Franck McCourt, owner of the Olympique de Marseille, and Joseph Oughouurlian, president of the RC Lens, officially joined forces to denounce the flaws and incompetences of the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP). This alliance marks a turning point in the French football landscape, embodying a growing protest movement against the current leadership. Ughurlian, a leading figure in this opposition, can now rely on McCourt’s support, whose intervention, initially more discreet, is now more assertive and determined. The main objective of this coalition is to question the functioning of the LFP and to oppose the duo Labrune - Al-Khelaïfi who is currently leading French football.

According to journalist Daniel Riolo, this opposition, already present behind the scenes, will structure itself more visibly with this McCourt-Ughouurlian association at its head. The journalist points out that this alliance could unite the majority of French clubs, including teams such as Nice, Toulouse and Strasbourg. The TV rights crisis, with low income distribution among clubs, exacerbated this feeling of dissatisfaction and gave impetus to this opposition. The arrival of a major player such as Olympique de Marseille in this struggle considerably reinforces the weight of this movement and raises the expectation of stronger statements from other club presidents.

Daniel Riolo believes that Vincent Labrune, president of the LFP, does not wish to leave his post, but wonders if he can finally be forced to resign. At present, the majority tendency is clearly against the opposition. This situation is seen as a strong moment, and it will be necessary to observe which other presidents will join this challenge. In parallel to this situation, the French team, under the leadership of Didier Deschamps, is preparing to face Ukraine during the World Cup 2026 qualifying, with a potential composition including players such as Maigan, Konaté, Upamecano, Chuameni and Mbappé.