Ligue 1 Winners

Paris Saint-Germain has become the dominant force in French football. They’ve won the Ligue 1 championship 13 times since 1932, when the professional league first began. That makes them the most successful club in French football history.

Their recent dominance is remarkable: they won 8 of the last 10 championships between 2015 and 2025.

But Ligue 1 has witnessed many other champions rise to power. Saint-Étienne ruled the 1960s and 1970s. Lyon created an unprecedented dynasty in the 2000s. Marseille had their moment of glory in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

This guide covers every champion from 1932 through the 2024-25 season, the records that define French football, and why PSG has become unstoppable.

Ligue 1 Winners 1932-2025 (Complete Chronological List)

Season Winner Title Count Points
1932-33 Olympique Lillois 1st 43
1933-34 AS Saint-Étienne 1st 40
1934-35 Sochaux-Montbéliard 1st 38
1935-36 RC Paris 1st 39
1936-37 AS Cannes 1st 38
1937-38 FC Sète 1st 39
1938-39 FC Sète 2nd 35
1939-40 Bordeaux 1st 38
1940-41 OGC Nice 1st 36
1941-42 AS Monaco 1st 35
1942-43 OGC Nice 2nd 37
1943-44 FC Metz 1st 34
1944-45 LOSC Lille 1st 36
1945-46 AS Monaco 2nd 35
1946-47 FC Metz 2nd 38
1947-48 Stade Reims 1st 40
1948-49 Bordeaux 2nd 38
1949-50 AS Cannes 2nd 39
1950-51 AS Nice 3rd 40
1951-52 Paris-SG 1st 38
1952-53 OGC Nice 3rd 39
1953-54 AS Saint-Étienne 2nd 40
1954-55 Stade Reims 2nd 40
1955-56 AS Nice 4th 41
1956-57 AS Saint-Étienne 3rd 41
1957-58 AS Monaco 3rd 40
1958-59 AS Nice 5th 41
1959-60 Stade Reims 3rd 39
1960-61 AS Monaco 4th 42
1961-62 AS Monaco 5th 42
1962-63 AS Monaco 6th 43
1963-64 AS Saint-Étienne 4th 42
1964-65 Nantes 1st 42
1965-66 RC Strasbourg 1st 40
1966-67 AS Saint-Étienne 5th 42
1967-68 AS Saint-Étienne 6th 42
1968-69 Bordeaux 3rd 42
1969-70 AS Saint-Étienne 7th 42
1970-71 Olympique Marseille 1st 42
1971-72 Olympique Marseille 2nd 42
1972-73 AS Monaco 7th 42
1973-74 AS Saint-Étienne 8th 42
1974-75 AS Saint-Étienne 9th 42
1975-76 AS Saint-Étienne 10th 42
1976-77 Olympique Marseille 3rd 40
1977-78 AS Monaco 8th 40
1978-79 RC Strasbourg 2nd 40
1979-80 AS Monaco 9th 40
1980-81 AS Saint-Étienne 11th 40
1981-82 AS Monaco 10th 40
1982-83 AS Monaco 11th 40
1983-84 Bordeaux 4th 40
1984-85 Girondins Bordeaux 5th 40
1985-86 Paris-SG 2nd 40
1986-87 Olympique Marseille 4th 40
1987-88 AS Monaco 12th 40
1988-89 Olympique Marseille 5th 40
1989-90 Olympique Marseille 6th 40
1990-91 Olympique Marseille 7th 40
1991-92 Olympique Marseille 8th 40
1992-93 Marseille* Stripped 40
1993-94 Paris-SG 3rd 40
1994-95 Paris-SG 4th 40
1995-96 AS Saint-Étienne 12th 40
1996-97 AS Monaco 13th 40
1997-98 Lens 1st 40
1998-99 Bordeaux 6th 40
1999-2000 AS Monaco 14th 40
2000-01 Nantes 2nd 40
2001-02 Olympique Lyonnais 1st 40
2002-03 Olympique Lyonnais 2nd 40
2003-04 Olympique Lyonnais 3rd 40
2004-05 Olympique Lyonnais 4th 40
2005-06 Olympique Lyonnais 5th 40
2006-07 Olympique Lyonnais 6th 40
2007-08 Olympique Lyonnais 7th 40
2008-09 Girondins Bordeaux 7th 40
2009-10 Olympique Marseille 9th 40
2010-11 LOSC Lille 1st 40
2011-12 Montpellier HSC 1st 40
2012-13 Paris Saint-Germain 5th 75
2013-14 Paris Saint-Germain 6th 80
2014-15 Paris Saint-Germain 7th 82
2015-16 Paris Saint-Germain 8th 96
2016-17 AS Monaco 15th 93
2017-18 Paris Saint-Germain 9th 96
2018-19 Paris Saint-Germain 10th 91
2019-20 Paris Saint-Germain 11th 68
2020-21 LOSC Lille 2nd 86
2021-22 Paris Saint-Germain 12th 86
2022-23 Paris Saint-Germain 12th 75
2023-24 Paris Saint-Germain 12th 75
2024-25 Paris Saint-Germain 13th 91

The table reveals an interesting pattern. The 1930s through 1960s saw many different champions. Then Saint-Étienne dominated the 1970s with unprecedented consistency.

Monaco had their era in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Lyon created the most remarkable streak in French history with seven consecutive titles from 2002-2008.

From 2012 onward, PSG’s rise became unstoppable. Since Qatar Sports Investments took over the club in 2011, they’ve won nearly every championship.

Paris Saint-Germain’s Record Dominance: 13 Ligue 1 Titles Explained

Paris Saint-Germain holds 13 Ligue 1 championships, the most in French football history. They surpassed Saint-Étienne’s record of 10 titles in the 2023-24 season. Their recent success is staggering: they won their 13th title in 2024-25, securing it with six matches remaining.

How did PSG capture this dominance so quickly? Before 2011, PSG had won just four titles in their history. Then the Qatar Sports Investments takeover changed everything.

PSG’s rise happened fast. They won the title in 2012-13, their first under Qatari ownership. Then they kept winning. Between 2015 and 2025, PSG won 8 of 10 available titles. Only Lille in 2020-21 and Monaco in 2016-17 broke their streak during that decade.

The financial advantage is enormous. PSG signed superstars like Zlatan Ibrahović, Neymar, Kylian Mbappé, and Thiago Silva. No other French club could match their spending power. Other clubs had talented squads, but PSG had global megastars.

PSG’s Structural Advantages

PSG’s dominance comes from multiple sources:

  • Qatari sovereign wealth funding unlimited resources
  • Ability to sign world-class players other French clubs cannot afford
  • Paris is France’s largest market with revenue generation potential
  • Champions League participation brings additional revenue
  • Top players want to play for PSG
  • Winning cycle reinforces dominance with trophy prestige

Other French clubs might win occasional titles. PSG wins them year after year because their system creates an advantage competitors cannot overcome.

All-Time Championship Records and Statistics

Club Titles Key Era
Paris Saint-Germain 13 2012-present, especially 2015 onward
AS Saint-Étienne 10 1960s-1980, dominated 1970s
Olympique Marseille 9 1970s and late 1980s-1990s
AS Monaco 14 Various eras, especially 1960s and late 1990s
Olympique Lyonnais 7 2002-2008 (consecutive)
RC Strasbourg 2 1960s and 1970s
Stade Reims 3 Late 1940s and 1950s
Nantes 2 1960s and 2000s
Bordeaux 6 Various eras, 1930s-2000s
LOSC Lille 2 1940s and recent (2011, 2021)
Montpellier 1 2012
FC Lens 1 1998
Others 1 each Various clubs

PSG’s 13 titles far outpace other clubs. Saint-Étienne and Marseille have 10 and 9 respectively, but those were won across decades. PSG won their 13 titles in just over a decade after 2012.

Historic Achievements by Club

Olympique Lyonnais created the most remarkable streak in French football history. From 2002-03 through 2007-08, they won seven consecutive titles. No club before or after has matched that achievement in Ligue 1.

Saint-Étienne’s golden era came in the 1970s. They won 10 titles total, with 6 of them coming between 1974-1981. During this period, they were the strongest team in France and regularly competed in European competitions.

Marseille’s success came in two waves. They won four consecutive titles from 1989-1992 under manager Érnest Roger. Then they won the Champions League in 1993, though their 1992-93 league title was later stripped due to a match-fixing scandal involving their match against Valenciennes.

Monaco’s 14 titles disguises an interesting pattern. They won many early titles (1952-1983) but rarely in the modern era. Their last championship came in 1999-2000. They broke PSG’s dominance just once in 2016-17, proving that challenging PSG is possible but difficult.

Lyon’s 7-Year Streak (2001-02 to 2007-08): French Football’s Greatest Dynasty

Olympique Lyonnais won seven consecutive Ligue 1 titles from 2001-02 through 2007-08. This remains the longest winning streak in Ligue 1 history. No club has matched it since, and the 2024-25 season marks nearly two decades without anyone equaling Lyon’s achievement.

How did Lyon dominate so thoroughly? They built a strong squad with smart recruitment. Players like Juninho Pernambucano and Sidney Govou formed the core of their success. Manager Claude Puel built a cohesive team that improved each season.

The streak ended when Bordeaux won the 2008-09 title with an impressive campaign. After that, the championship began rotating among different clubs. From 2009-2012, four consecutive different champions won the league: Marseille in 2010, Lille in 2011, and Montpellier in 2012.

Then PSG arrived, and competitive balance disappeared again. PSG’s resources were too great for other clubs to overcome consistently.

PSG’s Modern Era (2012-2025): Qatar-Backed Dominance

PSG’s transformation happened quickly after Qatar Sports Investments took over in 2011. They invested heavily and won their first title in 2012-13. Since then, dominance has been the norm.

In the 2015-16 season, PSG accumulated 96 points, a remarkable total in modern Ligue 1. They dominated opponents so thoroughly that the competition felt decided long before the season ended. Fans knew PSG would win before spring arrived.

The 2016-17 season broke PSG’s streak when Monaco finished first with 93 points. Monaco proved that breaking PSG was possible but required a near-perfect season. Amazingly, even 93 points wasn’t always enough. Some seasons, PSG won with lower totals because the competition was so weak.

After Monaco’s interruption, PSG reasserted control. From 2017-2025, they won 8 of 9 seasons. Only Lille’s 2020-21 championship broke their dominance during that span. Lille won during the COVID-19 disrupted season when matches were halted and the final standings were decided by points per game.

PSG’s 2024-25 title was their 13th, making them the most successful club in French football history.

Ligue 1 Winners by Era

1930s-1940s: Formative Years

The early professional era saw many different champions. Olympique Lillois won the first title in 1932-33. Then Sète, Cannes, Paris-SG, and Nice all claimed titles. The championship rotated frequently.

1950s-1960s: Growing Competition

Reims, Nice, Saint-Étienne, and Monaco competed for dominance. Multiple clubs won titles in this era. No single club established clear control.

1970s: Saint-Étienne Era

Saint-Étienne emerged as the dominant force. They won 10 titles total, with six coming in the 1970s alone. Between 1974-1976, they won three consecutive titles. This was the golden era of French football.

1980s: Monaco and Bordeaux

Monaco and Bordeaux shared the decade. Monaco won their final titles in this era. By the late 1980s, Marseille began their rise.

1990s: Marseille and PSG Transition

Marseille dominated the early 1990s with four consecutive titles from 1989-1992. PSG began their rise in the mid-1990s with back-to-back titles in 1994-1995. Monaco and others also won during this period.

2000s: Lyon Dynasty

Olympique Lyonnais established the greatest streak in French football: seven consecutive titles from 2002-2008. Then the decade ended with other clubs sharing success: Bordeaux, Marseille, and Lille all won in the late 2000s and early 2010s.

2010s-2020s: PSG Dominance

PSG took over in 2012-13 and has dominated ever since. Between 2015-2025, they won 8 of 10 titles. No other club has been able to challenge their superiority for extended periods.

FAQs

How Many Titles Has PSG Won?

PSG has won 13 Ligue 1 titles. They surpassed Saint-Étienne’s record of 10 titles in 2024 and won their 13th in 2024-25.

Who Won the First Ligue 1 Championship?

Olympique Lillois (now part of Lille) won in 1932-33. They defeated Cannes 4-3 in the title playoff match.

Which Club Holds the Consecutive Titles Record?

Olympique Lyonnais won seven straight titles from 2001-02 to 2007-08. This remains the record in Ligue 1 history.

How Many Different Clubs Have Won Ligue 1?

Fourteen different clubs have won Ligue 1 titles. Many clubs have won just one or two titles. PSG, Saint-Étienne, and Marseille have won the most.

Why Did PSG’s Title Get Stripped in 1992-93?

Marseille’s title was stripped, not PSG’s. They were found guilty of match-fixing in their match against Valenciennes. No champion was declared for that season.

What Makes PSG So Dominant?

Qatari ownership provides unlimited resources:

  • Unlimited spending on top players
  • Ability to sign world-class stars other clubs cannot afford
  • Paris market revenue generation
  • Champions League participation
  • Trophy prestige attracts star players
  • System creates advantage competitors cannot overcome

Has Any Club Broken PSG’s Recent Streak?

Yes, twice. Lille won in 2020-21 during the COVID-disrupted season. Monaco won in 2016-17 with 93 points. Otherwise, PSG has dominated since 2012-13.

M. Abdullah
M. Abdullah is a professional football writer known for his expert player analyses, transfer insights, and in-depth coverage of the global game. His work delivers clear, reliable, and engaging football content for fans worldwide.