VAT on pay television: professional sport on the rise
The government plans to increase VAT on pay TV services from 10 to 20% in the 2027 budget, causing concern among professional leagues.
Quick Look
- The government presents its finance bill for 2027 providing for an increase in VAT from 10 to 20% on pay television.
- A measure criticized by the seven professional French sports leagues.
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Why It Matters
The Ministry of Finance is seeking new tax revenues as part of the finance bill for 2027.
The government is presenting its finance bill for 2027 to the Council of Ministers this Thursday. In search of additional tax revenue, it has targeted, among other measures, pay TV services. A proposal from the Ministry of Finance which would like to increase their VAT rate from 10 to 20%. A measure which raises a unanimous outcry from French professional sport.
In a letter addressed to Emmanuel Macron this Wednesday, September 30, which Le Figaro obtained, the national association of the seven professional leagues (football, rugby, basketball, handball, volleyball, ice hockey and cycling) expressed to the President of the Republic its “deep concern regarding the proposed increase from 10% to 20% of the VAT rate applicable to subscriptions to television services”.
“Such a measure would weaken an essential pillar of the financing of professional sport and, beyond that, of French sport as a whole. In an audiovisual rights market that is already particularly…
Open Questions
- Will the government maintain this measure in the face of protests?
- What impact on general public subscriptions?
