LFP set to close down CFoot six months after launch

CFoot, the football channel created by France Professional Football League (LFP) last year, could be shut down soon, according to local reports.

According to sports newspaper L’Équipe, the LFP’s administrative council is set to confirm the decision to close the channel at a meeting on February 10.

The channel, which was set up last year by the League to compensate for the withdrawal of Orange from bidding for sports rights, leaving the field to Canal Plus, currently has about 330,000 subscribers and will reportedly make a loss of €15 million for the year. CFoot airs games from France’s Ligue 2 as its principal selling point.

The move to close the channel has been given impetus by the entry into French football of Al Jazeera, which acquired a package for matches not picked up by Canal Plus for €170 million a year.