of (+300) reflects more public sentiment of Nice’s talent than their actual ability. I have Nice ranked higher than Marseille, Lyon, and Lille, all of whom are priced higher than Nice at the moment.
Odds are accurate at time of writing but subject to change.
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