Téléfoot
| Company type | Television show |
|---|---|
| Industry | Sports broadcasting |
| Founded | 1977 |
| Founder | Pierre Cangioni |
| Headquarters | France |
Area served | France |
| Parent | TF1 Production |
| Website | www |
Téléfoot is a French television show dedicated to football, produced by TF1 Production for the TF1 network. Launched in 1977 by Pierre Cangioni with the purpose of presenting highlights from French Division 1, Téléfoot has since expanded its scope to include coverage of France’s national team fixtures, European club tournaments, and international football leagues.
History
The concept for a specialized French football programme was introduced to TF1 by Pierre Cangioni in 1977. TF1 secured the broadcasting rights for Division 1 matches at a cost of 700,000 francs. As France’s inaugural football-focused TV show, Téléfoot initially showcased two games per episode with ten-minute highlight segments and featured player profiles. The programme aired on Saturday nights after 10:30 pm, scheduled to allow fans to attend matches in person. Originally named Téléfoot 1 to reflect the channel’s initials, it was renewed in 1978 and rebranded simply as Téléfoot. By 1979, TF1 had obtained a three-year contract for Ligue 1 rights worth 9 million francs.
Michel Denisot succeeded Cangioni as host in 1981, shifting the broadcast to Sunday mornings. Between 1983 and 1984, Jean Raynal briefly took on hosting duties before Didier Roustan assumed the role temporarily in June 1984. Thierry Roland then became the presenter from 1984 through 2003, supported by co-hosts including Roustan, Roger Zabel, Frédéric Jaillant, Jean-Michel Larqué, Pascal Praud, Vincent Hardy, and Christian Jeanpierre. Roland provided commentary for Téléfoot during the 1998 FIFA World Cup Final and is widely remembered for his memorable celebratory remark following France’s triumph.
Following Roland’s exit, Christian Jeanpierre became the main presenter starting in 2004 alongside Nathalie Renoux. Thierry Gilardi took over hosting responsibilities in January 2005 until his untimely death in 2008; Téléfoot honored him with interviews featuring personalities such as Didier Drogba and Jacques Vendroux. Jeanpierre resumed hosting afterwards and was later joined by Frédéric Calenge and Charlotte Namura; additionally, Bixente Lizarazu appeared as a guest presenter. After the conclusion of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Grégoire Margotton succeeded Jeanpierre as the primary host.
In 2007, Téléfoot lost its Ligue 1 broadcasting rights to Canal+ but continued to provide coverage of foreign leagues, European competitions, and international matches. TF1 remained the sole free-to-air French channel televising the 2018 FIFA World Cup and acquired rights to broadcast twelve games during UEFA Euro 2020.
In June 2020, TF1 collaborated with new Ligue 1 rights holder Mediapro to launch a subscription-based channel under the Téléfoot brand. This channel ceased operations on 8 February 2021 after Mediapro withdrew from its contract; subsequently, Canal+ temporarily resumed Ligue 1 broadcasting rights.
In popular culture
The French edition of the Nintendo 64 video game Michael Owen's WLS 2000 was released under the title Telefoot Soccer 2000.
External links
- 1977 French television series debuts
- 1970s French television series
- 1980s French television series
- 1990s French television series
- 2000s French television series
- 2010s French television series
- 2020s French television series
- Association football television series
- French sports television series
- Television productions suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic
- TF1 original programming
- Football mass media in France